Indiana Jewish Historical Society

Your support is vital for our programs, publications, podcasts, and archival collection work! We have worked to preserve Indiana's Jewish History and memory for the past 50 years; please support us as we bring awareness of Indiana's Jewish Past! givebutter.com/Hf567w

#hoosierjewishhistory Wishing everyone a happy and sweet Passover! Chag Sameyach from the Indiana Jewish Historical Society! Circa the late 1940s in Indianapolis. Harry and Sarah Smith are at the far end, and their children and grandchildren are all gathered around for Pesach!

#hoosierjewishhistory Sinai Temple circa 1970's, a Passover Seder In Marion, Indiana!

How did Zayde get to Shelbyville? : A History of the Industrial Removal ... youtu.be/ZYl3vBPFPSY?si… via @YouTube

Confirmation Class Cong. Bene Jeshurun, circa 1880's, Attica, Indiana, before and after AI photo restoration.

#hoosierjewishhistory Flashback to the early 1970s! Jewish Community members Leroy Gensburg to the left and Jack Zemel to the right, the original owners of Esquire Men's Store. 1536 Broadway, Gary, Indiana

In our latest Humans of Jewish Home podcast, Tsiporah Glass shares her story. A retired educator and daughter of a Viennese-born synagogue cantor, she was raised in Indianapolis but has spent her adult life in New York City. 🔊 Listen to the episode: bit.ly/46Sj8pB

Florita Eichel became a suffragist at the age of 20, when a few Jewish women joined the largely white, Protestant suffragists in Indiana. She founded the Evansville Artist Guild. She participated in the first girls' tennis tournament held at Sunset Park. The photo is from 1916!

Happy to announce that our newest IJHS publication arrived just before the snows. Many thanks to all the terrific authors and editors, and to Sheila Greenwald for her hard work on this edition of Indiana Jewish History, which is our 49th. Join the IJHS and get a free copy!

Max Kraus and Gust Kraus, Jewish business owners from Columbia City, Indiana, are seen in a 1901 automobile in Fort Wayne, Indiana—one of the first cars in the area. They operated Kraus & Apelbaum, which became one of the largest seed dealerships in northern Indiana.

#hoosierjewishhistory From the scrapbook for the Elkhart, Indiana Chapter 359 of B'nai B'rith from 1955-1956.

A piece of local Jewish History!

#hoosierjewishhistory Meet the Karp Family, Polish Jewish Immigrants to Vincennes, Indiana, who ran a shoe store for many years, seen here inside Vincennes' small Synagogue, enjoying a Bar Mitzvah there. Ben Karp is at the head of the table, and Sol Karp is standing. Circa 1930s

#hoosierjewishhistory The Workmen's Circle Charter for the Hammond, Indiana Branch, circa 1914!

#hoosierjewishhistory The Sy's Kosher Meat Market and Delicatessen was located in South Bend, Indiana, on Western Ave. It was founded by Holocaust survivors from Czechoslovakia who emigrated to the United States in 1951.

#hoosierjewishhistory Congrats on the Indiana Hoosiers defeating Oregon! Pictured QB Max "Muggs" Lorber lines up behind the center for the 1924 Hoosiers Football Team! A rare four-sport letterman was a Jewish athlete from Columbia City, Indiana. He would later coach for IU!

On now, directed by Lafayette/South Bend's Sydney Pollack.

#hoosierjewishhistory Moses Falk was born in Württemberg, Germany. In the late 1830s, after the completion of the Erie Canal, He established one of the oldest known Jewish-owned businesses in Indiana. He initially traded with Native Americans in Miami County.

#hoosierjewishhistory Celebrating the 2025 Hoosier Jewish Legends !