‘When a Lutheran Pastor Knocked on My Door’

By Rabbi Shneur Cadaner

In 2021, my wife and I got our fifteen minutes of fame when we purchased an entire strip mall as the new home for our Chabad House. We were excited for our new center, which would feature a synagogue, Hebrew school classrooms, a library, as well as our community’s long-awaited mikvah.

After breaking ground in 2024, the knock on our door came unexpectedly one afternoon as construction crews were busy at work on our new mikvah. Standing there was a man who introduced himself as a pastor from a local Lutheran church—someone we hadn’t met once in our almost 20 years on Shlichus.

“I noticed you’re building something interesting here,” he said, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity. “A ritual bath, right? I wanted to see it for myself.”

The pastor then shared something that left me speechless: his mother was Jewish. Though raised in the Lutheran faith and now leading his own congregation, he was undeniably a Jew – a Yiddishe neshamah that somehow felt the pull of a mikvah under construction.

After getting to know him and telling him about the new Mikvah, we were even more surprised when he agreed to put on tefillin at his next visit. This Jewish man was taking his first steps back toward his heritage, all because of a mikvah that wasn’t even finished yet!

Through twenty years of Chanukah parties, Jewish programs, and community events, we had never bumped into him. But the minute we start building a mikvah, he shows up at our door!

That’s the power of a mikvah—it somehow awakens Jewish connections that have been sleeping for generations. Before we’ve even filled it with water, our mikvah is already making waves throughout our community.

History of A Growing Jewish Community

My wife Chana and I are about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of when we moved to Iowa on Shlichus. When most people hear “Chabad” and “Iowa” in the same sentence, they think of the Anash community in Postville or the Jacobsons in Des Moines. But 3 hours south east lies the Quad Cities—a quintessentially midwestern metropolis that is home to the John Deere tractor manufacturing company, cornfields and yes, a growing Jewish community that my wife Chana and I have been nurturing for nearly two decades.

In the 1950s, the Quad Cities boasted a vibrant Jewish community with seven Orthodox shuls. While the community experienced a massive downsizing over the years, since Chabad’s arrival in 2005, Jewish life has seen a remarkable resurgence. Our mosad’s public Menorah lightings, holiday programming and monthly community Shabbat dinners have become staples in the local Jewish community.

What our community was missing was Mikvah. While the Quad Cities once had a functioning mikvah, it had long since been out of service. Since we moved here, my wife Chana – like many of her shlucha colleagues around the world – travelled 2-3 hours each way to use the nearest mikvah. However, we’ve always had the vision that one day we’d build an accessible mikvah that would eliminate the multi-hour trips and allow the women in our community to observe Taharas Hamishpacha with dignity, comfort, and joy.

A New Chapter of Jewish Vitality
The mikvah’s spiritual influence is already working its magic in profound ways. The pastor’s visit was just the beginning—we’ve seen other small miracles happening too. Over a dozen women have already made hachlatas to use the mikvah once it opens, and Jews who hadn’t connected with their Yiddishkeit in years suddenly began calling us to learn more. Our beautiful, modern facility is more than just a ritual space, it signifies the rebirth of authentic Jewish life in our region.

Our mikvah will also serve as an educational center where women can learn about this profound mitzvah in a welcoming, non-judgmental environment. Classes, special events, and one-on-one learning opportunities will help demystify this practice and invite broader participation. The open miracles we’ve already witnessed through mikvah observance in our community—including stories of previously barren women now blessed with beautiful Jewish families—inspire us as we create this sacred space.

As Chazal teaches, the building of a mikvah is even more vital to the spiritual well-being of a Jewish community than the building of a Shul, and the transformations we’ve seen already are the kind that only a mikvah can bring to a community.

A Community Effort
While the mikvah has had such amazing support and acceptance from the community, the process hasn’t been without its setbacks. After breaking ground last year, some of our largest backers experienced financial setbacks. Since everything is by Hashgacha Pratis, instead of seeing this as a problem, we view it as an opportunity to expand our grass-roots fundraising.

We invite you to become partners with us in the Quad Cities’ Jewish renaissance. While we have the majority of the funding secured, we are looking to raise the final $300k to complete the project. This mikvah represents not only our commitment to building essential religious infrastructure, but also honors the dedication of local community members who have embraced Taharas HaMishpacha with tremendous sacrifice and devotion.

Your participation in this project, regardless of contribution size, connects you with Jews from across the world who have extended their hands in support of this vital institution in America’s heartland. Every brick laid and every tile set is an investment in our shared Jewish future. Together, we are restoring the spiritual heart of a community that has persevered through decades of change, ensuring that Jewish life will continue to flourish here for our children and grandchildren.

To contribute to the Quad Cities Mikvah, please visit our campaign page Raisethon.com/purity or email [email protected]

Rabbi Shneur Cadaner has been the Co-Director of the Chabad of the Quad Cities since 2005. Together with his wife Chana, they offer a variety of programs and services to local Jews, including weekly Shabbat services, Hebrew school, monthly Shabbat dinners, Kosher food, and much more. He can be reached at [email protected]