Nebraska
Where the Midwest shows its own character.
Lincoln · Omaha · Ashland · Scottsbluff
The Journey
Nebraska, like some of the other Midwestern states, is one of those places where the road itself becomes part of the experience.
The land opens up, the towns become smaller, and for long stretches there seems to be nothing competing with the sky. Farms, fields, little communities, and that endless Great Plains landscape gave Nebraska a very particular calm.
In Lincoln, we visited the State Capitol, continuing our journey through every capital in America. Nebraska’s Capitol immediately stands out because it looks nothing like the traditional domed buildings we had become used to. Its tall central tower rises above the city and can be seen from miles away.
We also visited the University of Nebraska State Museum, where we stood beside an enormous mammoth skeleton and learned about the world these animals once lived in and the ancient history of the land beneath our feet.
In Ashland, we visited the Wildlife Safari Park, where American wildlife lives in large natural settings. We saw bears, bald eagles, elk, wolves, and bison. It felt almost like a little collection of some of the greatest wildlife America has to offer, living where it belongs.
Omaha surprised me even more. The streets were lively, music filled the air, and old industrial buildings had been converted into loft style shops, restaurants, offices, and creative spaces. It reminded me a little of home, but on a smaller and more charming scale.
Art was everywhere. My favorite was Meg Saligman’s enormous Fertile Ground mural, which tells the story of Omaha’s past, present, and future. The murals gave us a glimpse into the soul of the city.
Then, much farther west, we reached Scotts Bluff National Monument. Rising dramatically above the plains, the bluff served as an important landmark for generations of pioneers traveling west along the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails. Standing above it and looking across the landscape gave us a sense of just how enormous that journey must have felt.
But the farther we drove, the more Nebraska became about the open land again. Long roads, farms, small towns, and the feeling that we were driving through the heart of the country.
Nebraska was not loud.
That was part of what made it enjoyable.
Jewish Nebraska
Our Jewish Nebraska experience took us into both of its major cities.
In Lincoln, we visited Tifereth Israel, where finding an established Jewish congregation in the middle of the Nebraska plains once again reminded us how far Jewish life has spread across America.
In Omaha, we visited the Orthodox community at Beth Israel and experienced a much larger and more developed Jewish world. Synagogues, Jewish institutions, and families have built a community that has been part of Nebraska for generations.
The Jewish story here goes back to the earliest days of Omaha. Temple Israel was founded in 1871 and remains the oldest active Jewish congregation in the state.
What struck me was the contrast. We could spend hours driving through open farmland and tiny towns, then suddenly arrive in Omaha and find vibrant Jewish life that had been growing there for more than 150 years.
Nebraska may have a small Jewish population, but it has deep roots.
What Stayed With Me
What stayed with me about Nebraska was how a relatively quiet Midwestern state could have such a vibrant and unique identity.
Omaha was full of life, much more than I expected. Lincoln had its own energy too, with cafés, culture, students, and personality. Then, only a short drive away, everything opened again into farms, fields, and endless sky.
Nebraska reminded me that a place does not have to be the biggest, loudest, or most famous to have character.
It just has to know what it is.
Nebraska seemed perfectly comfortable with that.
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