Give to RMJHS

Legacy Donor Testimonial

Mark Boscoe

“I have been a donor to the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society for around 25 years. My association includes participation on the Board of Directors and several stints as President of this wonderful organization. My father’s family came to Denver in the early 1890’s from Kobrin, Poland as bakers. They were the typical Eastern European Jewish immigrant story: hard working tradesmen who started their own business- a very small retail and commercial bakery, that with the passing of time and their industry and thrift grew into a large and successful commercial enterprise, which served the entire Rocky Mountain Region.

For 70 years their business, the Star Bakery, built just to the south of the Colfax viaduct was at the center of Jewish life on the West Side of Denver. They participated in the growth and development of Denver and its environs and the growing and succeeding Jewish community of Denver as it moved out beyond the West Side to the East Side of Denver and beyond.

As a third generation Denverite, I have felt keenly the need to preserve, study and disseminate the Jewish history of Denver, of Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain Region. My three children and my grandchildren all live and work in Denver and I want for them to feel the pride that I have in what their ancestors have accomplished here and to know and understand the challenges that have been overcome and the difficulties that remain in continuing to build and keep a vibrant Jewish community.

The RMJHS serves two important functions for me: preservation of history and education about our past. It does so by maintain historically relevant artifacts in the Beck Archives housed at the University of Denver, which are used by scholars from all over the country, and by the many programs put on by the RMJHS bringing history to life.”

Legacy Donor Testimonial

Phyllis D. Hayutin

“I grew up in Chicago with no knowledge of the closeness and wonderful family and community awaiting me when I married in 1958. Arnie’s family openly discussed everything—the long journey to Colorado, how Denver had grown over the years, their friends and friendships, and life on the West Side. 

My mother-in-law stressed the importance of our heritage to her children and grandchildren — her parents roles at the HEA, the family in Denver, those living elsewhere in the United States, Israel, and those who perished.  Her experiences and stories of the Jewish people in Denver and Colorado, the merging of families through marriage, the growth of Jewish life in Denver, and the building of community kept me wanting to hear more. 

Mom knew the importance of oral stories, the written word, and pictures. This was so much a part of her that her anecdotes and values of preserving family history, building community, and giving back became important to me. Denver is fortunate we have the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society to keep alive the past, for as we learn from it, we can continue to build a stronger and better tomorrow.”