Discover what's happening at the Center for Judaic Studies, the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society and the Holocaust Awareness Institute. Read about Judaic Studies students and faculty, and join us for our many events and conferences, including the Fred Marcus Memorial Holocaust Lecture, the Vinnik Evening of Jewish Culture, the Week of Jewish Philosophy and the Hebrew Seminar, as well as frequent online exhibitions highlighting the collections in the Beck Archives.
RMJHS is excited to partner with Historic Denver on themuch-loved program series “Cocktails in Cool Places.” Join us at the Ironworks Building near lower Colfax and Larimer for a captivating evening inside the iconic Midwest Steel and Ironworks Building, built in 1903. Explore this true Denver landmark and dive into the rich heritage of the West Colfax neighborhood: RMJHS and the Beck Archives will offer an illuminating look at the early Jewish community that helped shape this vibrant area.
5:30 p.m. MT
Midwest Steel and Ironworks Building | 25 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80204
The RMJHS Book Club is reading "The Jew Who Would be King: A True Story of Shipwreck, Survival, and Scandal in Victorian Africa"
Join RMJHS and author and CJS Director Adam Rovner for a discussion of his latest book, The Jew Who Would be King. Rovner’s book tells the story of Nathaniel Isaacs—a nineteenth-century British Jew who helped establish the Zulu kingdom only to become a ruthless warlord and slaveholder. Purchase a copy of The Jew Who Would Be KingHERE
RSVP to joshua.furman@du.edu or 303-871-3085
2:00 - 4:00 p.m. MT
University of Denver Burwell Career Center, 2190 E Asbury Ave, Denver, CO
Sunday, September 14 & Monday, September 15, 2025
The 2025 RMJHS Annual Meeting presents RMJHS on the Road: Historic Jewish Trinidad, CO
Join the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society on the road as we explore Colorado Jewish history on location in Trinidad, CO! We’ll delve into the Jewish history of the town and learn about the restoration of Temple Aaron, which became a National Historic Landmark in 2024, and we’ll visit the Trinidad History Museum and other nearby sites.
This trip will include an overnight stay in Trinidad. Travel with RMJHS by bus from Denver or plan your own transportation and meet us there.
Details and registration coming soon! For more information, contact RMJHS Director Dr. Joshua Furman at Joshua.Furman@DU.edu.
Trinidad, CO
Vinnik Evening of Jewish Culture
Sandy Vinnik was a passionate advocate for the advancement of Jewish studies and a leader in the Denver Jewish community. As part of her work with the center, the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society and the Holocaust Awareness Institute, Sandy founded the Dr. Irwin E. Vinnik Fellowship for Advanced Study, providing funding for research and educational projects and learning trips to Israel. Sandy worked tirelessly to promote scholarship and understanding of Jewish culture. Each year, we honor her memory at the Vinnik Evening of Jewish Culture, which brings the community together for a night of film in partnership with the Denver Jewish Film Festival.
Conferences and Seminars
Center for Judaic Studies holds conferences and seminars to engage with the Denver Jewish community and beyond.
May 15: 31st Annual Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Heritage Award Evening (RMJHS)
“Honoring Colorado Jewish Journalism”
May 4: Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Book Club (RMJHS)
Reading and discussion of Extracted: Unmasking Rampant Antisemitism in America’s Higher Education by Dr. S. Perry Brickman
April 10: Blind Spot: film screening and discussion (CJS)
Leonard Gold (producer), Aliya Zigman (student), Daniel Bennet (Hillel of CO director)
DU Hillel, Israeli-American Council
April 7-8: David Shneer Memorial Conference (CJS)
International conference dedicated to the memory and legacy of Dr. David Shneer, z”l, former director of DU’s Center for Judaic Studies and founding director of CU Boulder’s Jewish Studies Program.
CU Boulder Program in Jewish Studies
April 2: An Evening of Art and Story: Frank Stella’s Had Gadya in Conversation (CJS)
Panel discussion with Dr. Adam Rovner and Dr. Dean Sobel in the context of the exhibition of Frank Stella’s Had Gadya print series.
