New Mexico: Learning the ropes

Our family has made several major moves over our history.

I'm not only talking about the move from 14th-century Spain which brought the TALALAY to Mogilev, Belarus. Or the move that took my direct branch from Belarus to the US. Major moves have also included Teheran, Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tel Aviv - and this most recent one to New Mexico.

In each new place, I felt it was important to immediately get involved, to begin to find a place in the life of the community, to find an outlet for personal interests. Of course, for more than 20 years, genealogy has been a major interest.

Today, I met with New Mexico Jewish Federation executive director Sam Sokolove, New Mexico Jewish Historical Society president Dorothy Amsden, Rabbi Min Kantrowitz. The meetings were good, providing excellent possibilities for future involvement.

And it was a reunion of sorts with Dorothy, whom I first met years ago at the last international Jewish genealogy conference hosted by the JGS of Greater Washington, in DC.

On another note, I was happy to converse - in Farsi - with the head of an Iranian Bahai family who settled here about a decade ago.

Some readers have asked privately about the recent lack of graphics in Tracing the Tribe posts. While my graphics files survived the smashing of my poor PC - and most were on flashdrives in any case - it takes take time to add those, and I'm trying to get back to speed providing information first and foremost.

The graphics will soon begin to appear once again for readers' visual enjoyment.

I truly appreciate the kind wishes - public and private - of readers and friends concerning our move to the Land of Enchantment, and wish everyone an illuminating Festival of Lights.

Enjoy your latkes (with applesauce, sour cream or "naked," straight from the frying pan), sugfaniot (have a chocoate-filled one for me!), or whatever your culinary traditions prescribe for this holiday.

Tell your family stories once again as your family lights the hanukiah, and remember the generations of your families as they did the same thing for centuries in all parts of the world.

With best wishes and appreciation for your continued support,
Schelly