The joys of being Jewish in Denver

The holiest days of the Jewish year have arrived, which means it’s time for cynical, kvetching people everywhere to count their blessings and remember why, even in the midst of the Great Depression Sequel, they have reason to celebrate. Last Tuesday was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and next Thursday is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when the faithful are supposed to confess their sins.

These holidays involve pretty heavy spiritual stuff -- hours contemplating the mistakes of the past year, a 24-hour fast, and lots of wishing you could just sacrifice a ram and be done with it. But some folks in Denver have found ways to make the soul-searching a bit more enjoyable. Here are a few highlights I’ve discovered so far:

1. Jamie Korngold, aka the Adventure Rabbi. Korngold, who was the subject of a 2002 Westword feature, leads services that feature yoga, hiking and biking in the mountains. Learn about this year's high holidays events by clicking here.

2. You can attend FREE services at the beautiful Hudson Gardens in Littleton. Hosted by Judaism Your Way, these services take place under a big white tent, in full few of the natural wonders that remind us why we moved here in the first place.

3. Matzah ball soup mix goes on sale at the Safeway in Cherry Creek. Stock up while you can.

4. And finally, as you’re fasting, think of it as practice for the coming Depression economy, when you’ll be counting coupons and subsisting on Kraft Easy Mac. -- Lisa Rab