2011 General Assembly - Colorado

Join Us in Colorado

The Rocky Mountains make a perfect backdrop for the 2011 GA. Keep reading to learn about Denver’s long Jewish history, the Allied Jewish Federation’s relationship with Colorado, and 10 things you don’t want to miss while you're in town.

Why Denver?

“Isn’t it perpetually snowing there?”

“Are there even Jews IN Colorado?”

Anyone who has lived in Colorado for any length of time has heard these questions. Here are the facts:

1. Yes, it snows here but Denver gets more than 300 days of sunshine every year! It may snow in the morning but it could be 70 degrees by 3:00 pm.

2. Yes, there are Jews in Colorado… 85,000 in fact! Not only does Colorado have a thriving Jewish community but there have been Jews in Colorado for over 150 years, since the city of Denver was founded. (We have more on the history of Jewish Denver below.)

The Allied Jewish Federation and Colorado

For 65 years, our Federation has been enhancing Jewish life.  Each year we mobilize the community to raise the crucial funds that bring food, refuge, health care, education and emergency assistance to needy people living in Colorado and to the millions of Jews in Israel and around the world.

Colorado is a great place to live, ski, and be Jewish.  At Federation, we play an important role in building and sustaining Jewish life as the umbrella fundraising organization and community convener.  We bring the community together, build tomorrow’s leaders today and distribute funds we raise through allocations, donor directed giving and through our Jewish Community Foundation’s donor advised funds.  Additionally, we manage and fund many programs on behalf of our community including the Jewish Community Relations Council, a Young Adult Department, special funds like the Jewish Early Childhood Education fund in partnership with Rose Community Foundation, missions, websites and other efforts.

Through a planning and allocations process based on the needs and priorities of the community we are able to fund health and human services, Jewish education, community relations and development, cultural, religious and social programs through multiple beneficiary agencies.

We support the Federated mission.  Our life transforming work impacts every facet of Jewish life, at every stage of life regardless of ability to pay. From early childhood programs and day schools to state-of-the-art care that enables our elderly to live in dignity at their highest level of independence, we are there to help.

Jewish 1859ers

Many Jewish men came to Denver with the discovery of gold near Pikes Peak. While many of the early pioneers were men, they soon brought their families out with them. Shortly, there were small Jewish communities in many towns around Colorado like Central City, Pueblo, Trinidad, and Leadville, not to mention a burgeoning community in Denver. By 1859, there were enough Jews in Denver to make a minyan for Rosh Hashanah services.

Included in this number were a few names you might recognize like David May (of May Company), The Shwayder brothers (who opened Samsonite luggage), and Louis Robinson (of Robinson Dairy). Not to mention the future Prime Minister of Israel, Golda Meir, who ‘ran away’ from her parents to stay with her married sister in Denver. It is here that Golda began her long association with Zionism and democratic socialism, as well as met her future husband, Morris Myerson. Her sister was in Denver to treat her tuberculosis, as so many other patients were.

The Jewish community in Denver has a long history for caring for the sick including the 1899 opening of National Jewish Hospital whose motto was, "None May Enter Who Can Pay – None Can Pay Who Enter." The Jewish Consumptive Relief Society (JCRS) was formed in 1904 to care for patients at all points in the disease. Many cured tubercular patients and their families stayed in Denver, swelling the ranks of the Jewish population. In honor of her work for the community at large as well as the Denver Jewish community, Francis Wisebart Jacobs, who was called the "mother of Jewish charity work,” is the only woman to have her portrait in a stained glass window gracing the Colorado Hall of Fame in the rotunda of the State Capitol.

To this day, Denver Jews are first to respond to local and national disasters. They sit on boards across all interest areas and contribute to a huge variety of causes. When called upon, they help their fellow Coloradoans in need.

Top Ten Things to Do In and Around Denver Before or After the General Assembly

1. Visit the Lower Downtown Historic District, known as LoDo, which is the birthplace of Denver.  Today it’s full of great shopping, restaurants and bars just steps from the GA hotel.  Walk from Larimer Square through the Riverfront area and down towards Coors Field, the Rockies’ baseball stadium, to see LoDo.  You can rent a bike via Denver’s B Cycle bike share program to cruise across LoDo and around town.  Speaking of sports, the Mile High City is home to no less than seven professional sports teams, including football (Broncos), basketball (Nuggets), baseball (Rockies), hockey (Avalanche), soccer (Rapids), lacrosse (Mammoth), rugby (Barbarians) – Denver’s got it all, with some of the world’s best athletes on the rosters.

2. Get lost for hours in the seven-story contemporary building at the Denver Art Museum (DAM), which is part of the Denver Civic Center Cultural Complex.  Highlights include Native American art, Pre-Columbian and Central American art and textiles, a fascinating Asian collection, and a fine assortment of modern American and European paintings. The architecture, design and graphics galleries are notable as well.

