by Ron Jager

Danny Lewin was born on May 14, 1970, in Denver, Colorado, to a Jewish family. He was one of three brothers. He moved to Israel with his family at age 14. Danny first walked into Samson’s Gym in Jerusalem in 1985 accompanied by his best friend, Aviad, the son of Peace Now pioneer activist Janet Aviad. Despite Danny not yet being 15, he came armed with a series of questions about Jerusalem’s legendary fitness facility, the first of its kind in Israel, and the much-talked-about new attraction in Israel’s capital. After asking about the equipment, the rates, the hours, and the type of workout program that he had hoped to get from one of the muscular instructors who seemed to epitomize the gym’s name, Danny asked a question that would seem haunting a decade and a half later. “Why are there no Arabs here and what are you afraid of?” His question seemed more a comment that stood to support the argument that would soon follow when his close friend brazenly challenged the gym’s unspoken policy.

The gym owner’s responded in his typically blunt manner: “Because we don’t want any trouble—”; yet, before he could further clarify, Danny Lewin boldly asked again: “What about the good Arabs?!”

Less than a month into their initial three-month membership, Aviad dropped out. The sport was simply too demanding. Danny, on the other hand, became more and more committed, visiting Samson’s Gym even on the days he didn’t train. He saw it as his home away from home, convinced that it would serve as the vehicle by which he would transform his life, helping to develop a finely-tuned body that complemented his noticeably gifted mind. His friends marveled, and the mirror reflected evidence of the rapid development of a determined, motivated, and aspiring muscle man.

There was something special about Danny; he radiated a sense of independence more fitting of someone twice his age. Only weeks into his membership, he asked if he could get a job at the gym and join the small team of instructors who were already well recognized as they walked the streets of Jerusalem wearing the coveted Samson’s Gym trainer tee shirt. Not taking no for an answer, he asked again a few weeks later. And yet again, a few weeks later, offering to “do anything” to become part of the team. Anything! And so it was. Still new to the iron game, 15-year-old Danny Lewin rushed to Samson’s Gym from school every day—to sweep the floors, mop the showers, and, yes, to clean the toilets. He could finally call himself part of the Samson’s team. A year and a half later, the now-muscular Lewin was ready to be an instructor—training a cadre of Jews, young and old, to believe in themselves and their inner strength that they possess.

After breezing effortlessly through high school and the challenging matriculation exams, Danny volunteered and served in Sayeret Matkal, the IDF’s most coveted elite commando unit. He married at 21 and raised two young boys with his wife. He completed his B.S. from the Technion, working long hours as a teaching assistant and as a researcher for IBM in Haifa.

In 1996, Danny accepted a scholarship to study computer science and mathematics at MIT. Two years later, while working on his Ph.D., he founded Akamai Technologies which offered a new and revolutionary way to deliver content over the Internet. By 2001, Danny was widely recognized as one of the most influential technologists of his generation. One well-known trade publication ranked him as the seventh most important technologist in the world. His impact on people was so strong that, even today, battle-hardened CEOs and IDF sharpshooters get choked up when talking about him, in part, because his rise was so quick, so spectacular, and so tragically short.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Danny Lewin boarded American Airlines Flight No. 11 in Boston, expecting to reach Los Angeles. Instead, the flight was hijacked and commandeered by Arab terrorists, crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. On that fateful flight, Danny Lewin became the very first victim of the largest terrorist attack in history in which more than 3,000 Americans died. An internal memorandum of the Federal Aviation Administration says “that in the course of a struggle that took place between Lewin, a graduate of Israel’s elite commando unit, Sayeret Matkal, and the four hijackers who were assaulting that cockpit, Lewin was murdered by Satam Al Suqami, a 25-year-old Saudi.”

Sometime after the attack, the Lewin family in Jerusalem received a telephone call from the FBI offices in New York. On the line was the agent responsible for the investigation of the attack on Flight 11. He told Danny’s parents that there is a high degree of certainty that Danny tried to prevent the hijacking. The FBI relied, among other things, on the testimony of the stewardess Amy Sweeney.

Sweeney succeeded in clandestinely getting a call out during the flight to a flight services supervisor in Boston, from the rear of the plane: “A hijacker slit the throat of a passenger in business class and the passenger appears to me to be dead.” To this day the American investigators are not convinced that Danny Lewin was murdered on the spot. An additional stewardess, Betty Ong, who succeeded in calling from a telephone by one of the passenger seats, said that the passenger who was attacked from business class seat 10B was seriously wounded. It turned out that 10B was the seat of Danny Lewin.

The Lewin family, Danny’s parents and brothers, have no doubt that Danny battled the hijackers. And it is for them a tremendous consolation. “I wasn’t surprised to hear from the FBI that Danny fought. I was sure that this is what he would do,” Yonatan, his younger brother, said. “Danny didn’t sit quietly. From what we heard from the Americans, the hijackers attacked one of the stewardesses and Danny rose to protect her and prevent them from entering the cockpit. It is a consolation to us that Danny fought. We see it as an act of heroism that a person sacrifices his life in order to save the lives of others. That battle in the business section ended quickly. Lewin was overcome and bled to death on the floor. Two additional flight attendants were knifed and the captain was murdered. The hijackers were already inside the cockpit. They announced to the passengers to remain quiet in their seats.

As we fathom the tragic details of the incredible life journey of Danny Lewin, z”l, from mopping up the locker rooms of Samson’s Gym in Jerusalem to the pinnacle of the high tech industry in America, I am reminded of Danny’s question back in 1985, “What about the good Arabs?” Indeed, as we grasp the dimensions of 9/11 from a 25-year perspective, where were these “good Arabs” who rejected this compulsive need to murder one’s way to Islamic glory? Where are they today?

Danny Lewin z”l – father, son and husband, a veteran of the Israel Defense Force’s elite commando team, the outstanding graduate of Israel’s Technion Institute, an accomplished PhD student at MIT and co-founder of the Internet giant Akamai Technologies will be forever remembered for his heroic attempt to prevent the hijacking of Flight 11 becoming the very first victim of 9/11.

*this article was prepared based on the personal testimony of Mr. Meir Jolovitz, the legendary founder of Samson’s Gym in Jerusalem

**this article was cited as a footnote in Wikipedia for being the very first source ever, to personally name by name the very first victim of 9/11.

The writer, a 25-year veteran of the I.D.F Medical Corp., served as a field mental health officer. Prior to retiring in 2005, served as the Commander of the Central Psychiatric Military Clinic for Reserve Soldiers at Tel-Hashomer. Since retiring from active duty, he provides consultancy services to NGO’s implementing Psycho trauma and Community Resilience programs to communities in the North and South of Israel. Is a former strategic advisor on Public Diplomacy for the Office of the Chief Foreign Envoy of Judea and Samaria.   To contact: medconf@gmail.com   Website: www.ronjager.com

As we look ahead to the Jewish new year, this is also a moment to look back in our first fully digital JEWISHcolorado Annual Report. While there have been many challenges for the Jewish people in the past year, we are proud to share the impact of JEWISHcolorado’s work. This year, we have:

• Continued to lead the way as the primary advocacy organization in Colorado for the Jewish people;
• Worked to ensure that Jews here and in Israel are safe, secure, and thriving;
• Raised a record amount for our Annual Campaign of $9.7 million, providing vital support for grantees across Colorado and throughout Israel;
• Brought Jewish programming to our state—from PJ Library to the Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour for teens.

