BDE: Miriam Harris Goldberg, 100-year-old publisher of Colorado Jewish newspaper

Miriam Harris Goldberg, editor and publisher of the Intermountain Jewish News (IJN) since 1972, passed away Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017, at the age of 100.

Mrs. Goldberg was known throughout the Jewish and general communities as a gracious leader and an astute newspaperwoman.

READ IT: The Jewish Star columnist Tehilla R. Goldberg wrote about her grandmother on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

Mrs. Goldberg began working at the IJN in 1966, alongside her husband Max, who had served as publisher since 1943. Upon Max Goldberg’s untimely death in 1972, Miriam Goldberg took over leadership of the newspaper.

She increased the newspaper’s advertising and subscription bases as well as its editorial scope. She added innovations including a “Very Important Women” issue in 1974, followed by other special theme issues, Washington and Jerusalem bureaus of the IJN and electronic reception of news content. 

Mrs. Goldberg was a charter inductee of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, and was honored by Colorado Press Women and the National Federation of Press Women. She was an inductee into the East High School Hall of Fame. Under Mrs. Goldberg’s leadership, the IJN became one of the most awarded newspapers in the American Jewish Press Association. 

She was a vice president of the American Jewish Press Association served on the boards of the Colorado Press Association and the Better Business Bureau. She was a life member of Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization and National Council of Jewish Women. She was a supporter of many charitable organizations and was a fixture at fundraising events in the Jewish and general communities.

Mrs. Goldberg is succeeded as IJN editor and publisher by her son Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, who has served in various capacities at the paper through the years as a columnist, Israel correspondent, senior editor and, for the past 26 years, as executive editor. Her granddaughter Shana R. Goldberg is assistant publisher.

Miriam Goldberg was born May 18, 1916 to pioneers Harry and Minnie Harris. She was fiercely proud of her Colorado pioneer roots. She graduated from East High School and attended Lindenwood College in St. Louis, Mo.

On Feb. 12, 1936, she married Max Goldberg, an up-and-coming advertising and public relations man and columnist for The Denver Post. In addition to publishing the IJN, Max Goldberg became a local media personality and was instrumental in bringing television to the Denver market with the establishment of Channel 9. He was the moderator of an early television talk show on Denver’s Channel 2 and had a show ‘On the Spot’ on Channel 7 where he interviewed many luminaries. Miriam organized and assisted Max throughout the ascent of his career prior to her tenure at the IJN.

Miriam Goldberg is survived by four children, Dorothy (Joe) Scott , Charles (Honey) Goldberg, Rabbi Hillel (Elaine) Goldberg and Richard Goldberg. She leaves 16 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews.

Funeral services took place Jan. 9, at BMH-BJ Congregation with burial at Rose Hill Cemetery.