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Temple Judah Groups
Temple Judah is more than a place of worship. As a community that has many different interests, we have the ability to connect individuals with others with common, shared interests. Among the active Temple groups and organizations are the following. High Holy Day Choir, Hadassah, Eben Israel Cemetery, and the Gasway Memorial Library.
Jewish Music: Our Rich Heritage
Our Jewish musical heritage is rich. In order to keep it alive we need to partner this genre of music with melodies that allow our congregants opportunities for engagement through both listening and singing along. We recognize that each person relates to prayer differently and that different melodies will service people in different ways. So long as we know that the intention of each piece of music is about heightening prayer, we can weave an even richer tapestry of Jewish worship music into our services.
Temple Judah is fortunate to have been gifted an endowment that has allowed us to enjoy nationally and internationally known Jewish music performers such as Rick Recht, Wendy Becker and Rik Howard, Joshua Nelson, Java Jews band, and Cantor Jennifer Bern-Vogel.
*Some of the background in the above piece was inspired by Merri Lovinger Arian who teaches at HUC-JIR School of Sacred Music in New York while serving as the Synagogue 3000 Consultant on Liturgical Arts at HUC. Merri is also the Director of Music for Synagogue 3000.
High Holiday Choir
We have a High Holy Day choir made up of the dedicated member vocalists who add to the spiritual completeness of those important services.
We welcome newcomers to the High Holy Day choir. There are no try-outs. If you feel that your talent can enhance the harmony at Temple Judah, please contact the Temple office.
Temple Judah Book Club
Book Group & Coffee
Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 6:30 pm
Everyone is welcome.
Wake Me Most Wickedly
by Felicia Grossman
A steamy, Jewish historical romance set in 1830s London, reimagining Snow White with a reverse age gap and intense forbidden desire.
Solomon Weiss has little interest in power, but to repay the half-brother who raised him, he pursues money, influence, and now—a respectable wife. That is, until outcast Hannah Moses saves his life, and Sol finds himself helplessly drawn to the beautiful pawnshop owner.
Forever tainted by her parents’ crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror—no one a prince would choose. To survive, she must care for herself, even if that means illegally hunting down whatever her clients wish. So, no matter how fair or charming she finds Sol, he belongs to a world far too distant from her own.
Only neither can resist their desires, and each meeting weakens Hannah’s resolve to stay away. But when Hannah discovers a shocking betrayal in Sol’s inner circle, can she convince him to trust her? Or will fear and doubt poison their love for good?
The meeting will be held in-person and over Zoom. If you have not attended in the past two months and would like the Zoom link, please contact Nancy Margulis. Current participants will automatically receive an invite.
Hadassah
The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Chapter of Hadassah sponsors events, including the monthly book club at Temple Judah. Our book club meets approximately every 6 weeks. Books are chosen by those attending, with the only requirement being that there is some Jewish connection. Everyone is welcome to attend, even if you have not read the book. Hadassah membership is not required. Check our Events Calendar for the next book club event!
You can support Hadassah by becoming a member of the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Chapter (69-120-000), by attending an event, or by donating. Please send donations to the Hadassah Midwestoffice (Great Plains Region, our region), 900 Skokie Blvd, Suite 295, Northbrook IL, 60062. If you have questions or want to donate by phone, please call 847-205-1900. Or make an on-line donation at go.hadassah.org/MidwestDonation. Or click on “Donate” at the National Hadassah website, www.hadassah.org.
When you support Hadassah’s mission, it makes a difference in the lives of those around the world and in your own community.
Gasway
Memorial Library
Our collection includes books on Jewish history, practices, humor, cooking and art. There are many biographies and memoirs of Jewish people, as well as a variety of types of fictional works by Jewish authors. Other topics represented in the library are philosophy and comparative religion.
Our Youth collection includes both fiction and non-fiction picture books and chapter books for our young adult readers. Religious School students use the library some Sunday mornings to hear a story and check out books.
The Library Committee is busy maintaining the library. There is usually at least one of the committee members busy in the library on Sunday mornings during Religious School hours and are available for any questions and/or assistance.
Donations of books that would enhance our current collections are always welcome. Books can be placed on the table in the library with a note of explanation. Another way to help enhance our library is through a donation to the Gasway Library Fund. Please donate by using the form below or on our Donate page.
Thank you to all who decide to donate. The youth collection (particularly the young adult section) needs updating and will be the first collection the committee will look at enhancing.
Eben Israel Cemetery
Eben Israel Cemetery, an independent corporation not affiliated with Temple Judah, was established in 1895, the year several families emigrated from Poland and Russia, so that their loved ones could be buried according to Jewish law.
Donations
If you would like to make a donation to Eben Israel Cemetery please send it to:
CRB&T
c/o Eben Israel Cemetery Trust
500 1st Ave NE
Cedar Rapids, IA. 52401
Contact Eben Israel Cemetery
Eben Israel Cemetery
207 Hawthorne Drive Southwest, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Please contact Brian D. Cohen
President of the Eben Israel Cemetery Association,
for more information.