Through our funding at home and abroad and through our work with global partners—The Jewish Agency, the Joint Distribution Committee, and World ORT—we extended our impact across the globe. We are here to educate young people, to counter antisemitism, and to support the people of Israel. Please keep reading for the many ways JEWISHcolorado has leveraged our work and our trusted partnerships across the community to drive impact.

None of this would be possible without your commitment and support. Together, we are shaping a better future for the Jewish people. Thank you for all that you make possible, and to each and every one of you, L’shanah Tovah U’Metukah!

Renée Rockford, President & CEO  
Neil Oberfeld, Board Chair

Boulder Valley School District agrees to make systemic changes to address antisemitism after Jewish student faced severe and persistent antisemitic harassment and assault

New York, NY, September 9, 2026 – The Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) has entered into a settlement agreement to implement comprehensive, districtwide measures to prevent and address antisemitic harassment, bullying and discrimination, resolving a federal civil rights complaint filed by ADL (the Anti-Defamation League).

Under the terms of the settlement announced today, BVSD will undertake a series of initiatives to strengthen its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when responding to allegations of harassment based on national origin or shared ancestry. These initiatives include updating districtwide policies, designating an executive-level staff member to serve as the district’s Title VI Executive Director, strengthening reporting and oversight procedures, providing antisemitism training to all administrators, faculty and staff, delivering age-appropriate educational programming on antisemitism to all students and increasing public transparency by publishing annual reports on the district’s response to allegations and reports of discrimination and harassment, including antisemitism.

The settlement agreement, secured through a mediation process with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and its mediators, resolves allegations raised by ADL in a complaint filed in June 2026. The complaint alleged that BVSD failed to protect a Jewish middle school student from repeated antisemitic bullying, slurs and physical assault, despite the district being continually notified.

“Jewish students and all students are safer and better protected at Boulder Valley School District because of the bravery of one family that stepped forward to say ‘enough.’ The pain of the last several years of targeted antisemitic harassment will now give way to meaningful, districtwide changes designed to help ensure that no other Jewish student feels unsafe or unwelcome because of their ethnic or religious identity,” said James Pasch, ADL Vice President of Litigation. “By establishing a strong framework for preventing antisemitic harassment, strengthening reporting and oversight and holding BVSD accountable for its commitments, this agreement lays the groundwork for safer, more inclusive schools.”

“No child should have to choose between their identity and their personal safety,” said Susan Rona, ADL Mountain States Regional Director. “The measures BVSD has agreed to will make its schools safer for every student, including Jewish students. This agreement creates an important foundation for rebuilding trust, and ADL looks forward to working with BVSD by serving on the Superintendent Advisory Group and consulting with the District on trainings for the new Title VI Executive Director and student programming focused on antisemitism.”

Under the settlement, BVSD has agreed to the following measures to address antisemitism:

• Update Board of Education policies, subject to Board approval, to clarify that protections against discrimination and harassment include conduct based on national origin and shared ancestry.
• Designate an executive-level staff member to serve as the district’s Title VI Executive Director to work with the Compliance Officer to oversee the district’s response to allegations of discrimination and harassment, including antisemitism.
• Revise the district’s online incident-reporting form by providing clear information about the reporting process and ensure reports are sent directly to the Title VI Executive Director and Compliance Officer.
• Create and maintain for the next three years a public, comprehensive webpage that centralizes resources on antisemitism, defines antisemitism, district policies, reporting procedures and contact information for designated district officials.
• Utilize the definition of antisemitism located on the new webpage when evaluating, investigating or reviewing reports or complaints of harassment, bullying and/or discrimination based upon Jewish shared ancestry or ethnicity, religion and/or national origin.
• Publish annual community reports for three years concerning the district’s response to allegations of discrimination and harassment, including aggregate data about antisemitic incident reports and district outcomes.
• Create a Superintendent Advisory Group focused on addressing antisemitism, with invitations to representatives of Jewish community organizations and from the Superintendent’s office to foster open dialogue.
• Implement antisemitism training for all school administrators, faculty and staff.
• Provide age-appropriate programming to all students on discrimination and harassment, including antisemitism, educating them on what antisemitism is, how to combat it and ways to report it at their schools.
• Make resources and training materials from ADL’s No Place for Hate program available to every school in the district.

ADL thanks the District for its commitment to implementing meaningful change and for working towards the shared goal of protecting Jewish students who attend BVSD schools. ADL welcomes the opportunity to support its implementation, and remains committed to helping foster a culture in which Jewish students are treated with dignity, inclusivity and respect.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin, including discrimination against Jewish students on the basis of their actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, by educational institutions that receive federal funding.

Today’s announcement is the first settlement of a complaint that was submitted through ADL’s Legal Action Network, which launched in late 2025 and currently consists of over 55 law firms across the country. Since Oct. 7, ADL has filed civil rights and legal complaints against public school districts to address antisemitic environments for Jewish students, including a successfully resolved matter against the Santa Ana Unified School District. ADL has brought Title VI complaints against the Bay County, Florida Public School District, Baltimore City Public Schools, Berkeley Unified School District, and Etiwanda School District. Several filed complaints have resulted in successful resolution agreements, including one with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District.

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913 to protect the Jewish people, ADL works to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all. In the face of rising antisemitism and extremism, we protect, advocate, and educate, through a mix of programs and services using the latest innovations and technology, and seek to create a world without hate. More at www.adl.org. 

We are relieved to share that the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have reached a settlement agreement regarding the Title VI complaint filed this past June, which included incidents of severe antisemitic harassment, physical assault, and district inaction. As we have begun the new school year and approach Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, this update comes at a meaningful time for our community.

First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the immense bravery of the family who brought this matter forward. Their willingness to speak up was driven by a desire to ensure every student in BVSD, Jewish students and all students, can learn in a safe environment free from antisemitism, bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Their courage also empowered other families to share their own experiences, ensuring these issues were fully confronted rather than repeated. As a community we are grateful.

We applaud BVSD, its Board of Education, and Superintendent Dr. Rob Anderson for taking swift accountability and partnering directly with the ADL to reach a settlement and implement meaningful solutions. We are particularly grateful for BVSD’s six-part plan to address antisemitism and the progress the District has already made in executing these critical steps. Their dedication to resolving this matter quickly helps secure a safer, more supportive school year for our children. 

Additionally, we thank Superintendent Dr. Rob Anderson and his team for establishing the Superintendent’s Advisory Group on Antisemitism. This working group will bring together leaders from Jewish communal organizations, including Susan Rona, Regional Director, ADL Mountain States, and a representative from the Boulder JCC, alongside key representatives from the Superintendent’s office. The group will serve as a dedicated forum for open, ongoing dialogue to directly address and combat antisemitism across the District.

We also express our deepest gratitude to the ADL for tirelessly advocating alongside this family, as well as our entire Jewish community, its leaders, organizations, and the parents who offered unwavering support to the family and community throughout this process. Community collaboration was vital to reaching this resolution.

As this complaint demonstrated, action starts with documentation. When we report incidents, we create an undeniable record that compels administrations to act. If you or your child experiences or witnesses any form of antisemitism or bias, please do not stay silent.

For full settlement details, please read the full resolution agreement between the ADL and BVSD.

Resources for Reporting and Support:

• School District Reporting: First, submit formal reports directly to your local school district administration (BVSD, SVVSD, JeffCo). This ensures local principals, administrators, and educators are notified and legally required to follow up.
• ADL Incident Reporting: Second, report directly to the ADL at adl.org/report-incident. The ADL tracks these trends meticulously and uses this data to step in and advocate for our community. Reporting to the ADL is confidential, and nothing will be disclosed without your express permission. 
• Safe2Tell Colorado: Anonymously report any safety concerns or harassment online at safe2tell.org or by calling 1.877.542.7233. This is a vital tool utilized by school districts and law enforcement across Colorado

With gratitude,

Jonathan Lev, Boulder JCC Executive Director
David Paul, Boulder JCC Board Chair

As we mark the anniversary of the tragic events of October 7, 2023, the Boulder JCC invites the community to gather for a poignant, thought-provoking evening of film, dialogue, and remembrance on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

We will host a special screening of the powerful documentary “Torn: The Israel-Palestine Poster War on NYC Streets” (2024), followed by a talkback with the film’s director, Nim Shapira, in conversation with Founding Film Festival Director Kathryn Bernheimer.

The Film: A Proxy War in Paper and Ink

When the Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages from Israel, a grassroots movement emerged across the globe to bring awareness to their plight. In New York City, the now-iconic “KIDNAPPED” poster campaign quickly blanketed public walls, lamp posts, and construction sites. However, as Israel’s war in Gaza unfolded, these images transformed into a fierce, ideological battleground thousands of miles away from the Middle East.

“Torn” captures the intense emotional fallout and social friction that erupted on the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Through the intimate perspectives of ten New Yorkers—including hostage families, activists, artists, and bystanders—the documentary uncovers the deeply personal motivations behind both those who pasted the posters up and those who tore them down. The film provides a striking, nuanced window into a proxy war fought through stickers, wheatpaste, slogans, and torn paper, exploring how grief, advocacy, and polarization played out in the public square.

We are deeply honored to welcome Nim Shapira, the director, writer, and producer of “Torn.” Nim is an Emmy-nominated, award-winning Israeli-American filmmaker, creative director, and multidisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn. Widely recognized for his cutting-edge work across traditional documentary storytelling and immersive technologies, Nim brings a unique, empathetic lens to capturing complex human truths during times of crisis.

This program is possible with the support of Alaine and Joey Lerner. We encourage community members, students, and educators from across Boulder to join us for this important gathering.

• 6:00 – 6:30 PM: Light Refreshments & Community Gathering
• 6:30 – 7:45 PM: Film Screening (“Torn“)
• 7:45 – 8:15 PM: Q&A and Talkback with Director Nim Shapira & Kathryn Bernheimer
• Admission: $15 General Admission | $10 for Students

Space is limited for this special event. To purchase tickets and secure your seat, please register on Amilia.

To ensure our programs remain accessible to everyone in our community, confidential financial assistance is available. Please contact Julia Price at julia.price@boulderjcc.org for more information.

In this high octane time of year, both for Jews and for the world, we anxiously await the one time on the calendar when we hear a sound that can lift us up from our angst – that mesmerizing sound of the shofar. But low and behold, we learn that when Rosh Hashanah comes out on Shabbat, the Shofar is not traditionally blown. We at first seek some mystical reason for restricting this beloved and multi-meaning laden mitzvah. However, the ‘first responder’ is a seemingly mundane teaching to prevent someone who has a shofar, and wants to blow, but doesn’t know how, may come to carry it outside in the public domain to find an expert blower.

We can’t help being somewhat mystified and rather disappointed. Yes we know that the early Talmudic sages had some clout even over some explicit aspects of the written Torah, but to deprive an entire nation from this beloved mitzvah because of a remote ‘what if?’

After much research, I came across some connections that made the most sense to me, so I will share a few of them. One is from the beloved Hassidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev. He reminds us of the scenario where G-d sits on his throne of Judgement on Rosh Hashanah to decide the fate of the world, but when He hears the Shofar and the people’s heartfelt response, he moves over to the throne of compassion. In addition, the rabbis tell us that the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are provided with the chance to do Teshuva and thereby be written in the book of Life. There is usually no guarantee that will happen. However, we recall that on Shabbat, one of the 39 forbidden activities is writing, unless it is a matter of saving a life. Therefore, even G-d, so to speak, cannot write on the day when Rosh Hashanah comes out on Shabbat, unless it is to save a life, in other words to inscribe us in the book of Life. So on Shabbat, according to the Berditchiver, G-d doesn’t need the shofar to evoke his mercy, since the Shabbat prohibition to write, kind of ‘forces his hand.’

The above is a pretty clever response. And it reminds us how important our connection to Shabbat for the entire year is. In fact, the sages tell us that it was the ‘spirit of Shabbos’ that saved Adam and Chava from being wiped off the earthly map when they ate from the forbidden tree on the first Friday of creation. The ‘spirit of Shabbat’ protested on Friday night, saying something like ‘Why should such a punishment be associated with such a holy day?’ G-d conceded and when the first human couple experienced their first Shabbat, their regret for transgressing gave them somewhat of a reprieve. Thus they were relegated to exile from the Garden of Eden instead. So one lesson for us in a year like this is to be more conscious of the power and practices of Shabbat than we should be in a year where shofar IS blown on a weekday. The word ‘Rosh’ means both head and beginning. If we start the year from a Shabbat perspective, it will give us a head start on the ‘Air Force One’ of holiness throughout this year. (If you need a weekly booster shot to help understand the relation of each weekly Torah portion to Shabbat, please read my previous ‘A Taste of Shabbos’ postings in the Boulder Jewish News).

Moreover, it’s important to recall that the word ‘Shabbat’ shares its root with the word, ‘Tashev’ meaning to return to our better nature- i.e. the key focus of all these forty days between the new moon of Elul and Yom Kippur. This focus helps us understand another purpose of the shofar- to confuse the Satan- the adversary blocking our mazal, meaning our FLOW of blessings for the New Year. In other words, we attempt to ‘block the blocker.’ How is the Satan confused each year? Because the more he tries to bring accusations about transgressions, he realizes that the power of the shofar (and this year through Shabbat) is to bring about MORE REPENTANCE, which translates into transforming sins into merits!

Still, there is a glitch in this shofar vs Shabbat reasoning; in the days of the Beit Hamikdash, the holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Mishnah tells us that the shofar WAS blown, even on a Shabbat. Why should this be so, if Shabbat can replace the power of the shofar to elicit divine mercy instead of harsh judgement? There is a rather deep and esoteric reason given. It has to do with the contrast between Teshuva out of Awe (Hence the term ‘Days of Awe) rather than the Teshuva of Shabbat, which ideally is out of love and happiness. I will try to summarize this response (If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.) If something comes from a place of Essence, then even the emerging paradoxes can be transcended and unified. For example, it is our human limitation that doesn’t let us perceive a wave and a particle at the same time, even though their source is one.

A simpler example: in a classroom where the teacher is absent, the students can tend to be rowdy since each acts from a different and individual nature.  But when the teacher shows up in an authoritive manner, (hopefully) the students align their wills to that of the teacher, without losing their personal identity. (Compare/contrast to the book/film “Lord of the Flies“) The holy Temple contained such a powerful presence of the Divine that those who came into the Temple’s ‘limitless space,’ could simultaneously access the contractive humility caused by the shofar, together with the expansive and joyful celebration of Shabbat

May such a confluence and resolution of both the individual and collective paradoxes in our lives be manifest with the promises of our prophets, through the great shofar of Mashiach, speedily in our days!

