By Julie Wiener, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer What makes an interfaith (or, really, any) family decide to join or not join a synagogue? That’s the million-dollar question these days. And even though my family is part of this demographic — synagogue-affiliated interfaith family with two kids in Hebrew

The Jewish Internet with Mark Mietkiewicz If your Rosh Hashanah resolution included learning more Torah, it’s never too late to get started. There are many excellent websites geared toward promoting regular Torah study through the weekly portion, parshat hashavua (http://bit.ly/shavua1) But sometimes, you might want to take a break from

Tina Marie Kleinman, age 28, of Lebanon, passed away Sept. 29. Ms. Kleinman was a graduate of Bowling Green State University and was currently enrolled at the University of Cincinnati studying pharmacy, so she could be a pharmacist like her grandfather. She was formerly a buyer with Serta Mattress and

By Masada Siegel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Following your dreams can be the key to opening the right doors. In the case of The Maccabeats, the doors to The White House welcomed this Jewish a cappella singing group to sing at the president’s May 2011 Jewish Heritage Month

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Two note cards are pinned to the bulletin board next to Barry Serotkin’s desk.  One reads, “Stay Calm. Carry On.” The other has one word: “Think.” Barry says he posted those messages “just as reminders that we should show everybody the proper respect.”

By Cantor Joyce Dumtschin As many of you know from an article in The Observer that was published about a year ago, last September I underwent a stem-cell transplant. I had been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow cancer, in November 2009. By the end of last summer, a

On Aug. 29, The Ohio Society of Professional Journalists Awards competition announced that columns written for The Dayton Jewish Observer by Rabbi Bernard Barsky and Candace R. Kwiatek received first- and second-place awards in the category of Best Religion Reporting for publications with circulation below 100,000. Barsky, Beth Abraham Synagogue’s

By Michele Alperin, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Ask American Jews about the origins of monotheism, and the first thing that probably comes to mind is the midrashic story of Abraham breaking idols in his father’s house. But Bible scholar Richard Elliott Friedman, professor of Jewish Studies at the

With Charlotte Golden, The Dayton Jewish Observer At the end of the summer, Dr. Charlie Knoll, age 86, retired from his medical practice after 52 years of service to his patients. Charlie and Joan’s son, Aaron, recalls that “Charlie wrote his first prescription for Moses. Joe Bettman filled it.” Joan

Jewish Family Identity Forum With Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Abraham. Moses. Joshua. Solomon. Larger-than-life heroes of the Bible, they embody many of the traits we seek in our leaders today. A dedication to truth and justice, like Abraham destroying idols and arguing with God about the destruction