Community News

Cedar Rapids Gazette Article, March 9, 2024 One of youngest Holocaust survivors brings new story to remembrance to Cedar Rapids Read the complete article at https://www.thegazette.com/article/one-of-youngest-holocaust-survivors-brings-new-story-to-remembrance-to-cedar-rapids/ When Erika Schwartz started attending a Holocaust survivor group over 40 years ago, she didn’t quite fit in. Born in the Nyiregyhaza, Hungary, ghetto one day before the Nazis […]

Survivor Erika Schwartz to Speak in Cedar Rapids One of the youngest survivors to be our guest speaker for Yom Hashoah. The Thaler Holocaust Remembrance Fund will welcome to Eastern Iowa Yom HaShoah Guest Speaker Erika Schwartz. The Thaler Holocaust Remembrance Fund will welcome to Eastern Iowa Yom HaShoah Guest Speaker Erika Schwartz. Schwartz will be […]

Obituary Andreya (AJ) Schneider passed away unexpectedly July 1, 2023. Graveside services will be held Friday, July 28th, at 11 am at Eben Israel Cemetery. Andreya was a school counselor for Grant Wood AEA for over 30 years, working with children of all ages. She lived her life fully with the motto of “lighten up”. […]

This year’s Yom HaShoah service is at Coe College, Sinclair Auditorium. The Thaler Holocaust Remembrance Fund welcomes to Eastern Iowa Yom HaShoah Guest Speaker, Tova Friedman and her grandson, Noah Goodman. Tova is one of the co-authors of The Daughter of Auschwitz: My Story of Resilience, Survival and Hope. She is one of the youngest […]

Marshalltown Public Library March 26 – May 6, 2022

EXHIBITION SPOTLIGHT: Anne Frank A Virtual Zoom Event March 9, 2022 1pm – 2pm The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums explores current exhibition Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank through the Exhibition Spotlight program series in a special two-part virtual panel event. Pentacrest Museums Director of Education & Engagement, Carolina Kaufman will […]

Grant Wood Country Online Writers Forum: Friendships through Words and Art Join this online ten-week series to spark conversation and curiosity, and inspire creative writing, related to Iowa’s iconic artist-son Grant Wood and the beautiful land he painted. The first session begins January 24th and all sessions are free. Barbara Feller will be a presenter […]

Let Me Be Myself – The Life Story of Anne Frank The University of Iowa Provost’s Global Forum is bringing the traveling exhibition Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank to campus from January 18 – March 2, 2022. The exhibition was designed by the Anne Frank House, Amsterdam. The exhibition illustrates the […]

WQPT-TV in the Quad Cities will be presenting, in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities the following movies on Thursday evening on January 27 and Friday early morning on January 28. If you want to watch these movies but cannot get them on your TV, you can also see them online at […]

The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines invites you to the Holocaust Program: Voices of the Generations with Julie Kohner January 27 at 7:00 pm on ZOOM Register at: http://bit.ly/3qOVE19

Secrets of the Shanghai Ghetto January 24, 2022, 7:00 pm By the outbreak of WW2, Shanghai sheltered more Jewish refugees than any other place in the world and almost all survived. Learn about the history of Jewish Shanghai from 1861 through the Communist takeover in 1949, a story that many Americans do not know but […]

Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrduyuqjgjEtyPGGF2NiGveZze4f0EU2Bs After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

On November 29th, the second night of Chanukah there will be a public lighting of the Chanukah menorah (Hanukkiah) organized by Rabbi Aron Schimmel of Chabad N.E. Iowa. This event takes place at 5:30 pm in front of Ginsberg Jewelers, 4667 1st Avenue SE. Click here to read the press release.