Dear editor:

Ed Kass (“Opinion: Needed Now. Ometz Lev” 9/3/26 BJN) is either ignorant of or willfully blind to the fact that all “Jewish settlements” in Judea and Samaria are totally consistent with Article 80 of the United Nations Charter, the controlling international law concerning Israel.

Article 80 incorporates by reference the 1922 League of Nations Mandate for Palestine and the 1920 San Remo Agreement.

As an international treaty, Article 80 supercedes any resolution of the Security Council or General Assembly that conflicts with it.

Finally Article 80 declares that all of what is Israel including Judea, Samaria and Gaza, are the 3500 year old indigenous RECONSTITUTED homeland of the Jewish people and the land is sovereign Jewish territory.

Eugene Rostow, Dean of Yale Law School (1955-1965) and Under Secretary of State in a Democratic administration (1965-1969) wrote:

“Legally the West Bank and Gaza are unallocated parts of the Palestine Mandate…and as far as the claims of the Arabs who live there goes, it must be remembered that, in contrast to other League of Nations mandates, the Palestine Mandate was not established as a trust for the indigenous population of the area, to be terminated when the population was ready for self government.

“It was set up under a different article of the League Covenant as a trust for the Jewish people, in recognition of their historic connection to the land on the condition that the civic and religious rights of the Muslims and Christians be respected.

“Moreover the right of the Jewish people to settle in the West Bank has never been terminated…Jewish settlement in the West Bank …is..the exercise of a right protected by Article 80 of the United Nations Charter and hence necessarily part of the domestic law of the West Bank”.

Eugene Rostow, “Commentary Magazine”,  “A False Start in the Middle East,” October, 1989.

Further, “those Jewish rights that had existed under the Mandate remain in full force and effect, to which the UN is still committed by Article 80 to uphold, or is prohibited from altering.

“As a direct result of Article 80, the UN cannot transfer these rights over any part of Palestine, vested as they are in the Jewish People, to any non-Jewish entity, such as the “Palestinian Authority.” Among the most important of these Jewish rights are those contained in Article 6 of the Mandate which recognized the right of Jews to immigrate freely to the Land of Israel and to establish settlements thereon, rights which are fully protected by Article 80 of the UN Charter.” (“Article 80 and the UN Recognition of a ‘Palestinian State,'” Howard Grief, “The Algemeiner,” 9/22/11).

Salomon Benzimra, author of “The Jewish People’s Rights to the Land of Israel. Canadians for Israel’s Legal Rights” (2018) has written that Article 80 is “relevant in preventing any action contemplated by the United Nations to alter existing Jewish rights and title to any part of the Land of Israel–Palestine, rights that are legally preserved under Article 80” (Page 70).

Spewing calumnies that contravene Article 80 in order to prejudice the Jewish people of Israel does not change international law and are ultimately Zionophobic.

Richard Sherman
Margate, Florida 
Member of the Institute for the Critical Study of Antizionism

Campus energy is at an all-time high as the Boulder Jewish Community Center officially kicks off major outdoor campus projects following a festive “Bring Your Own Shovel” groundbreaking event. Children from the Jay and Rose Phillips Early Childhood Center joined families, staff, board members, and donors to dig into the site, marking a major milestone for the community’s future.

The expansion follows rapid organizational growth. Since opening as a preschool in 1984, the ECC has served as the beating heart of the Boulder JCC. After moving to its current facility in 2016, participation across programs exploded. The ECC now serves 165 children annually, Cherryvale Day Camp hosts over 1,000 summer campers, and the pioneering Forest School, where students spend up to 85% of their day learning in nature, now operates two full classes.

To support these thriving programs, the $2.5M Growing Up Outside campaign focuses on two key outdoor initiatives scheduled for completion before the end of 2026. A complete redesign of the ECC playground that expands the Rose Community Foundation Playground footprint by over 50%, introducing accessible play structures, expanded running space, enhanced shade, and distinct learning zones. Creating a home base for Forest School and Cherryvale Day Camp by transforming a half-acre west of the gymnasium into a dynamic landscape featuring natural climbing structures, exploration zones, outdoor classrooms, and a pavilion.

With physical construction underway, visitors will notice secure fencing, construction vehicles, and crews on site.

Adding to the campus’s evolution, neighboring Congregation Bonai Shalom anticipates breaking ground on their new building within the campus footprint this fall or winter.

For more information or to contribute to the Growing Up Outside capital campaign, visit the Boulder JCC campaign donation page.

JERUSALEM, Israel – September 7, 2026 — Hiddush’s annual survey has found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of Israel’s adult Jewish public support forming a broad coalition after the next election — either without the Haredi parties, or including them but without accepting their demands on religion-and-state issues, such as exemption of yeshiva students from conscription, increased funding for religious institutions, a ban on public transportation on Shabbat, and blocking civil marriage.

Released in the days before Rosh Hashanah, as Israel is at the height of an election campaign in just a few weeks, the survey found that this position is shared by 86% of secular Israelis, 63% of non-religious traditional Israelis, 60% of traditional Israelis close to religion, and 45% of the religious public.

The 2026 Religion and State Index — carried out by the Smith Polling Institute for Hiddush, an organization advocating for religious freedom and equality in Israel — is the 18th annual Religion and State Index published by Hiddush. The Index is the only systematic and in‑depth periodic survey of the Jewish‑Israeli public’s views on religion and state, and its findings present a comprehensive picture of the full range of contested issues in this arena and enable the tracking of shifts over time across social, political, and religious segments.

The Index findings expose the wide gap between the government’s repeated claim that it represents the will of the people and the actual positions of the majority of the adult Jewish public. On every religion-and-state issue tested — from conscripting yeshiva students and sanctioning draft-dodgers to civil marriage — the majority position runs counter to current government policy and favors freedom of religion and equality. Even among coalition party voters, a significant share opposes government policy.

Voters for the ‘Change Bloc’ — and What Their Representatives Will Actually Do

Among voters for parties outside the current coalition, support for advancing freedom of religion and equality ranges from 77% to 100% across every issue tested. Between 83% and 92% of them said a party’s commitment to religion-and-state issues would increase the likelihood they’d vote for it. Notably, most of these parties have not yet put forward a comprehensive platform on the issue; their opposition to the Haredi parties centers mainly on the conscription question. Among undecided voters — the group likely to determine the election’s outcome — 95% said such a commitment would increase the likelihood they’d vote for that party. Among the secular public, the figure is 83%.

Support for Jewish Pluralism and Equality for All Streams of Judaism

58% of the adult Jewish public supports equal status for all streams of Judaism in Israel. Support was even higher between the Index’s launch in 2009 (when Hiddush was founded) and 2020 — suggesting a link between the current government’s attacks on and delegitimization of Reform Judaism, and the subsequent decline in support for equal status among the streams. Among the secular public, support stands at 87%. High support was also measured among voters for the ‘change bloc’ parties (86–93%) — grounds for expecting, or at least demanding, a dramatic policy shift if they form the next government, whether pushed by Israeli non-Orthodox movements or by Diaspora Jewish leadership.

