Señor Gamblin’ Rabbi: From Northern New Mexico

By Jo Roybal Izay

In 1850, when the United States acquired New Mexico as a territory the gringos began to steal their Spanish land grants and tried to kill the Indians and acquire the Indian reservations. The two minorities became allies and their enemy became the United States Government. In the 1800s, young Benjamin Benavidez who had a photographic memory, a winning personality and an outstanding singing voice saw first-hand what the U.S. Government was doing. He studied night and day, took the Bar and passed it. He was a lawyer.

Judges and lawyers were all gringos and there was no way he could fight them in court so he did the next best thing. He mastered Poker and began playing with the rich and powerful gringos, the judges and lawyers in Santa Fe. From there he branched out throughout the US. With his winning personality, he made friends with the rich and powerful. The Gamblin Rabbi always won honestly if he could, but never lost. He simply serenaded the losers.

Also known as Don Benjamin Benavidez, he married a Navajo woman. They had three sons. The greatest obstacle that Seor Gamblin Rabbi stumbled over and over again is the promise he made to his dying mother that at least one of his sons would marry a Ladina. The sons didnt care about their fathers promise. They were going to choose their own wives. The promise brought the gambler more heartaches and tears than he bargained for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jun 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466921559

Jo Roybal Izay

Jo Roybal Izay was born in the village of Llano located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains along northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Her ancestors were among the first colonizers in the late 1700 in Las Trampas and later, in Llano. Raised by her elderly grandparents, she listened intently as they described the hardship fleeing from the Holy Inquisition that had for centuries followed the Ladinos from Spain, to Old Mexico and to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Izay has been writing and lecturing on the Sephardim and the Penitentes for the past 40 years. She is the author of “Señor Gamblin’ Rabbi” and “Penitente, the Credo in Verse.”

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Fray Alonso Benavides stood at the window overlooking his flower garden. It reminded him of the beautiful garden he left in the Canary Islands. Of course, many of these flower species were not known in Europe. Flora in the New World was unique and aromatic. It was not unusual to see the Aztec chewing cactus to quench his thirst.

The friar quickly acquired a taste for tuna, a prickly fruit that resembled a pear, and ate it regularly to remind himself that this was paradise. Gardening was appealing to Europeans, and Benavides was no different. Upon arriving, he planted his own corn, potatoes, chilies, squash, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Bananas, papaya, pineapple, and avocado grew on the patio.

As he stood admiring his garden, a beautiful, graceful, green iguana shamelessly crawled through the open window, an iguana the friar had not seen before. The little lizard stopped briefly, cocked its little head, dared the friar, and then proceeded to walk inside his office. Inhospitable folks would yell, "¡Shooo, salgase ya! Out! Out! Out! Cocijoso!" But the regal iguanas paid them no mind. They simply crawled up the walls and watched the bustle of people back and forth in the kitchen or parlor. There were times, however, when the friendly green iguanas were swept out of the house, much to their humiliation.

On the other hand, Fray Benavides welcomed the little creatures. It was not unusual for the friar to awaken and find two iguanas sleeping peacefully right next to his face. The two just moved in with him. He named one Juan and the other Juana. Juan and Juana Iguana. He tried many times to feed them, but they found their own food somewhere in the great outside. G-d’s emeralds was what the friar called them.

The indigenous people were friendlier than Fray Benavides’s Old World compatriots. They had already been accustomed to the European—or else they had accepted their destiny. How much different were they than he? At times he felt that they were better off than any Sephardi. The natives would never have to face a humiliating Holy Inquisition. Granted, they, too, were suffering the pains of slavery, as they were now servants of a haughty Spanish population.

Life in the Canaries had been more stable and serene for the friar. As a Nazarene Jew, posing as a friar, his routine was more to his liking. As the years went by, he became more comfortable feigning Catholicism, supposing, he thought, that the promised Messiah had not yet come.

Get thee behind me, Satan, he thought to himself. Still, he wondered and waited in case the true Messiah would be born among the Jews in the New World. Heart-wrenching guilt plagued him because of his doubting pings. Supposing that Y’shua was the true Messiah, would Adonay punish him for doubting?

