For Jews around the world, the defining events of World War II and its aftermath were the Holocaust and the creation of the state of Israel. These seminal events led to an increasingly connected and complex world for Jews, even in once-remote places such as New Mexico. The rapid expansion of organized Jewish activity in New Mexico during the postwar years brought about a heightened sense of consciousness, and the state's small Jewish population witnessed a considerable demographic growth.

Building on his earlier work, A History of the Jews in New Mexico, Henry Tobias incorporates new material and sources in this updated volume. He demonstrates how Jewish awareness in New Mexico following World War II gave rise to significant cultural and political influence, introducing writers, musicians, and such artists as Ira Moskowitz, Arthur Sussman, and Judy Chicago to the state's flourishing art scene.