Welcome to Temple Montefiore and The Jewish Community of Las Vegas.
In 1880, Las Vegas, New Mexico had one of the largest Jewish populations in the Southwest, many of them merchants who came west on the Santa Fe Trail. They became prominent and involved members of the community who established themselves and their businesses throughout northern New Mexico.
In 1884 Congregation Montefiore, the first Jewish congregation in the New Mexico Territory, began a campaign to raise funds for a permanent synagogue in Las Vegas, NM. According to records, over half the donations came from
nonmembers , showing the locals’ respect for the Jewish population
Congregation Montefiore was dedicated on September 20, 1886 in downtown Las Vegas and in 1922 moved four blocks uphill to its present location at 901 8 th Street.
Due to a declining Jewish population, the building was sold in 1957 to the Bible Church and later to the Catholic Church, eventually becoming a Newman Center.
The Jewish Community of Las Vegas regrouped in the 1990’s, meeting at homes and occasionally renting out the Newman Center for special events, with dreams of one day becoming established again at Temple Montefiore.
In August of 2022, the building was offered for sale by the Catholic Diocese, and through an intensive fundraising effort, the Las Vegas Jewish Community, Inc. purchased the building. A formal dedication was held on Hannukah, 2022 with a ceremony by Ron Duncan Hart (video below).
LVJC serves San Miguel and Mora counties, with regular members attending from Santa Fe and Albuquerque. We also hold arts/community events at Temple Montefiore for the wider Las Vegas community. We welcome you to come visit, volunteer, become a member, and find a way to connect to and preserve the history of Jews in Las Vegas.
Please watch this fascinating talk by Rabbi John Feldman about the founders of Temple Montefiore: