Mendel Mintz has traced Jewish history in Aspen, Colorado back to the mid-1800s, when gold brought large numbers of people to the state, seeking fortune. A dozen Jews of German ancestry migrated to the area. While most of them didn’t work in the mines themselves, they did establish small businesses in the area, according to Mendel Mintz, and they begin to start families.
It was during this time that the Jewish community in Colorado began to solidify. Chabad Community Center’s Rabbi Mendel Mintz says the first Rosh Hashanah service was held in 1859 in Denver, and soon after, small Jewish communities began popping up throughout Colorado. Aspen was one of those towns, reports Mendel Mintz, and one Jewish pioneer was David Hyman, who was an early investor in the area. Hyman Avenue in Aspen is named for Mr. Hyman, according to Mendel Mintz.
Chabad has an active presence in the many communities throughout Colorado. As Mendel Mintz points out, the Chabad Community Center has an active membership, with beginner services on Friday night and Shabbat on Saturday mornings. The Aspen Jewish community feels welcome by Rabbi Mendel Mintz and his staff, who seek to both educate and learn from others in the Aspen Jewish community.
Visitors also come to Aspen to enjoy Mendel Mintz ’s services at the Chabad Jewish Community Center. Aspen is a beautiful resort town, notes Mendel Mintz, with the Rocky Mountains providing great scenery and plenty of recreational opportunities. Mendel Mintz encourages members of the worldwide Jewish community to visit the center when they are in town.
According to Rabbi Mendel Mintz, the Chabad Community Center also provides adult education opportunities for Jews in the Aspen area. The center also offers a variety of interesting classes, including Jewish history. All members of the Jewish community are welcome to attend classes at Chabad Community Center and, in fact, Rabbi Mendel Mintz welcomes all Jews to tour the facility and meet the staff.
Aspen continues to provide a great cultural experience for members of the Jewish community. Mendel Mintz is glad to see the Jewish community growing in the area, which provides an even greater opportunity for Jews to get to know each other and exchange beliefs. For more information about the Chabad center in Aspen, go online to jccaspen.com.