Members of Temple Aaron in the Southern Colorado city of Trinidad are marking a milestone as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins. The historic 1889 temple is on its way to becoming a National Historic Landmark.
The red brick temple nearly became a bed and breakfast six years ago, because the small congregation could no longer afford to maintain the old building. It needed a new boiler, a new roof and more. The cost of repairs totaled far more than the funds on hand.
The Rubin family originally from Raton, New Mexico, were Temple Aaron congregants and looked after it for many years. After what brothers Ron and Randy Rubin thought would be the temple’s last Rosh Hashanah as a synagogue in 2016, they listed it for sale. But people from all over Colorado and the world heard about its plight and came together to rescue it.
“It's called Hashgochah or Beshert,” Ron Rubin said. “That it seems like it was in the heavens, it was something that was ordained. It was providence.”
In 2017 the temple was listed as one of Colorado's Most Endangered Places. Kim Grant directs that program for Colorado Preservation, Inc. and also serves on the temple board. He said Temple Aaron is nationally significant.
“It helps tell the story of the westward migration of the Jewish people into the southwestern United States as part of the broad pattern of settlement of the American West,” he said.
Grant said the landmark designation shows a commitment by the park service to help preserve the temple in perpetuity. In the meantime, dozens of new members and supporters helped raise enough money to replace the failing boiler. Now they are looking at more than $1 million in additional needed repairs including replacing the original metal roof with historically compatible materials.
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September 26, 2022 at 05:03PM
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Trinidad's Temple Aaron's National Historic Landmark designation nearly complete as Jewish New Year begins - Colorado Public Radio
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