By Rochel Simon, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer I grew up in a religious, Orthodox home. We followed strict Kosher laws and kept all Jewish holidays. I have wonderful memories growing up with my six siblings in Ann Arbor, Mich., where my parents are the Chabad rabbi and rebbetzin.

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Yaron Sideman, Israel’s consul general to the Mid-Atlantic Region (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, West Virginia, Kentucky, and southern New Jersey), will visit Dayton Nov. 18 and 19. In addition to a public speech he’ll deliver, Sideman will meet with regional leaders of high-tech economic

An interview with Rodger Kamenetz by Marc Katz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Twenty years since its publication, Rodger Kamenetz’s The Jew in the Lotus has had more than 35 printings, was the subject of a movie, and is a staple on college religion department book lists. Yet after

An interview with Allen Salkin by Marc Katz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer The Internet blog Gawker used to call Allen Salkin the Seymour Hersh of The New York Times Style section. That was when Hersh was an acclaimed investigative reporter for the Times and other publications, known for

An interview with Ari L. Goldman by Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Twenty-five years after he put down the cello, Ari L. Goldman decided to pick it up again. The Columbia University professor of journalism returned to the instrument in his 50s, when his son began playing the cello.

An interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan by Masada Siegel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer If Hank Phillippi Ryan could talk to her 8-year-old shy, bookish self — one of the only Jewish kids growing up in rural Indiana — she’d have reassuring words. They might include, “Don’t worry, everything

Look for The Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Dayton Jewish Observer and at this site. To read the complete November 2014 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.  

Myths and Misconceptions Series The Jewish Family Identity Forum with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer I never liked zucchini until I tasted my mother-in-law’s version combining summer squash with sautéed onions, tomato paste, a bit of salt, and a pinch of sugar. The recipe sounds simple, but it

With Rachel Haug Gilbert, Special To The Observer On Aug. 28, Walter H. Rice, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, was honored by the Ohio State Bar Association with the 2014 Thomas J. Moyer Award for Judicial Excellence. The award, established in 2010 in memory of the

The Jewish Internet with Mark Mietkiewicz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Forget the DJs and those outlandish theme parties. These people mean business. And they’ve waited a lifetime to prove it. Whether he just wasn’t interested when he was 13 or she wasn’t allowed at the age of 12,