Mikvah now open By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Chana Fox, president of the Dayton Ritualarium Society How long does it take to collect 1,200 gallons of rainwater? In the case of the Dayton Ritualarium Society’s new mikvah facility on the grounds of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Harrison Township,

Scout Shabbat 2009 The Miami Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of Western Ohio will host their joint Annual Scout Shabbat at Beth Abraham Synagogue on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 9 a.m. Scouts and adult Scouters of all faiths are welcome to attend; area Jewish Scouts from

Israel Rally January 09 By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer More than 300 people representing 19 Miami Valley synagogues and Jewish organizations came together for a community Israel Solidarity Rally on Jan. 7 at Temple Israel. The event was coordinated by the Jewish Federation. The rally’s message, according to

Kopmar in recital 09 Cantor Jerome B. Kopmar Jerome B. Kopmar, who served as cantor of Beth Abraham Synagogue from 1969-1996, will present a recital at the synagogue on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature works by Brahms, Handel, Schubert, Schumann and Verdi. “I’m also doing

Religion February 09 By Rabbi Judy Chessin, Temple Beth Or, Chair, Dayton Synagogue Forum Rabbi Judy Chessin While Jews go to great lengths to avoid “racial” stereotypes, science confirms distinctive genetic markers which tie Jewish people to a common Middle Eastern ancestral population. Studies of DNA sequences indicate that Jewish

Children of the Bible Series Jewish Family Identity Forum By Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Open our family’s Friday evening photo album and you would see dinner at the dining room table with a tablecloth and candles. Wine and blessings. Two challot. Birkat hamazon — the blessing after

By JTA Staff JERUSALEM (JTA) — Four months ago, shortly after appearing to make it to the top of the Israeli political pyramid, Tzipi Livni stumbled. Ehud Olmert had resigned as prime minister and Livni had won the Kadima primary election, but she was having trouble assembling a coalition government.

DJCC 100 percent rating DJCC Dir. of Early Childhood Services Audrey MacKenzie On Feb. 11, Dayton Jewish Community Center Director Cheryl Carne announced that the DJCC’s early childhood services program received a 100-percent rating during an unannounced visit by Ohio’s early childhood licensing bureau. The Ohio Department of Job and

Joyce Dumtschin 20 years By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Cantor Joyce Dumtschin Every Rosh Hashanah and at a fair number of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs at Temple Beth Or, Cantor Joyce Dumtschin and her husband, Irwin, sing the Debbie Friedman arrangement of Shehecheyanu, the blessing thanking God for

Second local mikvah Groundbreaking for the Miami Valley Mikvah at Sugar Camp in Oakwood, Feb. 1, 2009. Miami Valley Mikvah to open in Oakwood By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Only a month after the Dayton Ritualarium Society’s new mikvah facility on the campus of Beth Jacob Synagogue in