By Cnaan Liphshiz, JTA For a movie about the Holocaust, the Belarussian film Persian Lessons has some comic potential. Set in a concentration camp somewhere in Western Europe, it involves a Jewish inmate who survives by giving Farsi lessons to a Nazi officer who dreams about opening a restaurant in

By Stephen Silver, JTA The real Mordecai Samel, at the time in his late 70s, really didn’t want an iPhone in 2015. The Holocaust survivor who had been living in south Florida since 2004 didn’t see a need. His taped-together flip phone worked fine. But his son Marvin insisted. One

By Joanne Palmer, The Jewish Standard When we’re children, we are taught — and naturally tend to believe — that good things happen smoothly, that goodness always is straightforward. We don’t learn about complications and doubts, much less about working through them, until much later. We are taught and believe

Temple Israel’s Jewish Cultural Festival returns Sunday, June 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Food will be available for purchase from El Meson, Brock Masterson’s, and My Favorite Muffin. Also available will be treats from Graeter’s, Temple Israel’s bakery, and The Dayton Beer Co. Entertainment includes The Flying Klezmerians,

Look for the Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Dayton Jewish Observer and at this site!     To read the complete June 2023 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.

Marcie E. Mazer, age 70 of Dayton, passed away April 28 in Columbus. Marcie was a devoted mother and grandmother, a passionate supporter of the State of Israel, a dog-lover, an avid gardener, and a member of Beth Jacob Congregation. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marshall and

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Like so many middle schoolers, 12-year-old Polina hangs out with her friends, riding bikes after school and on the weekends. She and her friends constantly check on their chats to find out the latest news among their classmates. Unlike her friends, she keeps

Dayton’s Flying Klezmerians and Aaron Kula and Chaim Rubinov of the Boca Raton-based Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra will team up to perform two concerts, May 7 and 8. The JCC will present their performance of Jubano Jazz — a blend of Latin rhythms and klezmer tunes — at 2 p.m.,

By Addison Caruso Ohio Senate Bill 83, which seeks to ban the discussion of “divisive concepts” in the classroom, has faced widespread opposition from students, professors, and citizens. The bill, introduced by State Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) in early 2023, follows a litany of legislation proposed and enacted in other

By Rabbi Aubrey L. Glazer, Beth Abraham Synagogue “I cry, cry, cry Cry all day I cry all night I cry all day” — Cry all day (Schmilco, 2016) “…crying before compiling a holy book as insights into Torah are rivers & first one has to make rivers of tears”