By Rabbi David Burstein, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer The Jewish commentator Rashi said that Avram (Abraham) gave up four things by following God’s command. He gave up his birthplace, his home, his extended family, and his name. But in exchange for all of these losses and for following

Temple Beth Or congregants become first to hold same-sex Jewish wedding in Dayton By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Dr. Melissa Hanna and Dr. Naomi Sandor met in 1998 when they were first-year medical students at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. “We got together a year later,” says

By Rabbi David Burstein, Temple Beth Or I remember meeting my friend Vicki for the first time in the parking lot of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. I had returned after taking a year and a half off to collect my head and recover from a medical

By Rabbi David Burstein, Temple Beth Or Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer As I write this article I am looking at pictures of my three children. Emma, who will turn 15 in a week. Coby, who starts middle school next month. And Nadia who will be a kindergartner at school’s

  Learning to rest — and listen — at Temple Beth Or Men’s Retreat Photos and Story By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer One by one, each man has expressed what he hopes to receive over the next 48 hours, and then places a slow-burning candle on a low

By Rabbi David Burstein, Temple Beth Or I am here to tell you that Father’s Day is important. Although it often pales in comparison to Mother’s Day, which garners much attention (definitely appropriate), Father’s Day actually is meaningful for us dads. It is nice to have our own day. And

Religion, June 2011 By Rabbi David Burstein, Temple Beth Or V’shinan’tam l’vanekha v’dibar’ta bam And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them b’shiv’t’kha b’veitekha uv’lekh’t’kha vaderekh uv’shakh’b’kha uv’kumekha when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you

God and Katrina Rabbi David Burstein Education Director, Temple Beth Or God and Hurricane Katrina “The earth was null (tohu) and void (vohu), and there was darkness upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of God hovered above the water (Gen. 1:2).” It is Sunday night — the