3. Directly adjacent to the DAM, you’ll find The CELL, which is the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab.  Its exhibits and programs provide a comprehensive look at security and related social challenges that face civilized societies today.  The CELL exists to educate citizens on the realities of today’s global terrorism threats, and seeks to empower both individuals and organizations with the knowledge and the tools to proactively effect change.

4. Explore the Highlands, across from downtown.  This neighborhood is Denver’s latest “it” place to be. This community, with a distinct Hispanic heritage and a hidden Jewish history, has been featured in Travel + Leisure Magazine as well as National Geographic Traveler.  Walk through Highland Squares’ quaint boutiques and restaurants and the Tennyson Street Cultural District full of cool boutiques and galleries.  On your way up the hill, stop at the REI flagship store to climb their rock wall and kayak down the river.

5. Enjoy an afternoon strolling through the 16 blocks of Cherry Creek North.  With world-class shopping, spas, restaurants, bars and galleries, Cherry Creek North is the premier destination to visit more than 300 hot spots.

6. Denver’s music scene is as eclectic and hip as its residents.  With music 365 days a year at venues like Red Rocks (see below), the Paramount Theatre, the Ogden, the Bluebird, the Fillmore and many more, you’ll be able to listen to any kind of music in Denver.

7. Some may look to the east and west coasts for the U.S.’s best opera, theater, classical music and ballet – but aficionados know that Denver is home to the second largest performing arts complex in the world with a scene to rival any city. The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Opera Colorado, the Colorado Ballet, the Buell Theater – all these organizations and more make up a diverse and stimulating cultural mix that keeps schedules packed all year-round.   Get a taste of Broadway in the Rockies with the touring cast of The Lion King.

8. Just outside of town, explore a place truly unique to the area, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, which combines natural geological wonders with a stellar concert and event schedule.  Visit during the day for the best view of the red sandstone formations, over 250 million years old and 300 feet high. A moderate 1.4-mile trail loops around the area for the best views. Return in the evening to experience acoustic perfection as some of the biggest stars in music take the stage, including acts like Kings of Leon, Widespread Panic, U2, and many more.

9. From November 4-12, 2011, marvel at Denver’s art scene during Denver Arts Week, the city’s third annual celebration of the city's vibrant, eclectic arts and cultural scene. Discover for yourself why Denver is earning a reputation as a world capital of art and architecture. Don't miss this celebration of Denver's thriving arts scene, with special events, concerts, art shows, theatre, dance, street parties and prizes. Try something new and explore more than a dozen museums, 40 performing arts groups, six neighborhood arts districts and 100 art galleries.

10. Quaff local beverages at breweries like Wyncoop, Breckenridge Brewery, Rock Bottom, Great Divide, Falling Rock and the Cheeky Monk.  If you have time, head up to Golden for the Coors Brewery Tour.  Colorado also has a burgeoning wine and distillery business with fantastic wines, whiskey and vodka being produced in the area.  Tours are available for microbreweries, wineries and whiskey.

Denver's full of great restaurants for any taste. Soon, this page will include a list of great choices near the GA site, and indicate which options are kosher.

Denver Climate Rules

Denver is a  steep 5,280 feet above sea level; that’s why Denver is called the Mile High City.  Don't let the mile-high altitude scare you. The air is just thinner and dryer. In fact, many people with respiratory problems move to Denver for the benefits of the dry air. Just follow the following simple tips and you will very likely not even notice the difference.

• Drink Plenty of Water: Before your trip to Denver, and while you are here, drink plenty of water.  High altitude plus low humidity in Colorado keeps the air dry, like the desert, so you’ll need about twice as much water as you would drink at home.  Hydration is key. But watch your alcohol intake. Alcoholic drinks pack more punch in higher altitudes than at sea level.
• Eat Foods Rich in Calcium, Potassium & Electrolytes: Eat foods with tons of calcium, potassium and electrolytes such as broccoli, bananas, avocado, cantaloupe, celery, greens, bran, chocolate, granola, dates, dried fruit, potatoes, tomatoes, coconut water and others to replenish your body and ward off any potential effects of the altitude.
• Watch Your Physical Activity: Denver is one of the most active cities in the country.  Residents enjoy running, hiking, biking, kayaking and much more every day.  However, the effects of exercise are more intense here. If you normally run 10 miles a day at home, you might try 6 miles in Denver.
• Pack for Sun: With more than 300 sunny days per year and a high elevation, we have 25 percent less protection from the sun so don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and lip balm. 
• Dress in Layers: You never know what kind of weather you’ll have in Denver in November.  Two days before your trip to Denver, check the weather and use this information to pack appropriately.  Whether you’re wearing your Uggs, Jimmy Choos, Crocs or running shoes, be prepared for the changing weather here. Because Denver is closer to the sun, it also can feel much warmer than the actual temperature during the daytime, but then become very chilly after sundown, particularly in the fall. It is best to layer your clothing.