The last of Iowa's small-town synagogues: seven members still praying

Ottumwa’s synagogue was once standing room only on high holidays but now is facing closure in what’s become a common occurence in Iowa and the midwest

Ryan Schuessler for The Guardian

Nobody can remember Ottumwa’s last bar or bat mitzvah.

The consensus between B’nai Jacob Synagogue’s few remaining members is that it would have been 15 years ago, at least. Probably 20. They can, however, remember the last funeral – and the few before.

“Obviously, we’re relatively few people, and we’re not getting any younger,” said Harvey Disenhouse, the de facto rabbi. “I would like to keep the synagogue open as long as possible, but I realize that in 10 years it probably won’t exist here.”

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