| MARVIN TAICHERT, 1933-2002 |
New Mexico lost
one of its treasures with the passing of Marvin Taichert of
Las Vegas this past April. The son of pioneer merchant
Milton Taichert, Marvin represented the last of the great Las
Vegas Jewish families from the town's heyday around the turn
of the twentieth century.
In the early days of the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society,
Marvin was instrumental in helping the organization establish
its archives. Among the Society's first collections
were the records donated by Marvin, documenting the history of
Congregation Montefiore, the oldest synagogue in New Mexico,
the institution in which the Taichert family |
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played such a crucial
role for decades. Since the closing of the Congregation
in the 1950s, Milton, and Marvin after him, preserved the invaluable
documentary heritage left behind by the pioneer Jewish community
of Las Vegas, and insured its preservation for the benefit of
future generations of New Mexico Jews. Just after
Marvin's death, the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society archives
became part of the permanent collection of the New Mexico Records
Center and Archives. Marvin would have been proud.
In his later years Marvin dedicated himself to the care and
preservation of the Congregation Montefiore cemetery. Following
the senseless van |
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dalism that hit
the cemetery in 1989, Marvin formed the Congregation Montefiore
Cemetery Association, and served as its president up to the day
of his passing. Thanks to Marvin's selfless efforts, the cemetery
has been restored to its former dignity. Despite his
debilitating illnesses in his last years, Marvin unfailingly
attended the annual cleanup of the cemetery conducted by the
New Mexico Jewish Historical Society, the children of the Religious
School of Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Fe, and the local Las Vegas
community.
The NMJHS joins the Las Vegas community in mourning the passing
of this great man. |
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Calendar of Events:
- Congregation Montefiore Cemetery Cleanup, Las Vegas, Sunday,
April 27.
- Annual Membership Meeting: Lecture by Rabbi Dennis Sasso,
of Indianapolis, on the History of Sephardic Jews in the Americas,
and Presentation of Dr. Allan Hurst Award, Santa Fe, Sunday,
June 1.
- Book Sale, Santa Fe, Saturday/Sunday, August 30-31.
- Archives Reception, October (TBA).
- Annual Conference, Albuquerque, November (TBA) .
- Call for Nominations: The Dr. Allan Hurst Award, given to
the person, persons, or organization who has contributed to New
Mexico Jewish history, culture, and community over a substantial
period of time, will be presented at the Society's Annual Membership
Meeting on June 1. Please submit your nomination by contacting
Julie Gordon at (505) 348-4471 or nmjhs@jewishnewmexico.org.
Deadline is April 1, 2003.
- The NMJHS is soliciting historical papers and photographs
for inclusion in its archival collection at the New Mexico Records
Center and Archives. For more information contact Claire Grossman
at (505) 982-3961 or cbears214@aol.com.
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