Attacks on the Supreme Court and Public Trust in Institutions

A central front in Israel’s religion-and-state battles centers on the Supreme Court and the Attorney General, both of which face harsh attacks from coalition Members of Knesset and ministers. The Index found that, regarding trust in institutions, the Supreme Court enjoys a high level of trust from 30% of the public — three times the trust in the Knesset (10%) and nearly double the trust in the government (18%) and the Chief Rabbinate (15%). 43% said they have no trust in any of these institutions. Notably, among the religious public, only 28% place high trust in the Chief Rabbinate, and 50% say they trust none of these institutions — the highest rate among all religious groups. Among secular Israelis, just 1% trust the Chief Rabbinate, while 47% trust the Supreme Court.

What the Public Wants Prioritized

According to the Index, the issue that the public most wants a party it might vote for to prioritize is conscripting yeshiva students into the army or civilian service, followed by freedom of religion and equality of burden more broadly, and third, cutting budgets for yeshivas and religious institutions. Compared with last year’s list of public priorities, there was also a significant rise in the importance voters place on enforcing core curriculum studies in Haredi education.

Conscripting Yeshiva Students

84% of respondents support conscripting yeshiva students in some form, slightly up from 80% last year. 53% believe that everyone should be conscripted into full regular service according to the army’s needs or essential civilian service, and another 31% believe there should be an annual quota of exemptions for outstanding students, with everyone else conscripted. Only 16% accept the Haredi position that yeshiva students should be exempt from service — down from 20% last year and 25% in 2022.

The Index’s multi-year tracking shows how much has changed since October 7. In 2021, 26% supported full conscription of everyone and 51% preferred a quota of exemptions for outstanding students. Now, the ratio is almost completely reversed. Even within the Haredi public itself, there is some support for quotas and even conscription: 4% support conscripting everyone, and 14% support quotas.

Sanctions Against Draft-Dodgers

At the request of the Attorney General, the Supreme Court ordered the State to expand sanctions against yeshiva students who refuse to enlist, both by cutting public subsidies and through arrests. The government, at the demand of the Haredi parties, is working to pass legislation blocking the arrests and providing alternative funding. 66% support the Supreme Court and Attorney General’s steps to advance the duty of service and equality in sharing the security burden, while only 34% support the government’s position and its opposition to the Court’s rulings.

This majority position is shared by 91% of secular Israelis, 70% of non-religious traditional Israelis, 55% of traditional Israelis close to religion, and even 37% of the religious public. This year’s question was worded to explicitly pit the government’s position against that of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General — meaning the answers also reflect the degree of support for the government and its policies. Even in this context, two-thirds of the public side with the Supreme Court.

The Effect of the Government’s Conduct

47% of respondents said that the government’s conduct on religion-and-state issues, and its acceptance of the Haredi parties’ demands, has reinforced their view that sharing the burden of security service must be ensured, freedom of religion and freedom from religion upheld, and the Supreme Court’s ability to protect these freedoms preserved. The public’s growing negative feelings toward government policies in this area stands out when compared with past responses to a similar question: 37% in the 2024 Index and 38% in the 2025 Index. Only 16% said the government’s conduct reinforced the opposite view.

Education System

In Israel, the State fully funds the two large school networks controlled by the Haredi parties (comprising hundreds of educational institutions and close to 200,000 students). In recent years, largely as a result of Hiddush’s petitions to the Supreme Court, public awareness has grown that these school networks do not teach the mandatory core curriculum and fail to meet the accompanying requirements they are legally obligated to fulfill. The Index examines public opinion on this issue: 76% believe that State funding should be cut for Haredi schools that refuse to teach the core curriculum and administer external exams. 55% think that funding should be revoked entirely, and another 21% – that it should be cut by 50%. Only 24% think that Haredi educational institutions should not be required to teach the core curriculum at all.

77% think that all ties between educational institutions and political parties should be severed, that funding should be halted for institutions that fail to meet their legal obligations, and that those responsible should be prosecuted.

Equal Funding for Education Across All Sectors, Including Arab Education

In response to recently published official findings which show that the Ministry of Education over-funds State-religious Jewish education relative to general Jewish education (24% more at the high-school level) and Arab state education (40% more at the high-school level), 70% of those with an opinion said all discrimination in State education should be eliminated, and that full funding equality should be guaranteed for all students in Israel, regardless of religion or race.

Stanley P. Gold, Chair of Hiddush USA, said: “I call on my colleagues in the leadership of North American Jewish communities and organizations to recognize the historic opportunity that the upcoming Israeli election may open up, after many years of policy hostile to Diaspora Jewry and the pluralism, democracy, and equality that define our way of life. The majority of Israel’s Jewish public opposes the policies of this government, which has turned its back on North American Jewry and the rest of the world, and crudely discriminated against the major streams of Judaism. The 2026 Religion and State Index proves that the views of Diaspora Jewry and the views of the Jewish public in Israel are much closer than one might have believed given the outgoing government’s policies and the harsh comments of its leaders. These views are also shared by likely voters for the ‘change bloc’ parties that could well form the next government. If that does happen, it may open the way for a new era in Israel-Diaspora relations and for the future of the State of Israel.”

Rabbi Uri Regev, CEO of Hiddush – For Religious Freedom and Equality, said: “The government keeps claiming it represents the will of the people, but our Index says otherwise. On every single issue we asked about, a significant majority of the adult Jewish public in Israel holds a position opposed to the government’s. For years, parties across the political spectrum knew what the public thinks about religion-and-state issues — and simply didn’t care, because they knew this wasn’t the issue that would determine how the public casts its vote — this time is different. But the truth must also be told about the ‘change bloc.’ Its opposition to the Haredi parties is driven more by the heat of the fight over the conscription law than by any genuine vision for Israel’s character as a Jewish and democratic State. The public isn’t asking for isolated achievements — it’s asking for a comprehensive change: freedom of religion and equality in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence. It’s essential that the change-bloc parties internalize this.”

Methodology

The Religion and State Index survey was conducted by the Smith Polling Institute between July 13–16, 2026, among an expanded sample of 800 men and women representing Israel’s adult Jewish population, ages 18 and up. Margin of error: 3.3%.

Additional Findings

• Freedom of religion and conscience: 85% agree that the State of Israel should uphold freedom of religion and conscience — i.e.  freedom of choice and conduct for both secular and religious people according to their own worldviews. This position is shared by 92% of secular Israelis, 89% of traditional Israelis close to religion, 71% of the religious public, and 62% of Haredim.
• Separation of religion and state: 59% support separating religion and state. Support stands at 88% among secular Israelis, 52% among non-religious traditional Israelis, and 43% among traditional Israelis close to religion.
• Social conflicts: 81% cite the tension between right and left, and 74% cite the tension between Haredim and secular Israelis, as the two most severe conflicts in Israeli society. Ethnic tension stands at 16%, and tension between rich and poor has dropped to 11%, compared with rates around a third at the start of the previous decade.
• Freedom of marriage: 65% support Israel recognizing all types of marriage, including civil, Reform, or Conservative. Assuming all options existed and were equally recognized, 49% would choose Orthodox marriage, 16% Conservative or Reform marriage, 11% civil marriage abroad, 9% online ‘Utah’ marriage, and 15% would choose to live together without formal marriage.
• Jewish heritage in State education: 67% support including Jewish heritage content in the State education system, provided it is taught pluralistically and presents the full range of approaches — including secular, Orthodox, and non-Orthodox perspectives.
• Civil burial: 44% are aware that civil burial is an available option, and 39% would prefer it when the time comes — including 77% of the secular public.
• The Shift Among Likud Voters: The most striking political finding in this year’s Index is the gap between the positions of those who voted for Likud in the last election and those who currently say they intend to vote for the party. This points to a change in the profile of today’s prospective Likud voters, and may help explain, at least in part, why many voters have shifted their support to other parties — reflected in the steady erosion of the party’s standing in the polls. On every major issue tested, today’s Likud voters are less liberal than those who voted for the party in the past.

