Synagogues in Council Bluffs

[Coyote]

'Didn't want the synagogue to die': Council Bluffs' new living history museum
Although the Jewish population in Council Bluffs has diminished over time, a new museum is honoring the once-vibrant culture.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —
A memorial wall in Council Bluffs is inscribed with Hebrew names and imbued with history. "My grandmother, my grandfather prayed here in the main sanctuary," Howard Kutler said. They prayed at B'nai Israel Synagogue, originally called Chevra B'nai Yisroel. Decades later, Kutler is as devoted to this house of worship as his ancestors once were. "There's nothing that makes me happier to say that I'm a part of keeping it alive," said Kutler. The synagogue stands alone off Broadway. The original structure burned down in 1930. They rebuilt, and that temple remains open today. "The chairs are the original chairs up in the balcony, and the pews are the original pews," explained Mary-Beth Muskin. Some 200 Jews once called the Iowa city home.