On Feb. 25, 1901, someone attacked and murdered Ida Finkelstein as she walked through a wooded area after leaving her school in Terre Haute, Indiana. A day later, authorities arrested Ward at his workplace as a suspect in Finkelstein’s murder.

That afternoon, a mob of some 500 people stormed the county jail, seized and assaulted Ward and dragged him to the nearby wagon bridge across the Wabash River. There, the mob hanged and burned his body while about 3,000 gathered to watch.

The violence claimed two victims — Ida Finkelstein, a Jewish schoolteacher just days short of her 21st birthday, and George Ward, a Black family man and foundry worker who was 25.

As part of the Interfaith-Council in Terre Haute, Dr. Arthur Feinsod created the Bridge Project. On September 26th, 2021, a group of spiritual leaders, professors, families of the victims and many others in the greater Terre Haute community gather at Allen Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church for the Bridge Project (

Co-sponsored by the Terre Haute Branch of the NAACP; Allen Chapel and the AME Church; InterFaith Council of the Wabash Valley; United Hebrew Congregation;

Sisters of Providence; and the Ward Family ). This vigil ceremony and  interfaith program sought “spiritual closure for George Ward and Ida Finkelstein, twin victims of the vigilante injustice of lynching.

The President of the Interfaith-Council, Dr. Arthur Feinsod, made the following statement and prayer:

“We pray this sacred candle-lighting event will help each of us and our various communities come to peace and reconciliation with our shared and troubled past and provide spiritual closure for George Ward and Ida Finkelstein, twin victims of the vigilante injustice of lynching. We hope their story and its lessons can guide us toward a more humane and just society. We also hope that facing the injustice of this particular lynching will heal old wounds and reaffirm the alliance and friendship between Christians and Jews, clearing the way to a more just future for all of us who are one.”

Arthur Feinsod

The program included Sylvester Edward (President of the Terre Haute Branch of the NAACP), NAACP local members Dr. Crystal Reynolds and Scott Skillman, a Declaration of Innocence by Dr. Arthur Feinsod and Brother William Morris, a family statement by George Ward’s great grandson (Terry Ward), candle lighting by Pastor Tess Brooks and myself, and a beautiful version of Bridge Over Troubles Waters, sung by NAACP member Yzabel Tio,.

The entire ceremony can be viewed on the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/tess.brooks.12/videos/201983348556904/?d=n

This clip is from the first virtual (Zoom) services on Kol Nidrei Sept. 27th, 2020 (9th of Tishrei, 5781) — streaming from Miami, Florida all the way to Marion, Ohio. This gave us one of the many opportunities to connect in worship with many others all over the States, Canada, and Israel).

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