By Marc Katz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer He started a trend with illuminated, custom-designed ketubot (Jewish marriage contracts), published an exquisite Passover Haggadah, and created a masterfully carved shtender (prayer stand) to be used for Shabbat, holidays, and every day. Now, Jerusalem-based David Moss has created a bencher

By Michele Alperin, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Symptom clusters in individuals who struggle with mental health issues or learning differences can also be a source of strength — or even genius — psychiatrist Dr. Gail Saltz details in her new book, The Power of Different: The Link between

By Judy Bolton-Fasman, JewishBoston.com In her new book, Einstein and the Rabbi: Searching for the Soul, Rabbi Naomi Levy teaches that the soul operates in our world on three levels — nefesh, ruach, and nishama. While each of these three words is a Hebrew synonym for “soul,” Levy describes nefesh

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer At a briefing hosted by Dayton’s Jewish Community Relations Council, Dani Dayan, Israel’s consul general in New York, said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “not very much” leverage with Russian President Vladimir Putin when it comes to reigning in Iran’s military

By Rabbi Tina Sobo, Temple Israel Amid the energy of the High Holy Days, I have found myself considering and practicing the concept of balance over the past few weeks in many ways. Meanwhile, in our weekly Talmud class at Temple Israel, we continue to muse every time the text

Turning To Spirituality Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer A Hebrew school student’s mother, an avowed atheist, once approached me to ask if I would teach her son about God. How amazing, I thought, that a non-believing parent still understood the importance of her

with Rachel Haug Gilbert, The Dayton Jewish Observer Among the honorees for the National Conference for Community and Justice’s 40th Annual Friendship Dinner on Monday, Oct. 30 will be Rabbi Bernard Barsky, retired rabbi with Beth Abraham Synagogue. Rabbi Barsky is co-chair of the Montgomery County Justice Advisory Committee and

By Shannon Sarna, The Nosher By the time Sukkot arrives, we are three weeks into nonstop Jewish holiday mode. Some people might be tired of cooking, and I don’t blame them one bit. But Sukkot is probably my favorite holiday of the season to cook for. I love sitting outdoors

Dr. Rachel Adler, professor of Jewish religious thought, modern Jewish thought, and feminist studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, will present two lectures on Jewish feminism for the 39th Annual Ryterband Symposium on Thursday, Nov. 2 at Wright State University. At 4 p.m., Adler will

Look for The Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Dayton Jewish Observer and at this site.     To read the complete October 2017 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.