University of Denver Libraries
April 1: The Livingston & Abrams Lecture in American Jewish History (RMJHS)
“Behind the Podcast: The Nightingale of Iran” with Danielle & Galeet Dardashti
Mizel Arts & Culture Center
March 4: Guest Lecture, Postmodern Visions of Israel (CJS)
Adi Keissar, Israeli poet, Bar-Ilan University
March 5: The Defiant Requiem: Verdi at TerezÍn (HAI)
Concert performance by the Lamont Symphony Orchestra
Lamont School of Music, The Defiant Requiem Foundation
March 4: Guest Lecture, Multicultural Israel: Food, Film and Beyond (CJS)
Dr. Roy Horovitz, Israeli actor and director, Bar-Ilan University
March 3: Guest Lecture, The Holocaust: Europe & Colonial Contexts (HAI & CJS)
Oskar Sladek, musician and Holocaust survivor
February 27: Exodus: One Story, Two Communities (CJS)
Dr. Joshua Furman joined a talkback following a concert by The Spirituals Project
The Sprirituals Project - Lamont School of Music
February 26: The Middle East at a Crossroad: What Comes Next? (CJS)
Dr. Micheline Ishay (DU), Amb. Gary Grappo (DU), Dr. Ahmed Abdrabou (DU), Dr. Lawrence Garber (DU)
Center for Middle East Studies
February 25: Antisemitism in American History: Perspectives from the Archives (RMJHS)
Virtual talk with Dr. Britt Tevis (Syracuse University)
February 18: The Defiant Requiem: Holocaust Education Professional Development Workshop (HAI)
Todd Hennessy, Dr. Mark Thorsen, Colorado Holocaust Educators
Colorado Holocaust Educators, The Defiant Requiem Foundation
February 2: Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Book Club (RMJHS)
Reading and discussion of Henrietta Szold: Hadassah and the Zionist Dream by Francine Klagsbrun
Golda Meir House
January 27: 22nd Annual Fred & Audrey Friedman Marcus Holocaust Lecture (HAI)
The Return from the Other Planet film screening and discussion with director Asaf Lapid and Dr. AJ Grovert, clinical psychologist
Mizel Arts & Culture Center / Denver Jewish Film Festival, The Catalyst Center
June 5: Film screening: Supernova: The Truth About October 7 (CJS)
Ofri Reiner, Nova Festival survivor
Israel-America Council, ADL, Jewish Community Relations Council, Hillel of Colorado, DU-Chabad
May 22: Dedication of the Dr. David Schneer Memorial Library (CJS)
Personal academic library of former CJS director Dr. David Schneer
May: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
BMH-BJ Synagogue, Denver
May: Panel Discussions: The Comics Code Authority; Historic Events in Comic Books & Graphic Novels; The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels, Volume II (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
Phoenix Fan Fusion Convention
April: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
LINC Library Greeley, CO
May 20: 30th Annual Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Heritage Award (RMJHS)
“Honoring Colorado Jewish Photographers”
Beck Archive, University Libraries
March 7: Guest Lecture, Multicultural Israel: Food, Film and Beyond (CJS)
Israeli author and screenwriter Noa Yedlin (Stockholm)
March 7: 5th Annual Vinnik Evening of Jewish Culture (CJS)
Author Noa Yedlin’s Stockholm – Screening of the limited series and discussion
Denver Film
March 3: Colorado Council on the Social Studies Annual Conference (HAI)
Survival & Witness information table
Colorado Council on the CSS, History Colorado
February 28: Occupation, War in Gaza, Prospects for Peace (CJS)
Dr. David Kretzmer (Department of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem) in conversation with Dr. Micheline Ishay (DU Center for Middle East Studies)
Center for Middle East Studies
February 20: Annual Breck-Martin Lecture (CJS)
"Home, at the End of the World" with Dr. Kathleen Belew
Department of History
February 12: Holocaust Education Professional Development Workshop (HAI)
“Introduction to IWitness: Using Visual History in the Classroom"
February 7: Sexual Violence on October 7: A Battle for The Truth (CJS)
Dr. Ruth Halperin-Kadari (Bar-Ilan University Law School, UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) in conversation with Dr. Micheline Ishay (DU Center for Middle East Studies)
