With Scott Halasz, The Dayton Jewish Observer

Jane and Dr. David Novick used Dayton MetroParks to help their daughter, Elana, regain strength after her recovery from Covid-19. Elana, who is developmentally-delayed and lives in a group home in a New York suburb, contracted Covid-19 in March. Jane went to New York at the end of March and quarantined with Elana until she was better; she brought Elana back to Dayton to continue her recovery. Looking for something to help Elana regain her stamina and keep her healthy and busy while here, the Novicks decided on the MetroParks Trail Challenge.

Their first hike was June 12 at Cox Arboretum. They finished July 31 at Eastwood MetroPark. There were 19 hiking trails on the challenge. “It was a terrific family activity,” Jane said. They even took on the 7.5-mile trail at Germantown MetroPark. “When she had Covid, she was unable to walk even five minutes without losing her breath. The trail challenge greatly improved Elana’s confidence regarding her balance. Initially, she was somewhat fearful of the uneven surfaces. After a few trails, and the purchase of hiking poles, she was handling the inclines and declines, paths covered with tree roots, and other obstacles as if she never had a balance problem.”

Nearly 40 years after beginning his rabbinate in Dayton, Rabbi Larry Karol retired July 31 after nine years at Temple Beth-El in Las Cruces, N.M. Ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1981, Larry was hired by Temple Israel as an assistant rabbi. He spent three years here before moving to Temple Beth Sholom in Topeka, Kan. He was there for 22 years, moved to Temple Israel in Dover, N.H., and then Temple Beth-El, where he has been named rabbi emeritus and the Las Cruces City Council declared June 25 Rabbi Larry Karol Day. Larry officiated for my Bar Mitzvah at Temple Israel a few months after my family moved to Dayton.

Neenah Ellis, WYSO’s general manager from 2009 to 2019, is now the first executive director of The Eichelberger Center for Community Voices, which she began in 2010 as community training workshops. WYSO and The Eichelberger Center are divisions of the non-profit Miami Valley Media. “With this reorganization we will change the face of public media in the Dayton area,” Neenah said, “with more local voices and more local stories.”

Masha Kisel received honorable mention for Excellence in Commentary for her columns in The Dayton Jewish Observer as part of the American Jewish Press Association’s 2020 Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism. The award was given for three columns Masha wrote for The Observer last year.

Mazel tov to these recent graduates:

Hannah Sommer earned a master’s degree in environmental science from Miami University.

Sarah Abrams graduated from Ohio University.

Natalie Fishman graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in health sciences and a minor in Spanish.

Emma Pickard graduated from Rhodes College.

Joshua Segalewitz graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor of arts degree in human rights studies and sociology, and a French minor. Joshua graduated summa cum laude and with University Honors with Distinction.

Josh Self graduated from Wright State University.

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To read the complete September 2020 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.