A Bisel Kisel with Masha Kisel, The Dayton Jewish Observer “You’re a Jewish mother. You understand,” I said to a mosaic of the Virgin Mary in the University of Dayton courtyard. I sought the mothering spirit wherever I looked, mentally conversing with trees, flowers, with images of mothers on cereal

John John Groger, a rising senior at The Miami Valley School, placed fifth overall in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments 2019 High School National Championship Tournament in May. Also on the MVS team were John John’s brother, William, and Max Mader, son of Jenifer and Joe Mader. John John and

Our Dual Heritage Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer “The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way,” begins Kurt Vonnegut’s short story Harrison Bergeron. Supported by ever-expanding amendments

Look for The Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Dayton Jewish Observer and at this site.     To read the complete July 2019 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.

By Rabbi Levi Simon, Chabad of Greater Dayton “Modeh Ani, I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for you have mercifully restored my soul to me, your faithfulness is great.” These words are so important that they are the first words we utter every morning — while still

By Josefin Dolsten, JTA At the age of 20, Kali Spitzer left her home in Victoria, British Columbia to travel north and immerse herself in the culture of her father, who is a member of the Kaska Dena, a First Nations people native to Canada. For around seven months, she

By Shannon Sarna, The Nosher If you’ve never made falafel from scratch, I’m here to say it’s possible and it’s delicious. I was intimidated by the task until I jumped right in. But I couldn’t have done it without following a few expert tips. Ditch the canned chickpeas. Every expert

Martin (Marty) Bloom, 83 of Hilton Head Island, S.C., passed away June 2. He was born June 17, 1935 in Lima, Ohio to Yale and Anne (Silberman) Bloom. Mr. Bloom grew up in Lima and graduated from The Ohio State University. He was a successful group health insurance broker in

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer With a ratio of more than one law enforcement officer to one counterprotester, the May 25 rally of nine members of the KKK-affiliated Honorable Sacred Knights of Indiana came and went at Dayton’s Courthouse Square without arrests, violent incidents, citations issued, or use

Miami Valley Jewish Genealogy & History launches with Facebook site By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer It was Elie Wiesel who said, “Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.” An opportunity came to Dayton’s Jewish Federation last year to