Center for Middle East Studies
February 6: Guest Lecture, Multicultural Israel: Food, Film and Beyond (CJS)
Todd Hasak-Lowy (Art Institute of Chicago)
February 6: Guest Lecture, Jewish Humor: Origins and Meaning (CJS)
Todd Hasak-Lowy (Art Institute of Chicago)
Department of English & Literary Arts
January 29: International Holocaust Remembrance Day Program (HAI)
“War Crimes, Social Influence & Justice: Lessons from the Holocaust for Today” with Kathrin Janzen (University of Vienna), Hans-Christian Jasch (German Federal Ministry of the Interior), Matt Wynia (CU Anschutz Center for Bioethics & Humanities)
CU Anschutz Center for Bioethics and Humanities
January 29: International Holocaust Remembrance Day Salon (HAI)
Kathrin Janzen (University of Vienna), Hans-Christian Jasch (German Federal Ministry of the Interior)
January 28: 2024 Annual Livingston & Abrams Lecture in American Jewish History (RMJHS)
“Dyed in Crimson: How a Protestant, Catholic, and a Jew saved Harvard from Itself” with Dr. Zev Eleff
Beck Archive, University Libraries
January 22: Guest Lecture, Multicultural Israel: Food, Film and Beyond (CJS)
Israeli filmmaker Barak Heymann
January 17: Panel Discussion: 100 Days Later: The Israel-Hamas War (CJS)
Ahmed Abdrabou (DU), Micheline Ishay (DU), Gary Grappo (DU), Karim Mattar (CU Boulder), Jonathan Sciarcon (DU)
November 7: 21st Annual Fred & Audrey Friedman Marcus Holocaust Lecture (HAI)
“Salvaged Pages: Young Writers' Diaries of the Holocaust” with Alexandra Zapruder
Colorado Holocaust Educators, Mizel Arts & Culture Center / Neustadt JAAMM Festival
November 7: Holocaust Education Professional Development Workshop (HAI)
“Teaching the Holocaust Using Diaries and Other Primary Sources” with Alexandra Zapruder
Colorado Holocaust Educators
November: The Triumphant Spirit: An Exhibition of Portraits of Holocaust Survivors (HAI)
Photographs by Nick Del Calzo, Text by Renee Rockford from the book The Triumphant Spirit: Portraits and Stories of Holocaust Survivors… Their Messages of Hope and Compassion
Mizel Arts & Culture Center / Neustadt JAAMM Festival
November 5: Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society (RMJHS)
“Antisemitism in the Archives: Responses to Prejudice in Colorado and Texas” with Dr. Joshua Furman
Beck Archive, University Libraries
October 16: Reading and conversation with authors Ilya Kaminsky and Katie Farris (CJS)
Department of English & Literary Arts, Lighthouse Writers’ Workshop
October 11-13: War, the Holocaust, and Human Rights Conference (HAI)
Panel: Holocaust Education for the 21st Century – Survival & Witness
Adam Rovner, Ingrid Weyher, Isla Lader (DU), Todd Hennessy (Colorado Holocaust Educators)
Colorado Holocaust Educators, University of Texas-Dallas, United States Air Force Academy
October 9: Guest Lecture, Multicultural Israel: Food, Film and Beyond; Hebrew Language (CJS)
International human rights expert Noa Shapiro
September 12: Celebrating 10 Years of the Holocaust Memorial Social Action Site (HAI)
Commemoration and musical performance “Israeli Songs Before and After” with pianist Dr. Ido Ariel and Vocalist Iris Malkin
September 10: Guest Lecture: American Jewish Literature (CJS)
Author Daniel Magariel (Walk the Darkness Down)
English & Literary Arts
September: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
University of Northern Colorado
September: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
Atlanta Dragon Con
July 17, 2023: Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Salon (RMJHS)
“The Other Ellis Island: Jewish Immigration to the American West via Galveston, Texas” with Dr. Joshua Furman (Rice University)
June: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
Phoenix Fan Fusion Convention
May 22: 29th Annual Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Heritage Award (RMJHS)
"Honoring Colorado Jewish Women Professionals”
Beck Archive, University Libraries
May 8: Film Screening and Discussion of Ken Burns' Documentary The U.S. and the Holocaust (HAI)