Israel and Peace with the Arab World: a post Yom Ha’atzmaut conversation Thursday May 6, 7:00 – 8:00 PM Join us for a panel discussion about Israel and peace with the Palestinians and the Arab nations. In a changing world, what does the future hold for Israel? Panelists are Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz of Congregation Agudas […]

THURSDAY: April 22, 6:30-7:30 PM Jeannette Gabriel, “Forgotten Histories of Jewish Women in Iowa: Community Discussion” Dr. Jeannette Gabriel, Director, Schwalb Center for Israel & Jewish Studies, will lead a discussion on the connections between family collections and broader Jewish and American history, examining Jewish women’s lives from complex perspectives, and placing family collections in […]

Marion Blumenthal Lazan is a wonderful speaker and has a beautiful story to tell. Gazette Article, April 3, 2021 https://www.thegazette.com/subject/life/arts-and-culture/holocaust-survivor-shares-firsthand-account-of-what-can-happen-when-people-blindly-follow-a-leader-and-persecute-others-20210403 Her presentations are virtual with limited attendance. Registration is required. Select your preferred date and time. April 7th 1:30 to 2:30 pm April 8th 9 to 10 am April 8 1:30 to 2:30 pm  

  Corridor Jewish Cooks: Passover Cooking Class with Jaime Holt, https://www.facebook.com/events/1342497196115768/ Introduction to Genealogy, https://www.facebook.com/events/491590678648934/ More Than Housewives: The Forgotten Lives of Iowa’s Jewish Women, https://www.facebook.com/events/252902959813869/

Community Yom HaShoah Events April 7 – 8, 2021 The Community Yom HaShoah Service, hosted by the Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund, will not be held in person due to the pandemic. This year’s speaker, Marion Blumenthal Lazan, will participate via three Zoom presentations the afternoon of April 7th and the morning and afternoon of April […]

  Cedar Rapids Gazette, December 27, 2020 edition

International Holocaust Remembrance Day Wednesday, January 27th, 6:00 pm In commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, The Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund is proud to sponsor this Zoom event with Deborah Levison, who will tell the true story of Holocaust survivors, her parents, who were forced to confront present-day evil. After surviving the Holocaust – in […]

November 21, 2020 – March 21, 2021, Stitching History from the Holocaust: “Original exhibition developed by Jewish Museum Milwaukee. Stitching History From the Holocaust uses the narrative of one couple to explore the Holocaust by bringing to life the innovative dress designs of Hedy Strnad. Hedy and her husband Paul originally sent these designs to […]

Join The History Center December 12th at 10 am for a Facebook Live book reading with Linn County author Barbara Feller. Barbara recently released The Creation of an Artist: Grant Wood’s Boyhood Story. To purchase your copy of The Creation of an Artist, please visit The History Center’s website at https://www.historycenter.org/shop

Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service November 23, 2020 Guest Speaker, Dr. Jason Mahn, Professor of Religion & Director of the Presidential Center for Faith and Learning at Augustana College  https://www.facebook.com/IRCLC1993  Picture by Stephen Eckert

The Inter-Religious Council of Linn County invites you to attend their annual Thanksgiving service on Monday, November 23rd, at 7:00 pm. The service will be virtual and will be live-streamed via Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ICLS1993. This year’s theme will be Hope in Times of Pain & Struggle, with a keynote address by Dr. Jason A. Mahn, Professor of […]

September 1 – November 8, In Her Father’s Eyes: A Slovak Childhood in the Shadow of the Holocaust: “This moving exhibit documents the short life of Kitty Weichherz, a Czechoslovakian girl born in the same year as Anne Frank. Told through the loving eyes of her surviving father, Kitty’s story paints a portrait of a […]

If you missed the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s virtual presentation, The Forgotten Story of Czech Jewish Teens with Judita Matyášová, you can find the recording on the NCSML’s YouTube page and by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/5Ptc6-e2ngE. Matyášová is a Prague-based journalist. In the fall of 1939, many Czech Jewish teens left Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia […]

Barbara Feller’s second book, Creation of an Artist: Grant Wood’s Boyhood Story is hot off the presses! You are all invited to learn about it at a five-part series being presented on Zoom through the Anamosa Public Library. The first session, “Grant Wood Through Local Eyes,” was held September 26th. This presentation was an introduction by four […]

links Condolences I Cedar Memorial Obituary Harriet A. Gasway, 86, passed away July 23, 2020, in her home in Cedar Rapids, IA. Several years of challenges from increasing dementia, and physical challenges from injuries suffered in recent years took a toll on her well-being. Private family services will be held Tuesday July 28th. Harriet was […]

For Immediate Release Saturday, July 4, 2020 The purpose of the Inter-Religious Council of Linn County is to promote understanding, compassion, and acceptance of each other and of our beliefs. Inspired by this purpose and motivated by the teachings of our traditions, we, the members of the IRCLC, condemn all forms of systemic racism directed […]

