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About JCRC-NM

We envision a vibrant, secure and connected Jewish
community in New Mexico.

Our Vision

We envision a vibrant, secure, and connected Jewish community in New Mexico – one that is informed, engaged, and empowered to build a more just and inclusive society, advocate effectively for its interests, and inspire pride in Jewish life and values for generations to come.

Our Mission

The Jewish Community Relations Coalition of New Mexico (JCRC-NM) builds and fosters relationships that:

Advance the values, interests and security of the New Mexico Jewish community
Promote knowledge of and support for Israel
Cultivate intercultural understanding and collaboration between the Jewish and broader community

HISTORY

A group of Jewish community leaders in Albuquerque and Santa Fe came together to launch the Jewish Community Relations Coalition of New Mexico (JCRC-NM) following Hamas' brutal attacks on innocent Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. Our goal was to unite the community and speak collectively in support of Israel and against the disturbing rise in antisemitism.

Over 25 Jewish religious, educational, advocacy, cultural, and social service organizations representing diverse perspectives of the Jewish community in New Mexico became part of the JCRC-NM. Collectively our partner organizations constituted the majority of the organized Jewish community in central and northern New Mexico.

Led by our initial Steering Committee and with the support of additional volunteers, JCRC-NM engaged the broader Jewish community in educational and advocacy initiatives to support Israel's right to defend itself and to promote the safety and security of the New Mexico Jewish community. Volunteers poured hundreds of hours into building JCRC-NM.

In the summer of 2024, with critical support from the JCC of Greater Albuquerque (JCC) and the Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico, the JCRC-NM began a major fundraising effort to professionalize the organization and hire a full-time Director.

We recognize and appreciate the initial JCRC-NM Steering Committee for their commitment, vision and collaborative energy: Co-Chairs Jane Wishner (Albuquerque) and Alonet Zarum (Santa Fe), Zach Benjamin (SF), Halley Faust (SF), Elisheva Herrera (SF), Sara Koplik (ABQ), Erika Rimson (ABQ), Rabbi Celia Surget (ABQ) and John Wertheim (ABQ).

Vision

Mission

History

2025 and Looking to the Future

In March 2025, Juan Dircie became the inaugural Director of the JCRC-NM which now operates as a program of the JCC and raises funds through the Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico. The Steering Committee is currently comprised of lay leaders from central and northern New Mexico and the JCC CEO. Community volunteers provide their time, knowledge and financial support to advance the Coalition's mission.

Leadership

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Co-Chair

Erika Rimson

Erika is a community builder, involved in New Mexico Jewish life as a professional and a lay leader for 25+ years. She served as the Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico's inaugural Executive Director for 11 years. She and her husband raised their two sons in Albuquerque and appreciate the diversity of our beautiful state.

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Co-Chair

Alonet Zarum

Alonet transforms vision into action. An experienced Jewish communal leader, she served on the ADL Board, JCRC, two shul boards, and as Chair of Limmud NOLA in New Orleans. Internationally, she is the U.S. Liaison for the Rabbi Sacks Chair of Modern Jewish Thought at the London School of Jewish Studies. In October 2023, she co-founded JCRC-NM, in Santa Fe, which she now co-chairs. A business owner and mother of four, she brings over 20 years of coalition-building experience to this critical moment.

Steering Committee

Sarah Rachel Egelman

Sarah is an educator working in both Jewish and secular spaces. She has been a professor of Religious Studies and Humanities for over 22 years at Central New Mexico Community College and also teaches at Congregation B'nai Israel's Academy of Jewish Learning. She has two adult daughters and lives with her husband in Albuquerque.

Shelly Prant

Shelly, JCC of Greater Albuquerque CEO for the past seven years, has been serving the Jewish community as a volunteer and professional for over 25 years. She has a passion for connecting individuals and groups, and for creating partnerships that build and strengthen the Jewish and greater community.

Rabbi Jack Shlachter

Jack is both a rabbi and a physicist, having worked for the bulk of his scientific career at Los Alamos National Laboratory with stints at the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization in Vienna and at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. He proudly serves as rabbi at the Los Alamos Jewish Center and at HaMakom in Santa Fe. He has been the itinerant rabbi for High Holidays in Vienna, Beijing, Warsaw, Bangkok, and Guatemala City.

David Shulman

David is a member of Santa Fe's Temple Beth Shalom (TBS) Board of Trustees. He chairs TBS's Israel committee and is a member of the TBS finance committee. He is also a board member of Global Santa Fe. He has three grown children and two grandchildren who live out-of-state.

Ron Winger

Ron is a seasoned healthcare executive and community leader with more than 35 years of experience leading complex organizations in both the nonprofit and private sectors. He currently serves as Board President of the JCC of Greater Albuquerque, where he champions inclusive community engagement and organizational growth.

Jane Wishner

Jane was cofounder and an initial co-chair of the JCRC-NM. She has been a leader locally and nationally in the Jewish community, including serving as national chair of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. Jane founded and was the first executive director of the Southwest Women’s Law Center in Albuquerque. She brings a commitment to building relationships and coalitions in the vibrant and diverse multicultural state of New Mexico

Jay Rosenblum

Jay is a corporate attorney and has been involved for many years as a professional advisor to Jewish groups in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Jay acted as Board Chair and executive committee member for many years for the Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico.

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Director, Juan Dircie

Juan Dircie is an experienced Jewish communal professional with more than 20 years of leadership in community relations, advocacy, and network building. His work has focused on advancing pro-Israel initiatives, combating antisemitism, and strengthening partnerships across diverse communities in the United States and in Latin America. Juan has held leadership roles at the American Jewish Committee and the American Friends of Tel Aviv University, where he led public affairs and outreach initiatives.

Community Partners