Topic: Little different sort of tour

[medic09]

My wife's a fairly new, and obsessed, rider.

For spring, we'd like to do a tour-in-segments.  Figured we'd start with long day rides, and work up to multi-day rides.

Our agenda is a little unusual, though.  For destinations, we'd like to pick places that had or have small Jewish communities.  We'll start around New Mexico and neighbouring states, and work out from there.  We're still deciding whether or not to turn this into a documented project.

If you know of remnants of a Jewish community in your area, please let us know.  We'd be looking for old or abandoned synagogues, cemetaries, and mikvahs (ritual baths).  Still existing communities are good, too.  They're better to overnight in. 

You can PM, email, call, carrier pigeon, or whatever...

Thanks all!

Mordechai

[kghost]

Sadly I live in South Texas which by and large does not have a large Jewish heritage or community.

I think exploring like you have decided to do is quite the cool concept. What a wonderful way to experience things and connect. Both with the wife and the past.

Keep us posted on your progress

[Bob Wessner]

I say document it.

[kghost]

I say document it.

I just assumed he knew he would be harassed unmercifully without pictures 

[Bob Wessner]

There is a place on the club side to document rides.

http://www.sohc4.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=6&id=74&Itemid=90

[medic09]

Sadly I live in South Texas which by and large does not have a large Jewish heritage or community.

I think exploring like you have decided to do is quite the cool concept. What a wonderful way to experience things and connect. Both with the wife and the past.

Keep us posted on your progress

kg,
I've been surprised where I find some of these last vestiges of a Jewish community.  When I lived in Houston, a local boy scout troop used to go an hour or so out of town to clean up the Jewish cemetary in a little town (name escapes me).  There was an abandoned synagogue and a cemetary there.

When I travelled through Vicksburg on the Mississippi, you could trace the course of the siege by the headstones in the Jewish cemetary.  The history of the community can often be seen in the headstones, if you know how to look.

Where in S. Tejas are you?  We might find something there.  Many Jews came to the US through Galveston, and spread out from there.

[kghost]

Down on the border in McAlllen.

If you get down that way look us up.

[hopterfixer]

Kghost lives in North Mexico 

[spider-man]

Philanthropist Judah Touro lived in New Orleans, joined Gen. Jackson in the fight against the British at the Battle of Chalmette. (He was badly wounded and mistakenly presumed dead.) The city's Touro Infirmary is named for him.

Martin Behrman was mayor of the city for a long time in the early 20th century, and there are a number of roads and parks and that sort of thing named for him.

There were businesses of many sorts operated by the thriving Jewish community here, including those involved in the cotton trade and prostititution!

I found this interesting reference on Jews in St. Francisville: http://www.guidebookamerica.com/news/antebellum_jews/

And of course you'd have to visit the famous Kosher Cajun if you were in the neighborhood: http://www.koshercajun.com/

[medic09]

Thanks, spider-man!

New Orleans is probably a little farther off in our plan, but we will eventually head that way.  Probably after vacationing in beautiful downtown McAllen. 

That's good info you posted.

There was a good kosher place closer to downtown, where my wife got food during a conference 3 or 4 years ago. Probably not there now.  I taught school with a fellow from Metairie, be nice to see where he grew up and visit his family.  Kosher Cajun looks good.  Good kosher food is sometimes hard to find in our travels.  We rely alot on cooking by the roadside on our mountaineering stove.  Restaurant with a view... 

Keep those suggestions coming folks!

[red_haint]

Please forgive my ignorance, but what does jewish communities look like? I've seen maybe one area with a high concentration of jews and I figured it out by all the yamakahs (sp?), area looked normal other than the jewish school.

[Rocking-M]

Mordechai,

Since you will be in the South on your journey.
Some sites which may give you ideas on your tour.
Be sure to document it or we'll hunt you down

http://www.rense.com/general26/morethan10000.htm

http://www.thesouthernamerican.org/stardavid.html

And you must plan a long haul to the only Jewish Military Cemetary outside of Israel.

http://www.sdjewishjournal.com/stories/xarchive.php?id=59

http://www.sc.edu/uscpress/Fw00/3363.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/regenstein7.html

And at Arlington is Moses Ezekiel's Great Monument.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ezekiel.htm

Oh, I could go on and on.....

[medic09]

Please forgive my ignorance, but what does jewish communities look like? I've seen maybe one area with a high concentration of jews and I figured it out by all the yamakahs (sp?), area looked normal other than the jewish school.

Yamakahs?  I thought they said I needed a YAMAHA!  That's why I have an SR500. 

Seriously, red, that's a reasonable question.  I don't think the sort of little communities we're seeking out will "look" like anything.  It's true that we're largely communal; many of our religious obligations are ideally done in community.  Nonetheless, poor immigrants, or sometimes folks less concerned with religious community, made their way to the strangest out-of-the-way places.  Especially the ones that came off the boat in Galveston, and just headed out to look for work.  Out in the countryside where I work as a paramedic there's a little village called Ilfeld.  The Ilfeld family cemetary is there, and that's all there is anymore of a Jewish presence there, as far as I know.  In some places there may be a building that was once the synagogue (our place of prayer and study) or temple, or there may be something else.  And in different places, there might now just be a group of Jews who get together for the Sabbath or holydays in someone's home.

So far, close to here, I have leads in New Mexico (Las Vegas, somewhere up Mora highway, Raton) and Colorado (Leadville, Walsenberg, Pueblo), but we know there's a lot more out there.

Thanks all!  Keep those suggestions coming in!  And if you're looking for a Sabbath meal (or just a beer) on your way through Santa Fe, let us know!

[medic09]

Oh, I could go on and on.....

Please do!  If you don't want to take up forum space, just email us!

Thanks!

[medic09]

I'm just boosting my thread back up the list in hope of gathering some more input/information.   

Thanks!

[Rocking-M]

Hey Medic, i was trying to post a picture in this thread for you but pictures weren't taking,
Then Heffay schooled us on how to do it and not take up space too!



This is the Jewish-Confederate Monument at Hollywood Cemetary in Richmond.



And this is the monument done by Sir Moses Ezekiel who served with the VMI Cadets and
turned the Yankees at New Market. If your ever in my neck of the woods I'll give you the tour.

[medic09]

Well, we're starting with rides closer to home, but you've definately given us incentive to come visit you!

Keep that info coming!

Thanks,

mordechai