In this feature photo, special to The Colorado Statesman, former Ambassador Dennis Ross being introduced by event chairwoman Jennifer Dechtman at Date with the State inside the Old Supreme Court Chamber at the Colorado state Capitol Jan. 20. The event was hosted by Jewish Community Relations Council, JEWISHcolorado. JCRC is a coalition of 40 Jewish organizations, synagogues and at-large members from throughout the Denver and Boulder metro areas that have come together to speak with one representative voice on issues of concern to the local and global Jewish communities. Ross was most recently a senior advisor to President Barack Obama on Middle East policy. He was in town to attend multiple events including a keynote speaking engagement at the Brown Palace the same night for WorldDenver and the University of Denver Korbel School of International Studies Middle East Studies, an event titled The Evolving U.S.-Israel Relationship: Doomed to Succeed? (Photo courtesy Evan Dechtman)