Dr. Alan Gilbert, Dr. Nader Hashemi
Korbel Institute for Comparative & Regional Studies
April 18: Book Talk: The Racism of People Who Love You (CJS)
Dr. Samira Mehta (CU Boulder)
Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies
April 17: Reception in Commemoration of Yom HaShoah and Dedication of the painting A Tribute to Anne Frank by Caryn (CJS/HAI/RMJHS)
November 9: “In Between: A One Man Show” with Ibrahim Miari (CJS)
DU Center for World Languages & Culture, Marsico Visiting Scholars Program
November 9: 20th Annual Fred & Audrey Friedman Marcus Holocaust Lecture (HAI)
Film screening: Where is Anne Frank and discussion with director Ari Folman
Mizel Arts & Culture Center / Neustadt JAAMM Festival
November: The Triumphant Spirit: An Exhibition of Portraits of Holocaust Survivors (HAI)
Photographs by Nick Del Calzo, Text by Renee Rockford from the book The Triumphant Spirit: Portraits and Stories of Holocaust Survivors… Their Messages of Hope and Compassion
Mizel Arts & Culture Center / Neustadt JAAMM Festival
November 2: “Hummus: National Dish, International Conflict” (CJS)
Cooking Demonstration and Talk with Gil Hovav
Hillel of Colorado-DU
November 1: A Conversation with Author Boubacar Boris Diop, Winner of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature (HAI)
Department of English & Literary Arts, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Kathy Neustadt
October 27: DU Forum – “Sisters in Law: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sandra Day O'Connor, and the Supreme Court Today” (CJS)
Colorado Attorney General Phillip Weiser, Kathryn Starnella (Colorado Women’s Bar Association), Dr. Sara Chatfield (DU Political Science), Rebecca Aviel (DU Sturm College of Law)
Center on American Politics, Department of History, Department of Media, Film, and Journalism Studies, and others
October 26: Annual Meeting of the Rock Mountain Jewish Historical Society (RMJHS)
“Welcome Moishe” with Marlene Connors
Beck Archives, University Libraries
October 13: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
Tattered Cover Bookstore
September 15: Guest Lecture, Modern Hebrew Literature (CJS)
Dr. Adam Sutcliffe (Kings College, U.K.)
Department of English & Literary Arts
August 29: Film screening Three Minutes: A Lengthening (2021, Dir. Bianca Stigter) (CJS)
Panel Discussion with Adam Rovner (DU), Todd Hennessy (Colorado Holocaust Educators), Amy Weiner-Weiss (Denver Film)
Denver Film, ADL, JDC, International March of the Living, and others
July 6: U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) (HAI)
Meeting with Romanian delegation on "Countering Holocaust Distortion and Denial: Building a Framework of Articulated Action"
WorldDenver
July: Panel Discussion: The Holocaust in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (HAI)
Selena Naumoff (DU), Erin Christian (Teacher)
Denver Fan Expo
May 5: Film screening: Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin (2020) (CJS)
Hillel of Colorado-DU
May 2: 28th Annual Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Heritage Award (RMJHS)
“When Silver Was King: Leadville's Early Jewish Community”
Beck Archives, University Libraries
May 19: Guest Lecture, Jesus in Jewish Literature (CJS)
Dr. Aaron Amit, Bar Ilan University
April 20: The Triumphant Spirit: An Exhibition of Portraits of Holocaust Survivors (HAI)
Photographs by Nick Del Calzo, Text by Renee Rockford from the book The Triumphant Spirit: Portraits and Stories of Holocaust Survivors… Their Messages of Hope and Compassion
February 26: Holocaust Education Professional Development Workshop (HAI)
Introduction to Survival & Witness – Teaching with Survivor Testimony with Todd Hennessy (Colorado Holocaust Educators), Adam Rovner (DU), Ingrid Weyher (DU)
Colorado Holocaust Educators
February 6: 23rd Annual John C. Livingston Memorial Lecture in American Jewish History (RMJHS)
“Jews on Broadway: From Shtetl to Sondheim” with Steven Whitfield
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