September 8, 2020

Eduardo Tanur

Eduardo Tanur's family history spans several continents. On his father's side, the family originated in Lithuania, where his grandfather and two brothers left at nearly the same time, one settling in Mexico, another in South Africa, and a third in the United States. His mother's family was of Sephardic origin from Bulgaria, and they left before the war, ultimately settling in Quito, Ecuador. His mother was raised in Quito and later met his father, who had been born in Mexico, through mutual friends. The couple married in Quito, where her parents lived, and then made their life together in Mexico. His mother passed away young, at age 60, from pancreatic cancer.

Eduardo grew up in Mexico City, where much of his childhood revolved around the Jewish community center, which he described as the equivalent of a JCC and the center of life for young people. He loved sports and, after school, would spend afternoons there until his mother picked him up at night. He was active in Jewish youth organizations and attended a Jewish school. He studied dentistry at dental school in Mexico City, where he and his wife Monica reconnected, and the couple never imagined leaving Mexico. However, as the country faced financial troubles and corruption, an opportunity in Dallas arose. His father, normally very patriotic about Mexico, encouraged him to consider it, which helped him make the difficult decision to move in 1992.

Because the family had done professional training in the United States, they already knew Dallas a little, and the welcoming community made the transition relatively smooth. Eduardo built his own dental practice from scratch, a project he counts among his proudest accomplishments, and he has long taught at a dental school. Though raised in a more Reform household, he chose Chabad of Plano so that Monica, from a more traditional background, would feel comfortable, and he embraced observing more tradition than he had growing up. The family committed to Jewish schooling for their daughters and keeps both Jewish and Mexican customs, especially cooking and language. They travel to see family in Mexico several times a year, and Eduardo hopes future generations will value and continue their Jewish heritage.

Read Full Transcript