May 16-18, 2025

Tickets | Schedule | Programa en Español Volunteer

Festival Sefardí, New Mexico’s only annual celebration of the unique history and culture of the Sephardic Jews in the Southwest, enters its 16th year with a focus on the Indigenous experience in relation to early settler Jewish history in New Mexico and its continued impact on contemporary society. The festival, which runs from May 16 to 18, will feature music, dance, poetry, art, workshops, delicious food, and talks by scholars, diving into the complex intercultural dynamics that continue to weave the fabric of New Mexico’s cultural tapestry.

The descendants of Jews who arrived in New Mexico in the late 16th century fleeing the Spanish Inquisition—known today as the "Conversos," "Anusim," "crypto-Jews," or "Hidden Jews"—constitute a significant but often overlooked portion of New Mexico’s Hispanic population.

During the weekend, an extraordinary group of artists and scholars will help illuminate this profound history and identity that is part of New Mexico’s multicultural fabric. Original research by scholars deeply knowledgeable about this history will explore topics such as Indigenous slavery, the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the Genizaros of New Mexico.

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb will also present Creating a Culture of Repair: Accountability and Renewal in a Jewish Framework.

The schedule includes ample time for reflection, conversation, movement, and creativity, encouraging participants to share and process their feelings and insights throughout the weekend. Writing and creativity breaks are planned, along with a community movement workshop featuring UNBOUND, a dance group made up of descendants of enslaved Indigenous people. UNBOUND will also perform during the festival.

Other highlights include personal stories from descendants of Conversos and enslaved Indigenous people, a bilingual poetry reading by Indigenous poets, and a unique concert featuring Jarocho and Sephardic music.

Festival Presenters include (click image for bios):

Featured

Las Flores del Valle

Héctor Contreras López

Gabriel Carrion-Gonzales

Sarah Hogland-Gurulé

Lupita Salazar

Sandra Marroquin-Evans

Prof. Dr. Roger Martínez-Dávila

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb

Joh Ghahate

Enrique Lamadrid

Event Details:

What: Festival Sefardí 2025: Centering Indigenous Experience in New Mexico Jewish History
When: May 16–18, 2025. See the full schedule here.
Where: Congregation Nahalat Shalom, 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107.

Cost:

Suggested donation of $80 for the entire weekend. Concert tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Luncheon is $20. Friday events are free; attendees are encouraged to bring a potluck vegetarian dish for the dinner. All are welcome—no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Tickets for individual events or the whole festival weekend can be purchased here.

About Casa Sefarad:

Casa Sefarad is dedicated to programming that reflects the experiences of Sephardic/Mizrahi Jews, particularly the “crypto” or “hidden” Jews of New Mexico. Casa Sefarad also hosts monthly Shabbat services, poetry readings, and the annual Festival Sefardí.

This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Mexico Humanities Council, and the Stratton-Petit Foundation.

For more information, contact: hershel@hershelweiss.com