One of the great actors of the last century said that to play Shylock in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice gave him joy; it was one of the highest points of his career. Shylock, the hated Jewish moneylender, demands the contractual payment of a pound of flesh from Antonio when

Shakespeare digs deep in his rhetorical toolbox to construct the perfect anti-hero By Miriamne Krummel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer The Theatre Department at Wright State University is staging William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (circa 1596) this month. Should this production be a topic of discussion for Dayton’s

By Joseph A. Lieberman, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer I first heard the term ghetto in a Jewish context back in the ‘60s, in a novel about the Warsaw Ghetto. For some reason, it never occurred to me that its origin was Italian, and more specifically, Venetian. I shouldn’t

By Rabbi Bernard Barsky, Beth Abraham Synagogue, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, which is to be performed at Wright State University this month, has always carried the stigma of antisemitism. Its portrayal of the vengeful and avaricious Jewish moneylender Shylock belongs at first glance

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer There was hardly a place to stand when the funeral service for Ilya Golub began on Dec. 25 in the chapel at Beth Jacob Cemetery. Members of the Russian-Jewish community, friends, business associates and neighbors came to remember the hard working, gregarious Golub,

Jewish Family Identity Forum Rituals in Jewish life series By Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer As I awaited the birth of my first grandchild with joyous anticipation, I came across an intriguing question posed by Esther Jungreis in her book The Committed Life: “We plan all the details

With Charlotte Golden, The Dayton Jewish Observer Stephanie Jarvis, daughter of Ted and Linda Jarvis, has been named general counsel for the Fiesta Bowl. David Katz, son of Allan and Linda Katz, has been promoted to assistant director of the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh, which serves the University

By Masada Siegel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Dating is a lot like hiking; there are highs, lows, beauty and snakes to behold. The weather can change in an instant, you can get stuck in a downpour or get a sunburn. Basically, it’s unpredictable. Wouldn’t it be nice to

Ilya Golub, age 53 of Englewood, passed away suddenly Dec. 22. Mr. Golub was the manager of the Cash to Go Pawn Shop on Salem Avenue. He is survived by his beloved wife, Sarina; parents, Shmil and Lyubov of Brooklyn, N.Y.; he was a loving father to his daughter and

By Ted Merwin, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer He’s been called the epitome of evil, a Dracula-like character who battens on human flesh. Yet others see him as a victim of horrible injustice, deserving of compassion and pity. Whether you love him or hate him, the Jewish moneylender at