May Andrew’s memory be forever a blessing.  Andrew Kenneth Nelson passed away on Friday, June 5, 2020 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  He will be forever remembered as the most loving and compassionate human being.  Andrew, a native Virginian, moved to Iowa with his wife, Melissa Gasway Nelson, the love of his life, following their marriage […]

I know that that is a very unique and difficult situation in which we find ourselves. Though I have had to cancel events and meetings over the years for various reasons, never have I had to cancel anything because we were afraid that too many people would show up. Unfortunately, the State of Iowa has […]

Due to the potential impact of COVID-19 on public health, the Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund has cancelled their event with Michael Bornstein and Debbie Holinstat, March 29th – April 1st. They hope to reschedule their appearance at an appropriate time later this year or next year.

Tu B’Shevat 2020 February 7th, 5:30 pm  

Obituary for Bertram “Bert” Albert Katz Bertram Albert Katz, 97, departed this life on January 28, 2020, surrounded by his family and dearest friends. He left this world a better place than when he entered it. Those who knew and loved him will miss his warm smile, infectious humor and kind spirit. Many who didn’t […]

Jerry’s funeral at Temple Judah is Tuesday, December 31st at 11:00 am May Jerry’s memory be forever a blessing. https://www.lensingfuneral.com/obituaries/Gerhard-Jerry-Loewenberg?obId=10226710

Mazel Tov to Herman who is retiring after 71 years! November 26th Gazette article: Herman Ginsberg retiring after 71 years at Ginsberg Jewelers’ helm in Cedar Rapids

January 4, 2010 7:00 pm The community is invited to the 8th annual Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre’s Temple Judah Preview Concert. Principal cast and members of the company’s Young Artist Program will perform works from Pucini’s Madama Butterfly, (at the Paramount January 17th at 7:30 pm and January 19th at 2 pm), as well as […]

We look forward to celebrating with you at our annual Chanukah Dinner!  

Please help! Bring old and broken crayons to the collection box in the lobby, and Amy and Jared will get them to the Arc DayHab. The Arc Dayhab groups do volunteer work in our community. When the weather is inclement and the special needs clients cannot be outside The Crayon Initiative allows them to do […]

Join in the celebration! October 20, 2019 6:00 pm

May Irene’s Memory Be Forever a Blessing https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2019/Sep/Irene-H-Silber/

Auschwitz Survivor Michael Bornstein and his daughter, Debbie Bornstein Holinstat, Return to Iowa September 15th & September 16th In 2018, Michael Bornstein and his daughter, Debbie Bornstein Holinstate, were the guest speakers at the Community Yom HaShoah Service, courtesy of the Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund. Michael Bornstein is one of the youngest survivors of the […]

Mitchell Levin will be sitting Shiva at his home, at 7 pm on the following dates — Saturday, August 31st Sunday, September 1st Monday, September 2nd Tuesday, September 3rd Wednesday, September 4th

There will be a private graveside funeral for Deb in Zwingle, IA later this week. Shiva Service details have not been finalized. May Deb’s memory be forever a blessing. https://www.lensingfuneral.com/obituaries/Deborah-Schueller-Levin?obId=6753946#/obituaryInfo

Visitation Tuesday, August 20th, for Sol Maikon at Cedar Memorial, 5 – 7 pm   Graveside Service at Eben Israel Cemetery, Wednesday, August 21st, 1 pm   Shiva Service at Temple Judah, Wednesday, August 21st, 6 pm  

An interesting interview. NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Yiddish ‘Fiddler On The Roof’. “A new, Yiddish language production of the musical is currently running off-Broadway. Steven Skybell, who plays Tevye, and Joel Grey, who directs the show, explain why the play still resonates.” https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/

Lights for Liberty July 12, 2019 The candlelight walk begins at 8 pm from parking lot 44 of the Federal Courthouse, across the nearest bridge and back. Facebook link to the event:https://www.facebook.com/events/2334600983483773/

May Ruth’s memory be forever a blessing. https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2019/Jun/Ruth-L-Feder/

Dan’s funeral at Temple Judah is Friday, June 21st at 10:00 am May Dan’s memory be forever a blessing. https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2019/Jun/Daniel-S-Rogers/