About Hiddush

Hiddush – For Religious Freedom and Equality is a non-denominational, non-partisan Israel-Diaspora nonprofit dedicated to advancing religious freedom and equality, as envisioned in Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Founded in 2009, Hiddush mobilizes grassroots support, conducts research and polling, provides legal assistance to victims of religious discrimination, and advocates in the legal system, and with policymakers and the media. Hiddush works to strengthen Israel as both a democracy and a Jewish State, while fostering ties with world Jewry.

by Joshua Kail, America’s Rebbitzman

Twas the night before the night before Rosh Hashanah and all through the land, the rabbis were schvitzing, were their services all planned?

Were the sermons long enough to make people know that it was not Shabbos they were there sitting through?

Had the shofar been oiled (or whatever you do), could they remember the name of every twice-a-year Jew?

And I, the Rebbitzman, fearing in bed,

if I fell asleep now, will she tap on my head?

When up in the office, there was such a clatter

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away in a flutter, I flew like a flash

I opened the door to see sermons in trash!

Light on the crest of a deep furrowed brow

Gave rise to a voice, “I must rewrite these all NOW!”

When what to my wondering eyes did I divine?

But an inspiration struck Rabbi (and an empty bottle of mid-priced red wine).

With a flurry of typing so lively and fast

I knew in that moment the rewrites were vast.

And she whistled and shouted and called them by name

Now Hillel! Now Buber! Now Heschel! And Ramban!

On Sacks! On Akiva! On Ha-Nasi, and Rambam!

To the bottom with footnotes for all she had wrote

Now find segways, SEGUES, SEGUES, SEGUES, FOR ALL OF THOSE QUOTES!!!!

As words before context flop all about

When they meet with a scholar, add meaning and clout

So into the sermon, the vocabulary flew

With double meanings and inspirations for each Jew

And then with a whisper, I heard a short yawn

Could it be that the sermon crises was gone?

As I drew in my head and was turning around

“One down, six to go!” was the sound.

These deadlines were looming when what do I say?

“Go to sleep dear; you still have another day.”

It’s 3 in the morning, you’ve done what you could, you are acting as nervous as during yichud.

You’ve dusted your tallis; the Torah’s been rolled
That part about Chelm, you’ll just have to hold.

If it doesn’t work out, you could always just wing it

Shana Tova to All… On second thought, just make the cantor sing it!

Dear editor:

I share the anguish over settler violence, the displacement of Palestinians, and the policies of the current Israeli government. (“Opinion: Needed Now! Ometz Lev!” BJN 9/3/26) These actions deserve condemnation. But moral clarity does not require us to erase complexity. When criticism expands from specific policies and actors into sweeping judgments about “Israel,” “Jewish leadership,” or the “Jewish collective,” it risks obscuring the many Israelis and American Jews who have spent years protesting, organizing, accompanying Palestinians, and fighting precisely the policies being condemned.

I am especially concerned when Israel’s actions are linked too easily to the rise in antisemitism. Certainly, what Israel does affects public discourse about Jews. But Jews in America, and especially Jewish children, cannot be held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. Increasingly, Jewish students are being asked to answer for Israel in classrooms and social settings, often before they have the knowledge or maturity to engage these questions. Criticism of Israel is necessary; collective responsibility is something different.

I also question broad calls for boycotts, withdrawal of donations, and disengagement from Israel. Such actions may be intended to pressure a government, but they can also harm Israelis and Palestinians engaged in shared environmental, educational, humanitarian, and peace-building work. Before embracing sweeping strategies, we should ask not only whom we intend to affect, but who actually bears the consequences. Moral action requires precision as well as passion.

The question, then, is not whether we should speak out. We should. The question is how. We need language strong enough to confront injustice without flattening an entire people, alienating potential allies, or contributing to an atmosphere in which Jews everywhere are expected to defend actions they neither support nor control. Accountability belongs to all of us—not only for what we oppose, but for how we oppose it.

Shanah Tovah U’metukah

Charna Rosenholtz
Boulder

Ruth Seagull (Oct. 6, 1930 – September 6, 2026), passed away peacefully in her home in Boulder, Colorado, one month shy of her 96th birthday.  Ruth Rifkah bat Tehila v’Dov is survived by her sons, David and Jacob; her grandson, Daniel; her granddaughter, Kate; and her many nieces and nephews in America and Israel. Ruth is also survived by a vast number of friends and students, all of whom loved her deeply.  She was the youngest and last surviving of her twin sisters, Hana (Bonnie) Gerlach and Naomi Singer, and her brother, Ray Schapiro. 

Ruth was born on Sukkot in Germany in 1930. Her father, recognizing the looming threat to the Jewish population, soon moved the family to Switzerland, and eventually to the United States. Her father and mother believed the somewhat radical (at that time) idea that women could study Torah, which became a lifelong passion for Ruth. After helping her parents emigrate from New York to Jerusalem in 1951, she returned to New York where she married Arthur Seagull and had two sons and a 17 year marriage, ending in divorce.  She moved with her family to Michigan in the 1960s, where she established a long career as a school psychologist, while also helping found a Jewish congregation in East Lansing, and teaching Transcendental Meditation. She retired to Fairfield, Iowa, for a few years before eventually re-locating to Boulder. 

Congregation Nevei Kodesh and the wider Boulder Jewish community revered Ruth for sharing her deep Jewish knowledge with hundreds of B’nai Mitzvah students, both young and old. She also put a tremendous amount of time, thought, energy and love into her Torah teaching and preparing people to step into spiritual lay leadership roles.

She lived her life selflessly and modestly, always striving to do the right thing, with intention and thoughtfulness. She found joy and satisfaction in Judaism, and sharing her insights with her friends, community and students. She practiced deep ecumenism, incorporating different Eastern philosophies and practices into her life. She showed up for anyone and everyone. She brought food to people and sat and held space for those who needed it. She was always there to support others, even if she did not know them, constantly increasing her circle of friends and admirers. She listened and empathized with her whole being and offered insight and depth to every interaction.

Ruth never lost her positive attitude. She loved a good joke and was always willing to laugh at herself. In recent months, when she had a memory lapse, she found the humor in it and referred to it as her “new skill.”

Ruth continued to teach and study Torah to the end, seeking new perspectives until her last day. She was a mentor, inspiration, friend, and “parent and grandparent” to many. She was wise, kind, generous, open-minded, and open-hearted. Ruth’s loving and compassionate view of the world helped us all to see the beauty around us and to be better people.

Ruth wrapped her loved ones and community in warmth, sharing her love, wisdom, support, her passion and presence. Ruth’s passing will be felt in the very fabric of our beings.  

Boulder Jewish Film Festival celebrates show biz, female accomplishment, and heroes of all kinds

The Boulder Jewish Film Festival returns to the Dairy Arts Center October 25th to November 1st for an eight-day exploration of the Jewish experience on screen. Tickets go on sale October 9 at thedairy.org.

