Political Quotes

“I am here tonight to talk about the Jewish history in the West and in Colorado. Colorado was still an untamed wilderness when gold was discovered near Pike's Peak in 1858. The 59ers, fortune hunters from across the country, came to our State, growing the population and building a diverse economy. Jews, too, were part of that quest. Over the millennia, our Jewish people have suffered many exiles, often wandering and migrating from one country to another, frequently meeting with hostility and hardship. It was in that spirit that Jews immigrated to the American West, where we established viable communities and maintained the Jewish heritage, despite great obstacles. The unpredictability of gold mining and a growing demand for supplies encouraged many of the Jewish 59ers to establish small business in new towns and mining camps throughout Colorado. Over the next two decades, Jews settled in Leadville, Cripple Creek, Aspen, Trinidad, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Central City, and Denver.”