Fray Alonso Benavides entered the Franciscan Order while he was still in Europe for the sole purpose of helping his people escape torture or maybe even death. Rabbi Abram Benavidez, on the other hand, surreptitiously kept Messianic Judaism alive despite the presence of the crudely hand-carved Virgin Mary and the entourage of carved idols.

Suddenly, the friar was stricken with uncontrollable fear. Why did he leave the Canaries? What was in store for his people seeking a new life to the north of New Spain? Was his family any better followers of Y’shua in the New World than in Europe? Tears welled up in his eyes. Supposing the prelate in Mexico City found out that he and his extended family and neighbors were Nazarene Jews posing as Catholics?

Jews believed that the Catholic prelate were fallen angels who sought to be greater than G-d and attempted to convert everyone into Catholicism as a means to control. They forbade their flock from reading the Torah, the Bible. Suspicions abounded. Neighbors spied on one another to guard the traditions. Do they work after sundown on Friday evenings; do they light candles; and do they abstain from eating pork and then remain behind closed doors for the Shabbat Saturday?

A faint knock on a side door jerked him back to the issue at hand. The friar ran quickly and opened it. A barefoot, bare-chested man wearing a loincloth and a beaded headband scurried in.

"Adelante! Did anyone see you?" Fray Benavides asked.

I hope not, the man answered.

After escorting him inside, Benavides embraced the man. Diego! Diego El Azteco. I am so happy to see you. You’re the first one here. I’m expecting Solomon momentarily.

Benavides tried to make small talk but couldn’t think of anything to say. El Azteco watched the friar as he wiped his brow and nervously paced back and forth from the window to the door. He, too, began to panic. What were they getting themselves into?

I was hoping that Solomon would be here by now. We need to tell him to drop his disguise while Captain Francisco Gomez is here.

Just then a servant tapped gently at the door. Diego el Azteco jumped up and hid in a small file room. The friar opened the door, and to his shock, Capitán Francisco Gomez stood before him. They greeted each other in a very formal manner, as one would expect to greet a man of the captain’s stature and nobility. Both spoke in hushed voices.

Diego promptly came out of hiding and stretched out his hand and greeted the captain before the friar could introduce them properly.

"I am Diego. A sus ordenes, Excelencia. (I am at your service, Your Excellency.)"

"Gracias."

Fascinated by Diego el Azteco, the captain engaged in conversation with the man he presumed to be an Aztec Indian and concluded by asking, How is it that you speak Ladino so well?

Fray Benavides jumped into the conversation and explained, Diego is not an Aztec. He is one of us.

Diego Ramirez was known as Diego el Azteco and wore four faces: an Aztec Indian, a Nazarene Sephardic Jew, a Roman Catholic, and a spy. Born in Mexico City, he had been living among the Aztecs all his life and had mastered the Nahauatl language to perfection. Deep lines covered his rugged, sun-beaten, bronze skin. His big, crooked nose had been broken when he was a child. With his looks no one would ever suspect that he was anything but an Aztec.

Both the military and the clergy used the Aztec Indians as slaves. Posing as an Indian, Diego el Azteco became a servant for the clergy. Like Solomon Perez, he had his assignment in the New World. Anything and everything they heard regarding the Inquisition was reported to their people. Years of working among the clerics had taught them to say little and listen attentively.

Neither the friar nor Capitán Gomez used Indians as slaves. Reminded of their own people who had been slaves in Egypt, both men had empathy for the indigenous people and believed in paying fair wages. As in the Old World, the Sephardim were forced into a clandestine existence in this New World. Most Jews were orthodox; only a few were survivors of the ancient Nazarenes, followers of Jesus before imposter Apostle Paul changed the world.

Capitán Francisco Gomez was a tall, handsome, and articulate man who had been raised as a Spanish nobleman. And there was no mistake about it—he was first and foremost a Spanish soldier and very loyal to the crown and his profession. The Gomez clan, who remained in Spain after the expulsion, never gave a hint that they were Crypto Jews, and they became quite prominent in wealth and stature.

After his parents married, they moved to Lisbon, Portugal, where Francisco was born. Both his parents died when he was a young boy, and he was then raised by his brother, a Crypto Jewish priest who taught him how to live a dual life—openly as a Catholic and covertly as a Jew.

