The Dayton Jewish Chorale, led by Cantor Jenna Greenberg, will present a Tu B’Shevat concert at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Cox Arboretum, 6733 N. Springboro Pike. The concert is free and open to the community. Known as the New Year of the Trees, Tu B’Shevat marks springtime

With Rachel Haug Gilbert, The Dayton Jewish Observer Jane Novick is now director of the Court Appointed Special Advocate program for the Montgomery County Juvenile Court. CASA assigns volunteers to children who typically have open cases with Montgomery County Children Services. Volunteers are often social workers or teachers who are

By Ron Kampeas, JTA WASHINGTON — “Cantor Kaufman!” Rabbi Jonah Pesner shouted across the intersection of 3rd and D in Washington’s Northwest quadrant, packed sidewalk to sidewalk with women in pink pussycat hats and their male friends. “A song!” Jason Kaufman, the cantor at Beth El in Alexandria, Va., draped

Back to basics series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer While escorting a visiting Talmud scholar around a Jewish neighborhood in Los Angeles, the local rabbi noted that his guest suddenly slowed to a snail’s pace, finally suggesting that they cross the street. The rabbi

By Samantha Ferraro, JTA Koofteh are Persian meatballs with many different variations, including lima beans or meatballs mixed with only rice, or in this case, a gorgeous mixture of rice, split peas and the most exciting part of the recipe, sabzi. Sabzi is a blend of dried herbs including leeks,

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

Robert N. Friedman, 88. Our friend, our mentor, our Dad, slipped away on Jan. 21 in Potomac, Md. Longtime residents of Dayton, Dad and Mom fled the sleet and snow for the sun and tranquility of their adopted home of Naples, Fla. He was predeceased by only seven weeks by

‘We don’t know enough about each other.’ An interview with Dr. Mehnaz Afridi By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, director of the Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center of Manhattan College in Riverdale, N.Y., will present Wright State University’s lecture for International Holocaust Day, Jan. 25

Two leading commentators in American Jewish media from opposite sides of the political spectrum will debate Israeli policy and the United States-Israel alliance, to kick off the Jewish Community Relations Council’s new Israelity discussion series. Forward Editor-At-Large J.J. Goldberg and Commentary Magazine Senior Online Editor/Chief Political Blogger Jonathan S. Tobin

By Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin, Chabad of Greater Dayton Among the great comforts of this coldest and darkest season of the year is snuggling up with a good book. Not always does that mean we are turning to things we believe to be lofty. Comfort reading and dutiful reading mostly point