Las Vegas Jewish community buys back synagogue from diocese

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Las Vegas synagogue that is believed to be the first Jewish place of worship in the New Mexico Territory is back in the hands of the Jewish community. The Albuquerque Journal reported Monday the Las Vegas Jewish Community crowd-sourced enough funds to buy Temple Montfiore last month from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The diocese has been forced to sell properties to help pay a settlement agreement that resulted from a clergy sex abuse scandal. The synagogue was sold to the diocese in the 1950s. In recent years, the building has been a place of worship for Catholic college students. The Las Vegas Jewish Community raised over $300,000.