During a visit to Spain, young Francisco Gomez met a Spanish nobleman by the name of de Oñate. The nobleman took the young man as his page to the court of Madrid. Several years later, this same master brought Gomez to New Spain, where he later entered the military. An exemplary soldier, he became a leader among leaders and quickly rose up in the ranks to become a captain.

In 1598, Francisco Gomez accompanied Don Juan de Oñate and the colonizers to settle New Mexico. As a faithful and honorable soldier, he worked his way up the ranks to become captain. As a captain, he made frequent trips between New Mexico to New Spain and always traveled with an army. Under his command, they seldom encountered problems with the unfriendly Indians. Gomez commanded respect even from the enemy, who found him to be a good listener and very fair.

Always on the lookout for a safe refuge for his fellow Jews living in New Spain, he realized that the remoteness of the land to the north was the perfect place for a Sephardim society. Although he was not a cartographer, he carefully mapped each area that he had seen in the faraway land north of New Spain.

Capitán Gomez was enjoying his chat with El Azteco when there was a gentle knock on the door. Diego dashed back to the file room.

Adelante! Benavides called out.

The servant opened the door. Rabbi Abram Benavidez dismissed the servant, walked in, and closed the door behind him. Fray Alonso Benavides and Rabino Abram Benavidez were first cousins. For reasons that didn’t matter, the friar signed Benavides using s for the ending while the rabbi kept the letter z for the ending because he held onto its Jewishness.

After formal introductions, the captain and the rabbi engaged in small talk as the friar looked to the heavens and prayed that Solomon Perez would not come to the meeting. How would Capitán Francisco Gomez react to Solomon’s idiotic behavior? How would he react to the close connection between Solomon and the refined friar and the rabbi?

Both the friar and the rabbi were born in the Azores. They were remnants of a family that had fled Spain and went to Portugal, posing as pillars of Roman Catholicism. The Benavidez family lived in Portugal for decades and then made their way to the Azores, where they practiced Catholicism in public and then worshipped Y’shua in traditional Jewish rites, the same as the ancient Nazarenes who followed Jesus Christ. They hid their Jewishness so well that nobody knew they were charlatans.

With each generation, the Benavidez family became more proficient at feigning Catholicism and even rose to distinction in church affairs. Flawlessly and with fervor, they played their roles to the point that even processions in honor of the Virgin Mary were performances at its best. It thus stood to reason that they would rise to prominence financially and politically.

The cousins arrived in Mexico City as mature men in the early 1620s. With them came their extended families, which included the rabbi, his wife Miriam, and their eight children plus aunts, uncles, cousins, and even neighbors. There was no doubt in their minds that they had to continue feigning Catholicism. However, they did not expect the Inquisition to be full-fledged in New Spain (present-day Mexico). The New World had spies everywhere. Indians became spies in the lives of everyone, particularly anyone suspected of observing Jewish feasts.

Not long after arriving in New Spain, Fray Alonso Benavides was ordained a priest, a role he did not cherish but accepted. That did not stop the friar, the rabbi, and his family from observing Shabbat together. That is not to say that they didn’t live in constant fear. If discovered, the consequences would mean their lives. Fortunately, living a double life in the New World was not difficult for the newcomers from the Azores. They blended well without arousing suspicion.

Feigning Catholicism was easy for Rabbi Abram, for he was a true showman who charmed the vast communities of Spaniards and Indians alike. Besides worshipping Y’shua, he was a humanist in that the well-being of every citizen who lived on that parcel of the world was very important to him. His contributions to the community in all areas signaled him as a caring and concerned citizen in Mexico City. Above all, his participation in Catholic life merited accolades.

A born leader, this man was always there for anyone who asked for his help and advice. Rabbi Abram was a multitalented man. And being a devotee of all the arts, upon arrival to the New World he made it a practice to learn how the natives entertained themselves. He learned their dances, their music, their instruments, their drama, their visual arts, and to some extent, their language. An aficionado of the human race, he wanted to know everything about the New World.

