WHO WE AREFoundation News

After leading the Foundation for over 10 years as our part-time Executive Director, Erika Rimson is retiring at the end of 2024. During Erika’s tenure, the Foundation has accrued $9.4 Million in total assets under management, secured $10 Million in after-lifetime legacy gift commitments, and has awarded & facilitated $3.9 Million in grants.

We are grateful to Erika for her exemplary leadership and heartfelt commitment as our Executive Director, and our community is fortunate that she plans to continue her involvement in New Mexico’s Jewish communal life.

As our Jewish community continues to evolve and grow, the JCFNM Board of Directors has determined that the Foundation will require a Full-Time Executive Director to continue to fulfill our mission—“to build and perpetuate support for a vibrant, caring Jewish community through partnerships with donors and organizations.”

Moving forward, we are excited to identify an experienced, talented leader who can inspire and ensure that our New Mexico Jewish community will continue to thrive today, tomorrow and for future generations. L’Chaim New Mexico!

To effectively conduct our search, an Executive Search Committee has been formed and created a detailed job description. Click here to view the job description and/or share it with prospective candidates.

“Embracing Community” was the theme on June 9th, as Klezmer Duo “Di Kavene Kapelye” serenaded 80 legacy donors in the JCC courtyard at the 6th annual Life & Legacy brunch. Our community's 350 legacy donors, who Assure Jewish Tomorrows in New Mexico, have committed to make a legacy gift to the endowment of one or more local Jewish organizations. Our collaboration with synagogues and agencies in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Los Alamos will benefit our community for generations to come. Learn more about the Life & Legacy initiative.

Embracing Community

Di Kavene Kapelye - Randi Thompson & Jeff Brody

This year’s Jewish Women’s Endowment Fund grants supported the Jewish Care Program’s Emergency Assistance efforts, B’nai Israel’s Emerging Leader program, Temple Beth Shalom’s Religious School Retreat and the JCC’s new Mini Mensch program.

The Immigrant & Refugee Assistance Fund grants helped support needs of immigrants and refugees in New Mexico. See 2024 grant recipient list.

Thirteen Albuquerque and Santa Fe young people are looking forward to fun in the great outdoors with Jewish friends at summer camp. The Foundation’s camp scholarships will help support the kids’ adventures.

This year has been a tough one for Jews all around the country.… Spaces where I had previously felt safe now felt vulnerable. In the face of this, the first place I turned was camp. If it weren’t for the connections that I had made at camp since age 8, I would have felt even more isolated this year. I depend on these friendships to sustain me and look forward to deepened friendships in the year to come.
– 2024 camp scholarship recipient

Two graduating Albuquerque-area high school students who have demonstrated achievements and ongoing volunteer work supporting human rights and dignity will receive $1,000 college scholarships for the 2024-25 school year from the Neil Isbin Scholarship Fund.

Photo by Diane Joy Schmidt

On October 7th, the terrorist organization Hamas launched surprise attacks on southern Israel from Gaza. Terrorists killed more than 1,200 people, wounded thousands, kidnapped at least 250 children, women and men, and fired thousands of rockets and missiles at cities across Israel.

We mourn with Israeli families as they bury their loved ones who were murdered by Hamas terrorists. We pray for the well-being and immediate return of each victim held hostage in Gaza. We unequivocally condemn Hamas and its barbaric terror attack on Israel. The world must not stand idly by as terrorists infiltrate a sovereign country and brazenly target its civilians — young and old.

Our hearts break for all innocent victims of this tragedy.

We will continue to stand with Israel in the difficult days and months ahead.

We will continue to support the Jewish people in Israel and in the diaspora — including here in New Mexico.

May Israel, the Jewish people, and all of humanity know better days ahead.

Charitable organizations are at work supporting victims of terror, helping rebuild damaged infrastructure and addressing the unprecedented levels of trauma caused by this attack. If you would like to support this effort, consider these suggestions.

Learn more about the new Jewish Community Relations Coalition-New Mexico.