Temple Announcements
August, 2021
Turn up the Heat!
Temple Aaron's trusty boiler quit several years ago, leaving the synagogue with no heat - so she has been unusable during the cold months of the year. But we are about to change that! A boiler replacement at Temple Aaron will cost approximately $60,000, and we are now halfway toward that goal! Find out more here and see how you can help!
June, 2021
Roof work completed
Initial repairs on Temple Aaron's roof have been completed this month. This phase of work was made possible through the matching grant awarded by the State Historical Fund/History Colorado and the invaluable assistance of Colorado Preservation, Inc. (scroll to see more below). This phase included critical emergency repairs to the roof, but a full roof replacement will need to be completed once funding is available for this larger scope of work.
April, 2021
Temple Aaron rejoins the Union for Reformed Judaism
Temple Aaron has officially rejoined URJ! Our membership was suspended when the congregation was at a low point in 2016-2017. But given the growth of the congregation and revitalization with events and services since that time, it made sense to re-establish our relationship with URJ. URJ is the national organization representing reform Jewish synagogues across the nation; it offers resources to large and small congregations and provides leadership across the spectrum of Jewish congregational life. We are thankful for URJ's warm welcome back.
December, 2020
Temple Aaron launches 100x6 challenge
Temple Aaron has launched a campaign to raise $100,000 in six months beginning in December 2020.
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$30,000 to match the SHF grant by March 1, 2021;
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$60,000 to replace the temple’s boiler by June 30, 2021; and
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$10,000 towards operating expenses for 2021.
$100,000 total
Every dollar of the first $30,000 raised will be applied to matching the SHF grant (see below). The next $50,000 received will be directly applied to replacing the boiler and restoring heat to the temple. Additional funds after that will support Temple Aaron’s essential operating expenses.
November, 2020:
Rabbi Lennick to serve as Temple Aaron’s Rabbi
The Temple Aaron Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that Rabbi Dr. Rob Lennick has accepted our invitation to serve as our Rabbi for the next year.
Rabbi Lennick brings a breadth of experience not only as Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico but as a congregational Rabbi, writer, teacher, an interfaith leader, and counselor. We cannot overstate how grateful we are that he is willing to share his time, wisdom, and expert leadership with our unique synagogue and community.
Given Rabbi Lennick’s leadership position with the Jewish Federation of New Mexico, his role at Temple Aaron will be limited to leading services at holidays including Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur, and to officiating at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other life events. With the current restrictions due to COVID-19, we anticipate holding additional virtual events as well; please stay tuned for more details and opportunities to participate in upcoming programs.
We look forward to a mutually joyful and meaningful year with Rabbi Lennick at the helm, and we also wish to extend thanks to the Jewish Federation of New Mexico for its support.
Temple Aaron Receives Grant from State Historical Fund
Temple Aaron of Trinidad has been awarded a $50,000 State Historical Fund grant from History Colorado for work on the temple’s complex 131-year-old roof. The grant will cover investigation of how the roof was constructed in order to determine the best way to restore its complicated peaks, valleys, and domes. It will cover the cost of essential construction documents and estimates, as well as pay for a first phase of emergency roof repairs. The funds will be matched with $30,500 in Temple funds for a total project of $80,500.
Kim Grant is a board member of Temple Aaron and Director of the Endangered Places Program at Colorado Preservation, Inc. which listed Temple Aaron on Colorado’s Most Endangered Places list in 2017. He explained, “Not only will this grant provide critical funding for immediate roof repairs, but it will lay the foundation for future restoration efforts.” Future efforts will encompass a larger scope of work and require additional funding.
JewishColorado/Rose Community Foundation Grant
Temple Aaron is also the recipient of a $3000 Safety and Security Grant from JewishColorado and the Rose Community Foundation. Based on a security assessment of the temple’s needs, this funding will be applied toward the installation of security measures including lighting, security camera/surveillance system, and access control devices to improve security on site.
We are tremendously thankful for the support of Colorado Preservation, Inc, the State Historical Fund, and JewishColorado. We are also grateful for all of your support – we couldn’t do this without you! If you would like to make a one-time or monthly recurring donation of any amount to help us match the State Historical Fund grant, please click here.
