Growing up in Lancaster, Ohio, Austin Albanese never saw any signs of Jewish life, no synagogue, no visible community. But everything changed when he noticed a small Star of David etched into a local war memorial. That symbol sparked a lifelong journey.

Austin dug into archives, spoke with locals, and uncovered the story of Victor Epstein, a Jewish soldier from Lancaster who died in WWII. What began as curiosity evolved into something deeper: Austin converted to Judaism and committed himself to preserving the stories of forgotten Jewish communities across the Midwest.

Today, his work, featured in the Jewish Virtual Library, Substack, and local news, keeps the memory of these communities alive. Through storytelling, Austin reminds us that even in places where Jewish life seems to have vanished, the spirit and legacy still remain.

👉 For more stories celebrating Jewish memory and identity, follow Zushi’s List.

Read the full article from the original source:
The Forward – He grew up Christian. Now he’s sleeping in the synagogue that sparked his conversion.

Source: The Forward, July 2025