Friday nights were reserved as Fray Alonso Benavides’s private time away from everyone connected with the Catholic Church. Nobody dared question his activities because the man exhibited such a refined and cultured behavior. The timid Catholic prelate in Mexico City didn’t interfere with the friar’s private time lest the friar consider them crude. Too, because Rabbi Abram was such an active participant in church activities, everyone believed that the cousins were spending time discussing Catholic issues.

Noting his elegance in looks and behavior and his being blessed with indefatigable enthusiasm, the Catholic authorities sought to emulate the gracious Fray Alonzo Benavides. Meticulous in appearance, every gray hair in his receding hairline was in place. His deep, brown, kind eyes gave hope to every troubled soul. An aquiline nose gave an appearance of nobility. Children flocked around him because he always had words of encouragement. The New World was all in awe of his wit and humor.

The effervescent friar had already won the hearts and trust of the Catholic Church where he had served as bailiff in the island on Santa Maria. Now he had captured the interest of the prelate in Mexico City. His superiors saw him as a spirit-filled man who, with his passion, could advance Catholicism among the Indians in New Mexico. He could deliver the Christian message to the heathens, and more importantly, save their souls.

Yes, the bishop told his subordinates, Jesus will approve.

Suddenly, from behind the far reaches of destiny, there appeared a divine wrinkle that would forever change the fate of the Benavidez clan, their friends and neighbors. The prelate in Mexico City appointed Fray Alonso Benavides to be the commissary of the Inquisition in New Mexico.

An astute man, he quickly grasped the idea that the northland would be the gateway to rescue his people from the hands of the Inquisition, including himself. Indeed, he believed that it was Adonay who had chosen him to lead his people to faraway lands where Indians and only a few hundred Spaniards dwelt.

As soon as Fray Benavides formally accepted the position, he asked for and received permission from both the viceroy and the Catholic prelate to take not only his family but whoever else wanted to go and settle in New Mexico. Permission was granted. The diocese sent word to New Mexico to have a military unit come to Mexico City to escort the friar and his entourage to Santa Fe. The prelate wanted the crown of Spain to know that now there would be more Christianized Indians to the north of New Spain. It took two years to ready the caravan for the long journey to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

When Francisco Gomez Robledo received the order from the diocese in Mexico City to lead the caravan of settlers, he was delighted to see that Fray Alonzo Benavides was named curator of the Holy Inquisition in New Mexico. As soon as he arrived in Mexico City, he presented himself before the high prelate. With all the necessary papers in order and approved by the king of Spain, it left only the manner in which to institute the plan.

Fray Alonzo prayed to G-d above: Please Lord, keep Solomon from coming. It would be such a terrible embarrassment. No sooner had the men began their ploy when Solomon Perez barged in unannounced. He looked completely out of place in a room adorned with beautiful ornate gothic-style furnishings and paintings by the great masters. Solomon didn’t wait for an introduction. He walked up to the captain and gave him a bear hug.

We’ve been waiting for a man such as you to deliver us, Excellency.

Capitán Gomez stepped back in total disbelief. Nobody had ever dared touch him in such a disrespectful manner. The nobleman was unaware that this man was pivotal to the master plan for the exodus of Y’shua’s chosen to proceed north to New Mexico safely away from the Inquisition in the New World.

Pious as the friar was, he cursed under his breath because he didn’t have the opportunity to warn Solomon to keep his distance from this military man and to keep his mouth shut. Alas, it was too late. Captain Gomez, who commanded ceremony, appeared confused. There was no time to warn him that Solomon had assumed the role of the village idiot, a role he played to perfection. After the initial shock, the captain accepted Fray Benavides’s outrageous explanation. Capitán Gomez thought the concept was quite original but didn’t seem amused.

Solomon was born in Zacatecas, New Spain. He wore four faces: a spy, a Roman Catholic, a Nazarene Jew, and the town idiot. Early in life, he vowed that he would help deliver his people from the clutches of the Inquisition. The only way he could do that is to become a spy. He assumed the character of an idiot.

To pull it off, he developed a ridiculous, spontaneous laugh. He wore a patch over one eye and tattered sackcloth plus a dirty headband around his head. To give further credence to his being the town idiot, he cut off his two big toes, thus creating an unbalanced walk and as a result developed a terrible limp. To keep clean, he would jump in the river with all his clothes on every other day. After that bath, he sat out in the sun to dry out.

