Article Contributed on: 1/25/2006 1:55:02 PM
BELMAR OPTIMIST CLUB HEARS ABOUT JCRS AND EARLY LAKEWOOD HISTORY
A little known fact: during the 1920s what brought people to Denver wasn’t gold – it was sunshine! The Belmar Optimist Club learned this and other fascinating historical details about the populating of the Westside during a talk on Jan. 19 by Susan Zinn Goldman who discussed the Jewish Consumptives’ Relief Society (JCRS) and its campus, now Lakewood’s Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD).
According to Ms. Goldman, during the 1920s, 60 percent of the local population was here in a search for a cure for the "white plague," tuberculosis. JCRS was formed in 1904 by the Denver Jewish community as an effort to create a sanatorium for any indigent person suffering from any stage of tuberculosis. JCRS was a non-sectarian haven, providing its patients with food, medical attention, and open-air "tents" that were thought to be the best treatment accommodations (heliotherapy) for those suffering from disease.
Ms. Goldman shared photographs detailing the beginnings of the JCRS and showing some of the artifacts from that time. Through the Isaac Solomon Historic Synagogue Foundation, funds are being raised to house a living history museum in Lakewood for these and other items.
According to Ms. Goldman, the initial gathering raised $1.10 and brought together local tradesmen with Dr. Charles Spivak, who later became the driving force behind the JCRS campus. Dr. Spivak was the first person inducted in the Jefferson County Hall of Fame, and the post office designation at the JCRS shopping center (Casa Bonita) is still Spivak, Colorado.
From this simple beginning, women’s groups across the country took up challenge to raise funds to build the many unique buildings on site that are now used by RMCAD. The campus was self sufficient with poultry, vegetable and dairy farming. During the 50 years when it served as a sanatorium, JCRS cared for over 10,000 patients. Patients who recovered were taught stenography, bookbinding, and other skills. Many of those who died are buried at Golden Hill Cemetery on West Colfax.
At the heart of the campus is a small synagogue building which served the religious needs of the patients. The Isaac Solomon Historic Synagogue building is in need of restoration, and a foundation is in place to revitalize the structure as a living history museum and lifecycle events center. The Isaac Solomon Historical Synagogue Foundation is working with the Colorado State Historical Society, Lakewood Historical Society, RMCAD, AMC Cancer Research Center, and the City of Lakewood to ensure that the early history of Lakewood can be preserved through this educational endeavor.
To learn about the project or become a partner in the effort, visit the Web site at
www.IsaacSolomonSynagogue.org
or contact the foundation at 303-987-1316.