Watch our trailer now!

Despite the exciting diversity of subjects, genres, styles and tones in our slate of films this year, there are an uncommon number of shared thematic concerns among our varied titles. Several connected themes reverberate through our features and documentaries, bio pics, dramas and comedies.

• The prominent role Jews have played in popular culture, reflecting and shaping our cultural landscape.
• Female empowerment and accomplishment.
• Moral and physical courage and the nature of heroism.
• The bond between parents and children and the lengths a parent will go to protect their child.

Join us as we celebrate Jewish life and delve into issues that unite us all.

“Lucky Star” – Community Centerpiece

Sunday, October 25 at Noon
Wednesday, October 28 at 6:30 p.m.
Feature/90 minutes/In French/2026
Directed by Pascal Elbé

An accidental French Army deserter’s harebrained scheme to save himself leads to a series of misadventures that turn ever darker. In this serio-comic farce, a bumbling French buffoon pretends to be Jewish to escape Nazi-occupied France. But as he throws his lot in with a group of Jews desperate to reach the Free Zone, he is forced to confront his own prejudices as well as his moral cowardice, eventually stumbling upon his own innate sense of decency. Using humor to confront the harsh realities of life in 1940, “Lucky Star” explores the theme of personal responsibility through its unlikely but not unlikeable hero. Selected by the festival’s Advisory Committee.

Watch the trailer.

“Once Upon My Mother“

Sunday, October 25 at 3 p.m.
Thursday, October 29 at Noon
Feature/102 minutes/In French/2025
Directed by Ken Scott

The enduring strength of a French Moroccan mother’s love makes her a zealous advocate for her disabled son in this high-spirited story of determination and faith. Recently selected by Jewish film festival directors across the world as their favorite film of the year, this heartwarming French drama also won more audience awards than any other title this year. Based on a true story that begins in 1960s Paris and spans decades of challenges and miracles, this big-hearted, exuberant crowd-pleaser was a huge hit at the French box office. Blending humor and pathos, “Once Upon My Mother” both celebrates and questions the extreme lengths parents will go to determine their children’s future.

Watch the trailer.

Short Film Program

Sunday, October 25 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 28 at 3 p.m.

You will laugh, you will cry as you experience the best in short-form cinema, including Oscar-nominated documentaries, animation, and narratives from France, England, Israel and the U.S. Join us for this popular program curated by Judith Dack and the shorts selection committee.

“Labors of Love: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Szold“

With Director Abby Ginzberg in person
Monday, October 26 at Noon and 3 pm
Documentary/80 minutes/In English/2025
Narrated by Tovah Feldshuh

When the founder of Hadassah died in 1945 at the age of 84 – in the same Hadassah Hospital she helped to build in Jerusalem – the New York Times obituary described her as “the most brilliant woman in America.” Founded in 1912, Hadassah recruited Jewish American women to upgrade health care in Palestine, funded hospitals, a medical school, dental facilities, X-ray clinics, infant welfare stations, soup kitchens and other services for its Jewish and Arab inhabitants. An educator, essayist, editor, Zionist organizer, feminist, politician, and social activist, Szold was a deeply ethical yet pragmatic American devoted to improving life in the nascent state. Although Szold never married or had children, Israel celebrates Mother’s Day on the day that Szold died, in honor of the 30,000 children she rescued from Nazi Europe. Szold continues to be revered as the woman who gave birth to the Jewish homeland.

Filmmaker Abby Ginzberg, a Peabody Award-winning director, has been producing compelling documentaries about the struggle for justice and women’s empowerment for over 30 years. She is the granddaughter of Szold’s first love, Louis Ginzberg, and grew up hearing stories of Szold’s impact.

Watch the trailer.

Opening Night Reception with live music by Jubilee Creek Klezmer

Monday, October 26 at 5 p.m.

“Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie“

Monday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Documentary/89 minutes/In English/2026
Directed by Steven Pressman

On the surface, it seemed an unlikely match. Woody Guthrie was a rough-hewn balladeer from Oklahoma who tramped across the country singing his original protest songs. Aliza Greenblatt, who arrived in America from Bessarabia in 1900, was deeply involved in Zionist and Jewish cultural organizations and was already a prominent Yiddish poet when her daughter married the famous folk singer. United by a love of music and the political causes of social justice and anti-fascism, the pair became fast friends and collaborators. Guthrie also fell in love with Jewish culture and observance, as this surprising and engaging documentary from Steven Pressman (“The Levys of Monticello”) reveals through interviews with his children, Arlo and Nora Guthrie.

Join us for a pre-screening reception featuring the foods Aliza would have served her son-in-law in her Coney Island home.

Watch the trailer.

“The Sea“

Tuesday, October 27 at 3 p.m.
Wednesday, October 28 at noon
Feature/93 minutes/In Hebrew/2025
Written and directed by Shai Carmeli-Pollak

Left behind when his schoolmates leave for a class trip to the Mediterranean, a young Palestinian boy impetuously sets off on his own as his father, an undocumented laborer working in Israel, frantically tries to avert disaster. This beautifully crafted and deeply human tale of a father–son odyssey generated political controversy when it swept the 2025 Israeli Oscars, winning best picture, actor, supporting actor and screenplay. An Israeli-Palestinian collaboration filmed just before the Hamas atrocities of October 7, the tender yet provocative drama has garnered wide acclaim for its sensitive handling of the painful realities of the occupation for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Watch the trailer.

“The Road Between Us“

Tuesday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Documentary/95 minutes/In English/2026
Directed by Barry Avrich

You may remember the incredible news story that emerged shortly after the October 7 massacre. Hearing about the attack, retired Israel Defense Force General Noam Tibon jumped in his jeep with his pistol and his wife and headed to Kibbutz Nahal Oz to rescue their son, who was trapped in his safe room with his wife and children, surrounded by gunfire. Even more incredibly, he succeeded in rescuing them – and others. This harrowing and inspiring effort, a tribute to parental devotion and personal courage, makes for a real-life, white-knuckle, apolitical thriller that takes an unflinching look at the dangerous reality of life in Israel.

Watch the trailer.

“To Kill a Nazi“

Thursday, October 29 at 3 p.m. 
Documentary/101minutes/In French, English, Hebrew/2026
Directed by Boaz Dvir
Narrated by Jason Alexander

In this mindboggling true story, an unsung hero has a chance encounter with fate that inspires an historic act of daring. Michel Cojot, a French businessman tormented by his father’s murder at Auschwitz, is bent on revenge but fails to act when he has his chance. But one year later, he finds himself aboard a plane hijacked by terrorists who force the pilot to land at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. There, he uses his wits, cool resolve and negotiating skills, playing a pivotal role in the famous rescue operation – at great risk to himself and his young son. An astounding tale of redemption and valor, layered with a poignant story of family healing.

Watch the trailer.

“Rosenthal: The Great Showman“

Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Feature/92 minutes/In German/2025
Directed by Oliver Haffner

In 1978, Hans Rosenthal is Germany’s most popular entertainer, a beloved game show host who brought joy to millions. He embodies cheerful optimism for a nation eager to move forward. What his adoring public does not know is that he is Jewish and privately nursing deep wounds from surviving the Holocaust. The great showman faces a moral dilemma when the demands of his career and his Jewish heritage come into conflict. Based on a true story, this German biographical drama portrays a man caught between public popularity and private conscience, an eager-to-please performer facing an agonizing moment of truth.