Children followed the silly man as they mimicked and laughed at the creature that had become a source of entertainment for them. Limping and giggling, he always wandered into meetings and activities where important plans and decisions originated. Both government officials and clergy saw him as a pathetic creature and believed that it was their Christian duty to treat him as an equal.

Captain Gomez reached inside his coat pocket, took out a crumpled map, and spread it on a long table. He began telling them about this unknown territory as best he knew it to be. Trying to get a better look at the map, Solomon placed his hand on the captain’s shoulder.

Unhand me! the captain ordered.

And Solomon did.

Captain Francisco Gomez had been living with his family in New Mexico for several years and was familiar with the settlers. Assuring his Jewish friends of their safety, he explained as much as he could. More than 25 percent of the Spanish settlers practice Judaism in the privacy of their homes, and about another 20 percent of our military personnel do as so well. It is difficult to detect Jews within the Franciscan Order because their mission is to Christianize the Indians, and there is nothing to report on that front. To the north of Santa Fe, there is nothing but wilderness. It is wide open for us.

Capitán, the rabbi asked, how do you know that 25 percent of the settlers are Sephardim?

Rabbi, there are many ingrained hints in our culture, and it matters not how much we try to conceal them.

Do you observe our traditions? Solomon, the idiot, asked.

Capitán Gomez gave him a cold stare and did not answer. Solomon got the message loud and clear and dropped his disguise. "Perdoneme, mi Capitán. I have been behaving like an oaf for too long."

With those statistics in mind, Fray Benavides visualized his people openly observing the law and its feasts. And if, as the captain pointed out, there were unconquered wilderness areas untouched by white man, it would be ideal to begin a new life without the grips of the Catholic Church. The rabbi was overjoyed.

Jewish religion in the Wilderness Mountains of Northern New Mexico without fear, Capitán? You are a messenger from heaven.

"Not right away, Rabino Benavidez. Not right away. We’ve only been in New Mexico for a quarter of a century. To worship freely is out of the question. It won’t be possible for a long, long time.

You have to lead the same kind of life as you do here, but there are more advantages to find a place where you can be free. At issue right now is that you trust no one, not even your closest neighbors. You must be diligent in church attendance, he then added, such as it is. Never, ever forget that.

For indeed, church attendance was scant at best. There was no evidence that Catholicism played a role in their lives. Survival was their only concern.

The rabbi then asked. If it’s a wilderness—

Capitán Gomez interrupted him. New Mexico covers a huge area. Santa Fe is in semiwilderness, but other areas are virgin. The problem is that the indigenous people are not very pleased with our presence in New Mexico. The nomads are everywhere ready to kill and…

El Azteco jumped in: "What? I should leave Mexico City and be killed by nomads. I would have to ask myself, Am I crazy?"

Solomon broke out in laughter, saying, The captain is joking, right?

No, I am not joking.

Patiently, the captain described New Mexico to the men: "Caballeros, New Mexico is beautiful beyond description, especially to the north of Santa Fe. High mountain ranges extend from one ridge to the next, and not one looks like the other. Passover ushers in the waking of dormant trees. First fruits escort the greening of the grass. The feast of unleavened bread begins with a gentle breeze that dusts the houses and rooftops, leaving it sparkling. King Solomon would be jealous on Pentecost with all the flora and fauna. Only God can paint such a picture. Some areas of New Mexico have cool summers while other places are a dry heat, but not unbearable. It’s a time when its people are out tending what they sowed. Small wild fauna will many times come out from behind the bushes to taste the early first fruits. At times they go after fresh meat—our lamb! The pueblo women have taught our women much about wild edible foods like wild spinach, wild asparagus, and many other unheard-of edible greens. Our women dry food all summer and store it for the winter. There are many, many kinds of berries. New Mexico has pine trees of varied species; piñon, ponderosa pine, blue spruce, to name a few. Deciduous trees are plentiful, with tall Aspen, green ash, cottonwood, and much more. There are willows of every kind, and all dress in the greenest green you ever saw. Ah, the billowing of the Second Coming, the Feast of Trumpets, is an incredible time. Each leaf on the deciduous trees changes the terrain. The leaves turn different shades of red, of orange, of yellow, and of brown. The crops are ready for the harvest, and the pastures are cut and put away for animal winter fodder. Beans and corn are the main vegetables.

