BA & BJ agree to continue merger talks, August 2010 Jewish Observer Beth Jacob also considering ways to stay independent Stained glass windows of Beth Abraham Synagogue (L) and Beth Jacob Congregation By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer On July 11, the board of Beth Abraham Synagogue voted to

A day in Gush Etzion, August 2010 Jewish Observer West Bank settlement bloc Photos and Story By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer At an elementary school in Tekoa that integrates secular and observant students Only a 15-minute drive south via a new road from Jerusalem, the Gush Etzion settlement

JAFI’s new mission, August 2010 Jewish Observer At JAFI Assembly, Sharansky lauds Partnership With Israel program JAFI Chairman Natan Sharansky (R) listens as Israeli President Shimon Peres opens the JAFI Assembly, June 20 in Jerusalem Photos and Story By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Faced with the end of

Observer takes 1st-place, August 2010 Jewish Observer The cover story from the January 2009 Dayton Jewish Observer At the American Jewish Press Association’s annual conference, held in Scottsdale in June, The Dayton Jewish Observer received the first-place award for excellence in feature writing for newspapers with up to 7,499 circulation.

Religion, August 2010 Jewish Observer By Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz One of my greatest joys comes from working with youths (and adults) in our community who have chosen to publicly affirm their commitment to Judaism and performing mitzvot (commandments) through Bar and Bat Mitzvah. So much

20th Anniversary of Soviet Jewish immigration, October 2009 Svetlana and Moisey Shapochnik (L) were among 125 guests to join Joe and Elaine Bettman (R) at a picnic in Englewood Reserve Park to celebrate 20 years since Dayton’s Jewish Federation began resettling 80 Soviet Jews in the Miami Valley over two

Jewish Federation Centennial quiz, July 2010   So you think you know a lot about our Federation? Take this quiz and find out. Answers at bottom.   By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer 1. The Federation’s original name in 1910 was: a. The Jewish Community Council b. The Jewish

Sinai program expands, September 2010 By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Now entering its second year, the Sinai Scholars program for Jewish teenagers has expanded both of its projects: Sunday afternoon Judaics courses, and funding for Jewish studies electives at The Miami Valley School along with scholarships for Jewish

Lessons in an Arab-Israeli village, September 2010 By Simon Jacobs, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Mori Rothman of Yellow Springs, a student of Arabic at Middlebury College, Vt., teaches English to children at a summer camp Deir al-Assad JACK and JENNIFER sit gloomily in the garden of marital discontent.

Partnership brings Israel, September 2010 By Irvin Moscowitz, Dayton Chair, Partnership With Israel Some experiences in life contain such meaning they’re hard to put into words. This is my experience with Partnership With Israel. The Western Galilee Consortium of Partnership just celebrated its Bar Mitzvah. I’ve been involved with the