In 1987, Linda Eisen-Renner had a vision. She was living in the Northwest area of Metro Denver (Westminster) and was traveling either to Boulder (18 miles away) or to South Denver (40 miles away) to attend synagogue. Linda was certain that there were other people of the Jewish faith in the area that did not want to drive so far to pray. So 200 letters were sent to families in the Northwest Metro area in February 1987 to meet and discuss starting their own synagogue. Four families met that night and the rest is history. While this little known group was forming, they met in each other’s home for services, potlucks, socials, adult education, and even a few meetings to discuss direction of the new Northwest Jewish Community. As word of mouth spread, and numbers grew, this group began to meet in local Clubhouses in the area. Then as numbers increased even more the group, now renamed Congregation B’nai Torah, leased space from the Broomfield Methodist Church. And in 1995, Congregation B’nai Torah moved to its present location at the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Religious School began in 1989 in the home of member Vickie Lutz assisted by Ruthie Kaplan with two classes. As space became an issue, the school moved to the YMCA cottages at 68th and Wadsworth. With the congregation growing and enrollment increasing in Religious School, the school was moved to a local playhouse in Thornton at 84th and I –25, then to a daycare at 94th and Wadsworth until the daycare folded, then to 7 Oaks daycare (behind the Costco on 92nd) where the school spent several years before moving to another daycare at 101st and Sheridan. And back to the daycare at 94th and Wadsworth until it was sold in 2000. It was at this time that the board of trustees decided to have all synagogue activities in one place and religious school became housed at the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Sara Emeson was the first Bat Mitzvah of Congregation B’nai Torah May of 1984 at the Broomfield Methodist Church. Since then, over two-dozen young adults have been Bar or Bat Mitzvah at Congregation B’nai Torah. And in 2003, the first Adult B’nai Mitzvah was held.