There are deer, bear, buffalo, and fauna unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. In the winter, terrains are blanketed with pure white snow. Beauty can never be appreciated unless one experiences ugliness first. Food cannot be enjoyed unless one knows hunger. Sleep can never be peaceful unless your life has been subjected to uproar. There is a difference between living and not being born at all. Yes, you may have to sacrifice, but one day your descendants will be able to worship without fear. It may not be in your lifetime, or even in mine. If we are to continue as a people we must obey the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and must pave the way.

Then it is God’s will, Rabbi Benavidez uttered with a silenced heart.

Are we exchanging one way of life for the unknown? Diego asked.

You are describing a miserable kingdom, Solomon interrupted.

Perhaps for some, Fray Alonzo Benavidez agreed. But for others it is the land of enchantment. And the Benavidez line in New Mexico was born.

CHAPTER 1

SEÑORA BENAVIDEZ AND SON

One Spring morning in 1884 Rabíno Isaac Benavidez got up early to plow the fields before breakfast. His wife, Tomasa, was making breakfast and just happened to looked out the window and screamed. Ishaac, Ishaac, Oh my G-d, help him!

The reins were tangled around the rabbi’s whole body dragging him and the plow as the horses kept running frantically every which where. There was no way she and her cousin Gripipi could run fast enough to grab the horses and by the time the beasts stopped, her husband was mangled and dead.

Tomasa was twenty three years old when her husband was killed. Their son Benjamin, was only four-years-old. Except for her cousin Gripipi all the immediate family on both sides were killed during a Navajo Indian raid some years before. After almost two and three quarter’s centuries in New Mexico, the Benavidez and Perez bloodline ended. The toddler Benjamin became the only surviving family member of the Sefarditos relations that settled along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico.

Along with the kibbutz came many bags of gold that were hidden behind a mock wall; gold that had been mined in Zacatecas, Mexico centuries back. The property included the beautiful majestic Sierra Brillo Sol that graced the entire valley. All told, this portion came to over a hundred thousand acres.

Isolated from the outside world in the wilderness of northern New Mexico, Tomasa Benavidez knew that New Mexico was no longer part of New Spain, and that was alright, because she didn’t know where it was anyway. Somewhere in the distant past she heard about Mexico, but had no idea where it was.

Villagers nearby longed for Old Spain, their original home. All the Spaniards knew was the oral History that was passed down through the generations. the Inquisition. Later, the Inquisition made its way to New Spain which is present-day Mexico and the family joined a group of colonizers heading north to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1598. Sadly, the Inquisition made its way to New Mexico in 1626 and the Benavidez family headed further north to the mountains near the Colorado border.

War waged between Mexico and the United States. The Americanos were well armed and New Mexican were not. American soldiers were the conquerors and played havoc with innocent people. They took their food and anything they could carry horseback. Their greed and demonic behavior. They cheered every time a body dropped in death. At will they kick in doors and broke windows in business establishments. Bottles of liquor were taken from the saloons and tossed onto the streets.

Women and children had to jump over dead bodies and puddles of liquor dodging bullets and horse whips. Such was the Americanos determination to take New Mexico as a territory. For good measure many children and women were raped and killed.

No, no! Just call me Señor Cristobal. Ah, Señor Cristobal. Soon they were communicating by drawing pictures. He was able to tell her that he had taken the wrong fork and landed at their ranch. He needed to find his way out of that wilderness. Could she help? Ma Vides nodded yes. He was relieved. With pictures, he asked about her husband. Ma Vides drew a picture of a sepulcher. Though she didn’t understand what he had said, she assumed he had expressed condolences. Gracias, she responded graciously.

Then he drew a picture of a family. Ma Vides knew that he had a wife and a son and a daughter. They lived in Santa Fe. The man turned to Benjamin, and very carefully, drew