Watch the trailer.

“A Burning Man“

Friday, October 30 at noon
Feature/103 minutes/In Hebrew/2026
Written and directed by Eyal Halfon

Any parent with a child serving in the military during times of conflict can be expected to experience anxiety and even a sense of dread over their loved one’s safety. In Israel, where military service is mandatory, this excruciating experience is ubiquitous. Filmmaker Eyal Halfon was inspired to create a film that reflected his paternal protective instinct when his eldest son joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In this quiet fable, a father drops his son off at a military base in the Negev. Pausing under an acacia tree just outside the gates of the compound where his son may be preparing for battle, he becomes paralyzed by a profound sense of helplessness. Yonah, beautifully played by acclaimed actor Shai Avivi, is simply unable to leave. Nearby, a rave party all too reminiscent of the Nova Music Festival is about to take place. Winner of the Best Israeli Feature Award and the Best Actor Award at the Haifa International Film Festival, “A Burning Man” takes place almost entirely in one location. Yonah takes comfort in the kindness of a series of passing strangers – who represent a cross section of Israeli society – but there is no cure for the ache in his fearful heart.

Followed by a panel discussion with local parents with children serving in the IDF.

Watch the trailer.

“Tovah“

Friday, October 30 at 3 p.m.
Documentary/58 minutes/In English/2026
Directed by David Serero

Tovah Feldshuh has been a major Broadway star for more than fifty years, earning four Tony Award nominations and two Emmy Award nominations, and has appeared in some 30 films, most recently starring opposite Dustin Hoffman in “Tuner.” Her numerous television appearances include her current role in the hit Netflix show, “Nobody Wants This.” She wowed audiences with her portrayal of Israel’s prime minister in the one-woman show “Golda’s Balcony.” But, as this dazzling documentary reveals, Tovah is much more than an actress extraordinaire. Her commitment to complex, intelligent, and powerful female narratives is legendary. A woman of principle, a cultural icon, and a Jewish force to be reckoned with both on and off screen, Tovah is charming and feisty, a larger-than-life dynamo who richly deserves to be celebrated. Prepare to fall in love.

Watch the trailer.

“You Had to Be There”

Saturday, October 31 at 3 p.m.
Sunday, November 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Documentary/98 minutes/In English/2025
Directed by Nick Davis

In 1972, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy and Martin Short were among a group of unknown performers who were serendipitously cast in the Toronto production of a far-out hippie musical about Jesus. Not only were these cast members about to become major comedy stars, but comedy itself was about to be radically transformed by Second City and Saturday Night Live, which tickled the fancy of young audiences eager for a new, outrageous, improvisational style of humor. A delightful documentary about comedy, “You Had to Be There” also explores the cultural phenomenon of “Godspell,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, featuring Jesus as a clown and his disciples as flower children, with no real plot and a script drawn almost exclusively from the Book of Matthew. The clever cavorting, miming and antics of the very funny people cast in the oddball musical made it a surprise hit. Come prepared to laugh as we open a comedy time capsule sealed for more than fifty years.

Watch the trailer.

“We Met at Grossinger’s“

Saturday, October 31 at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 1 at noon
Documentary/104 minutes/In English/2026
Directed by Paula Eiselt

Built and run by three generations of trailblazing women, the Catskills’ premier resort became the epicenter of American Jewish life, an embodiment of Jewish values, and a breeding ground for a generation of Jewish comics. The real-life inspiration for “Dirty Dancing,” it accommodated 1,000 guests a day and featured a 27-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis, boating, horseback riding, flying lessons on its private airstrip, dancing – and in the winter skiing, sledding and skating – a mountain of food, around-the-clock entertainment, and the best singers and comics in the world. This nostalgic ode to the bygone glory of Grossinger’s is above all a homage to Jennie Grossinger, whose charm, hospitality and business acumen were crucial to the resort’s unrivaled success. Jennie was also a champion of civil rights who used her position to welcome African American athletes and performers, who became personal friends. The Catskill resorts were created to serve the needs of Jews excluded from American life. By welcoming a wide range of celebrities and politicians, Grossinger’s served as a model of inclusion that reflected and shaped a changing America.

Watch the trailer.

“Reading Lolita in Tehran“

Sunday, November 1 at 3 p.m.
Feature/107 minutes/In Farsi/2025
Directed by Eran Riklis

This stirring adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s 2003 memoir, which spent 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, is a testament to resilience, resistance and courage. Acclaimed Israeli director Eran Riklis worked with prominent Iranian actors living in exile to create this exploration of female solidarity in post-Revolutionary Iran. The taut drama chronicles the literature professor’s decision to host a secret book salon in her living room, where her female students read banned Western classics, drawing inspiration from the heroines of Nabokov, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James and Jane Austen. As the Islamic regime tightens its grip on intellectual freedom, this clandestine encounter with transformative stories stokes the ambitions of women enduring misogyny, censorship and religious extremism. The film takes place over two decades, starting in 1979, but could not be more relevant today. “Reading Lolita in Tehran” co-stars Zar Amir Ebrahimi, who co-directed and co-starred in last year’s Audience Award winner, “Tatami.”

Watch the trailer.

While we know you’re not the type of person who toots their own horn, we hope this year you’ll become the type of person who toots their own Shofar.

Please join us next Wednesday, September 9, 5:30 pm, for a rare opportunity to craft your very own Shofar.

That’s right, you’ll start with the rawest of materials and end up producing a sound that’s raw and spiritual.

You’ll soak, clean, sand, drill and polish your own Shofar and emerge with a family legacy heirloom.

Come solo and make friends there or bring along friends and family. This is an adult centric but child friendly experience.

The Shofar Making Workshop is $36 per family or per Shofar.  

RSVP ASAP as the Shofars will go fast!

A project of Boulder Center for Judaism. For more information call 720-422-6776.

We have extensive security in place for the High Holidays so you can pray with peace of mind.

Here are 1, 2, 3 opportunities for you to start your New Year right with Boulder Center for Judaism.

1.
Friday, September 11
Rosh Hashanah Under the Stars

Kick your New Year off with a dazzling beginning with a festive feast under the stars on the beautiful patio of our new headquarters.*

Candle lighting with Chany 6:58 pm
Evening Sevice 7 pm
Festive Dinner 7:30 pm

Register HERE: Adults $36 · Children 12-18 $20 · Under 12 free

2.
Shabbat, September 12
Rosh Hashanah Prayer & Kiddush

While our Rosh Hashanah Service starts at 10 am, if your time is limited please join us at NOON for a Torah reading with explanations, followed by the concluding Mussaf service and a delicious honey themed Kiddush. RSVP here.

3.
Sunday, September 13
Shofar in the Shul, 1 pm

While our Rosh Hashanah Service starts at 10 am, with Torah reading at NOON, if your time is limited please consider joining us for Shofar in the Shul accompanying Mussaf and followed a delicious holiday themed Kiddush. RSVP here.

Shofar in the Park, 6 pm

Join us at the Pavilion in Elks Park to enjoy holiday themed snacks, children’s activities, spirited singing, and the energizing and activating sounds of the Shofar. RSVP here.

Warmly, Rabbi Pesach & Chany

*In the event of inclement weather dinner will be moved indoors).