Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society
Jews first came to Colorado in 1859, seeking opportunity, freedom, and a better quality of life. As they began to settle in the Centennial State and the Rocky Mountain region they thrived, establishing businesses, Jewish communal organizations, and houses of worship. Jews have played a pivotal role in the cultural, political, and economic development of Colorado and the American West. Today, the region is home to a rich Jewish historical legacy, while newer generations and recent arrivals continue to shape the destiny of our state and write new chapters in the story of the Rocky Mountain Jewish experience.
For nearly fifty years, the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society (RMJHS), part of the Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Denver, has been dedicated to educating the public about the history of Jewish life in the Mountain West. Partnering with DU’s Ira M. & Peryle Hayutin Beck Memorial Archives, we serve a broad constituency of students, researchers, genealogists, educators, and community members interested in exploring and learning from our past. Our work showcases the contributions of Jews to the development of the West, documents the struggle against antisemitism in the region, and examines the ever-evolving dynamics of Jewish life in Colorado and the surrounding states.
Sunday, November 8 - Wednesday, November 11
RMJHS on the Road: Exploring New Mexico's Jewish Roots
Join the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society as we explore the many layers of New Mexico’s rich history and culture and discover fascinating stories of Jewish life at the intersection of cultures in the Southwest. Over four days we’ll visit museums and historic sites, enjoy walking tours with expert guides and hear from special guest speakers with a passion for New Mexico’s Jewish past and present, a narrative that stretches from the Spanish Inquisition to the Atomic Age and beyond.
- Starts/Ends in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tuesday, August 18
PAST EVENT:
The RMJHS Book Club is reading Stuart Halpern's "Jewish Roots of American Liberty"
The Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Book Club welcomed Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern of Yeshiva University for a timely and insightful discussion of his recent book, Jewish Roots of American Liberty: The Impact of Hebraic Ideas on the American Story, co-authored with Wilfred McClay and published by Encounter Books in 2025.
Wednesday, July 8
PAST EVENT:
Voice, Virtue, and Breath: The Moral Poetics of May Arno
RMJHS welcomed Dr. Irina Rabinovich, inaugural recipient of the RMJHS – Beck Archives Research Fellowship. Dr. Rabinovich, for a discussion of her work on the modernist writer and teacher May Arno (1879-1968).
Monday, May 18, 2026
PAST EVENT:
32nd Annual Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society Heritage Award Evening
L’CHAIM! Celebrating Jewish Coloradans in the Beverage Industry
RMJHS welcomed nearly 150 guests at the Tivoli Turnhalle for the 32nd Annual Heritage Award Evening, celebrating the contributions of Jewish Coloradans to the beverage industry.
Congratulations to the 2026 Heritage Award Honorees:
Talia and Daniel Haykin of Haykin Family Cider
Charles Malek of VintageView
Harry Hoffman (z”l) of Harry Hoffman Liquors
And to Rabbi Emeritus Joe Black of Temple Emanuel, recipient of a special Community Leadership Award.
The evening featuring a guided tasting of selected Haykin Family Ciders, and a musical performance by Rabbi Joe Black.
L’Chaim!
- 5:30 p.m.
- Tivoli Turnhalle, Auraria Campus, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver, CO 80204
Signature Programs
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RMJHS on the Road
Our “RMJHS on the Road” travel program takes participants to places such as Leadville and Trinidad, Colorado to explore Jewish history in the Mountain West up close and in person. Through walking tours and visits to historic synagogues, cemeteries, and museums, we gain a richer understanding of the depth and breadth of Jewish life in Colorado and beyond.
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Livingston & Abrams Lecture in American Jewish History
Our annual Livingston & Abrams Lecture in American Jewish History brings eminent speakers, thinkers, and performers to Denver to present on the American Jewish experience. This endowed lecture honors the memory of Professor John Livingston, an integral founder of the RMJHS and professor of history at DU, and his wife Nancy of blessed memory. We also celebrate the contributions of former RMJHS Director and long-time curator of the Beck Archives, Dr. Jeanne Abrams.
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Quarterly Book Club
Our book club meets four times a year to discuss new publications in the field of Jewish history or a memoir or novel that deals with Jewish themes.
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Heritage Awards
Our annual Heritage Award Evening, held in May to coincide with Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrates the contributions of outstanding professionals and leaders in our community while raising critical funds to support our work. In recent years, we have honored journalists, photographers, and real estate developers.
RMJHS Highlights
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The Beck Archives
The Beck Archives serves as a repository of the heritage of Jewish culture and history in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado.
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