From Music at Coe A Year in Review 2018 – 2019 Music Faculty Highlights Dr. Carson returned to Europe for the second year as a guest conductor and lecturer for the European Music Educators Association in October 2018. At this conference held in Belgium, Dr. Carson not only gave presentations to the music educators but […]

The Inter-Religious Council of Linn County invites you for a  discussion of the question “Who is God?” Professor Peter Jauhiainen of Kirkwood Community College will moderate a panel of faith leaders, including Rabbi Todd, from the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, and Muslim communities. This event will be held at Unity Center of Cedar Rapids, 3791 […]

Thank you to Mitchell Levin for his letter to the editor published in the June 6th edition of the Gazette. “On June 6, we will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Normandy invasion, one of the greatest moments in our history. In Cedar Rapids, we have the unique opportunity to say thanks to one […]

The Especially For You Race Against Breast Cancer Sunday, October 6th The Especially For You Race Against Breast Cancer provides free mammograms and other services to area individuals in need. This year Temple Judah will again be participating as a team in this event! This is a great way to give back to our community […]

Shavuot & Confirmation Services Saturday, June 8, 2019 7:30 pm Learn more about Shavuot What is Confirmation

The Congregational Annual Meeting is this Sunday, June 2nd, at Temple. We will have a BBQ dinner at 5:30 pm followed by our meeting at 6:30 pm. Please bring a dish to share.

Israel’s Milestones and their Meanings: The Legacy of the Past and the Challenge of the Future This Shalom Hartman Institute class will be led by Rabbi Todd starting August 22, 2019. Thereafter, class will be held the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm through March 2020. Click to download list of topics for […]

Sunday, April 14th 7:30 pm   Rachel Goldman Miller spent much of her childhood in constant fear. As one of countless “hidden children” of the Holocaust, Miller had to conceal her identity from friends, neighbors and the authorities. Though she survived, her mother, father and three siblings did not. To honor their memory, and the […]

Barbara Feller Road to Waubeek Saturday, April 6th Barbara has one last book signing  for Road to Waubeek. It’s an informal event on Saturday, April 6th, from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm at M and M Bookstore, 212 Edgewood Road NW, Cedar Rapids. If you have an unsigned book now would be a good time for […]

In March, the Kitah Dalet class visited the Anne Frank Pen Pal Museum in Danville, Iowa. A student group at Danville High School called ILEAD (Iowa Excel, Achieve and Develop) is raising funds for the shipping/delivery of a pre WWII railroad car that they would like the Anne Frank Museum to incorporate into their exhibit. […]

The History Center presented “Oral Histories LIVE!” with Herman on November 27, 2018. Herman discussed his great recollections of downtown retail, especially during the holiday seasons of the past. You can listen to Herman’s talk on The History Center’s website at https://www.historycenter.org/oral-histories-live

Cedar Rapids Gazette Fri., November 02, 2018 The first time I had the honor of interviewing and writing about a Holocaust survivor for The Gazette, I got an angry phone call after the story ran. A reader was mad about the coverage. The story was about Cesare Frustaci, who was just 7 when his mother put him […]

Shabbat Shalom everyone. It really is incredible to see so many people here this evening. As anyone who has been through the process of mourning knows, it’s the support of family and friends that can be most helpful during times of grief.  Truly we have a lot of friends in Cedar Rapids. Thank you for […]

Service of Remembrance for the Victims of the shooting at Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania November 2, 2018 Prayer for the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh Tree of Life, Revive our souls, Enrich our days, Entreating Your blessings. Oh, God of Peace, Fill our hearts with comfort, a Letting Your Torah shine. […]

Mazel Tov to Barbara Feller on the publication of her book, Road to Waubeek: Discovering Jay G. Sigmund. Barbara was interviewed on KCCK’s Culture Crawl by General Manager Dennis Green, regarding the historical significance in art and culture Jay Sigmund had on Grant Wood and other major artists in Iowa. Road to Waubeek is published by Ice Cube Press. Read […]

Steve Feller, B.D. Silliman Professor of Physics, will lead the Coe Thursday Forum on October 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th on three of Leon Uris’s historical and important novels, Mila 18, Exodus and Armageddon. The first book to be discussed is Mila 18. This is an extremely moving account of the events that led to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising of […]

