Book Review by Jonathan Kirsch, Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles The word rabbi is derived from the Hebrew term meaning my master, which leaves a lot of room to describe what a rabbi actually does. A rabbi is trained to be the spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation, of course,

Rags to riches on the Lower East Side Book Review By Gloria Kestenbaum New York Jewish Week From the reeking slums of the Lower East Side to the rarefied air of Park Avenue and Palm Beach, Susan Jane Gilman’s The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street is a tart page-turner across

“Your paper is much better these days. I even read it now,” a community member earnestly confided to me a year after we began publishing in 1996. It’s been a few years since The Observer has conducted a readership survey, and it’s time to find out what you think. Please

Crowd-pleasing recipes for leisurely meals outside By Shannon Sarna, JTA Sukkot is such a beautiful holiday: eating outdoors, decorating the sukkah, and enjoying the flavors of fall with family and friends. The fasting is over, and the craziness of the New Year rush has passed. You can leisurely enjoy long

Look for Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Dayton Jewish Observer and at this site.     To take The Dayton Jewish Observer’s 2015 Readership Survey, click here. To read the complete October 2015 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.

Jew in the Christian World Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer The most widely-known images of the afterlife are ancient Egypt’s impressive mummies, statues, and tomb paintings. Their purpose was to maintain, nourish, and guide the human’s spiritual essence — still attached to the body

Leshon Ima – Mother Tongue with Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer It is hard to believe that the High Holy Days are behind us. However, the luminaries in the sky attest to the rapid pace of time, as the sun rises and sets and the

The Jewish Internet with Mark Mietkiewicz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Is there a Jewish way to lay off workers? Is it kosher to declare bankruptcy? Is it ethical to tap into your neighbors’ Wi-Fi? What if they give you permission? Although you may not think Judaism has much

Rochelle Caplan, age 76 of Dayton, passed away Aug. 28. Mrs. Caplan was a loyal Elder-Beerman employee for 52 years. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Benjamin and Blanche Caplan. Interment was at Riverview Cemetery. A million thanks to the staff at The Suites at Walnut Creek

One of the last vestiges of Dayton’s old Jewish neighborhood, Rinaldo’s Bake Shoppe at 910 Fairview Ave., will close its doors on Sept. 14, the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Co-owner Anna Stolfo told The Observer that Dayton’s only kosher bakery would stay open until the beginning of the Jewish