Denver’s Mizel Museum Closes Hilltop Location, Focus Shifts to Virtual Education

The Mizel Museum in Denver is closing its Hilltop location, and the space, owned by Rodef Shalom Synagogue, will be repurposed. The museum has long offered Israel and Holocaust education, hosted classes and holiday events, and created the Counter Terrorism Education Learning Lab to address antisemitism. In the past. The Mizel Museum has also, and has done work against anti-Semitism. 

Founded in 1982 by Carol and Larry A. Mizel and Rabbi Stanley Wagner, the museum moved from BMH to its building next to Rodef Shalom in 2004. Since then, it has developed cultural programs, exhibits, and educational classes centered on Jewish thought and history. 

The decision to close was a surprise to some in the community, but museum leaders said it will allow them to focus on other locations and virtual education. “They are meeting their educational goals without a brick-and-mortar location, and that’s why they made a decision to not reopen the museum,” said Amy Berkowitz-Caplan, Rodef Shalom executive director. 

The coronavirus pandemic also played a role, as the museum never fully reopened. Currently, Rodef Shalom board members are exploring uses for the building. “One idea is to give our [Religious] School a dedicated place,” Berkowitz-Caplan said, referring to Rodef Shalom’s Judaic education program. “We’ve got a lot of fun ideas of how we can use it moving forward.” 

While some in the community are saddened by the closure, there is excitement about the potential for a renewed space for congregational events. The museum will not open a new Denver location, but it will continue virtual learning programs, which recently reached more than 100,000 people. Looking ahead, the Mizel Museum plans to expand education for both Jews and non-Jews.