Over 125 people attended the physics reunion June 29 through July 1. Alumni were joined by physics faculty, undergraduate student researchers and administration. The reunion weekend featured tours, presentations and introductions. Student and alumni presentations were plentiful as were tours of Peterson Hall, networking, banquet food, poker and some staggering statistics. In total, 871 Coe […]

The History Center presented “Oral Histories LIVE!” with Ann on August 23rd. Ann discussed the history of the Smulekoff’s store, members of the Smulekoff and Lipsky families and reflections on downtown Cedar Rapids changes over the years. You can listen to Ann’s talk on The History Center’s website at https://www.historycenter.org/oral-histories-live

UnityPoint Health® – St. Luke’s Hospital nurses to be honored for outstanding work March 5, 2018 Two nurses from UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital were recently named to the Iowa Nurses’ Association list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses for 2018. St. Luke’s honorees include, Diane Handler of Cedar Rapids and Ann Overton of Hiawatha. […]

Rabbi says anti-Semitic incidents could continue to increase CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) – A 57 percent increase. That’s how much the reports of anti- Semitic incidents throughout the country went up last year compared with the year before. It’s a report from the Anti-Defamation League, which defined the incidents as vandalism or harassment of people […]

B.D. Silliman Professor of Physics Steve Feller was recently recognized by leading glass researchers at the 9th International Conference on Borate Glasses, Crystals and Melts, held on the campus of St. Anne’s College at Oxford University, United Kingdom. The conference was held in honor of Feller in recognition of his unique contribution to the study of […]

Magda Brown was the Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund Community Yom HaShoah speaker in April 2016. An injury at the beginning of her travels in October would not and did not stop Magda from sharing her message.  

Tomorrow night’s event, Ivan Backer’s “My Train to Freedom” lecture, (which the Thaler Holocaust Education Fund is supporting), has received such high interest, we have decided to broadcast the event on Facebook Live. Viewers can tune in to the NCSML Facebook page at 7pm tomorrow evening to watch the lecture via computer.

Temple Judah and Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Des Moines are heading to Israel! All members are invited to join them on this 10-day trip, June 9 – 18, 2018. Highlights include Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Dead Sea and more more Both Rabbis Thalblum and Kaufman will be leading this trip together. Please […]

First Jewish faculty were refugees By Cornell Report Staff | June 26, 2017 The first full-time Jewish faculty members at Cornell, Eric Kollman in the history department and Julian Bern in music, both came to this country as refugees from eastern Europe. Julian Bern, left, and Eric Kollman brought a wealth of experiences to the […]

Passover Seder celebrated among Cedar Rapids Jewish community Temple Judah draws about 80 to annual dinner CLICK FOR MORE EVENT PHOTOS Apr 11, 2017 CEDAR RAPIDS — Jewish and Gentile alike were invited to Temple Judah in Cedar Rapids Tuesday for an annual springtime fest. Temple Judah, 3221 Lindsay Lane SE, hosted a community dinner […]

FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE Cedar Rapids expo celebrates diversity to celebrate trust First Community Cultural Celebration and Expo honors differences Mayor Ron Corbett unveils a new timeline featuring the history of civil rights advances in Cedar Rapids at the Community Cultural Celebration and Expo at the Cedar Rapids Public Library in Cedar Rapids on […]

FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE What to do about recent incidents of anti-semitism? Linn County Inter-Religious Council ponders response Cliff Jette/The Gazette The Inter-Religious Council of Linn County board of directors talk Thursday night about how to respond to recent anti-Semitic acts around the nation. Ideas included billboards, advertising, letters and social media posts. March […]

FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE Religious leaders, members share support, prayers for refugees and immigrants The event was hosted by Inter-Religious Council of Linn County February 16, 2017. The event was sponsored by the Inter-Religious Council of Linn County and featured speakers from nine different faiths along with people who work helping immigrants and refugees. […]

FROM KCRG ABC NEWS Grammy winner playing music in Cedar Rapids hospital for years By Forrest Saunders, KCRG-TV9  | CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) Middays on Friday, music drifts through the UnityPoint St. Luke’s Helen G. Nassif Pavilion. An angelic sound that brings a little cheer to people having to spend part of their day in […]