Look for The Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Observer and at this site.

Living by our values By Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Jewish Family Identity Forum Enveloped by the flimsy bamboo walls and branch-strewn roof of the sukkah, I found myself reflecting upon an unlikely character: Abraham Lincoln. I had recently come across Lincoln’s Great Depression, in which Joshua Shenk

By Rabbi Nochum Mangel, Chabad of Dayton We have just celebrated Simchat Torah. Synagogues were filled with singing and dancing, parades and happiness, celebrating the gift of Torah. But what do we mean by Torah and why do we celebrate it? We use the word Torah in different ways. Sometimes,

With Charlotte Golden, The Dayton Jewish Observer Ethan Zappin, a fifth grader at The Miami Valley School, received his black belt in tae kwon do on Sept. 28. Ethan has been training at the Asian Arts Center of Kettering under Head Instructor Matt Pasquinilli since he was 5. His proud

By Julie Wiener, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer What makes an interfaith (or, really, any) family decide to join or not join a synagogue? That’s the million-dollar question these days. And even though my family is part of this demographic — synagogue-affiliated interfaith family with two kids in Hebrew

The Jewish Internet with Mark Mietkiewicz If your Rosh Hashanah resolution included learning more Torah, it’s never too late to get started. There are many excellent websites geared toward promoting regular Torah study through the weekly portion, parshat hashavua (http://bit.ly/shavua1) But sometimes, you might want to take a break from

Tina Marie Kleinman, age 28, of Lebanon, passed away Sept. 29. Ms. Kleinman was a graduate of Bowling Green State University and was currently enrolled at the University of Cincinnati studying pharmacy, so she could be a pharmacist like her grandfather. She was formerly a buyer with Serta Mattress and

By Masada Siegel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Following your dreams can be the key to opening the right doors. In the case of The Maccabeats, the doors to The White House welcomed this Jewish a cappella singing group to sing at the president’s May 2011 Jewish Heritage Month

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Two note cards are pinned to the bulletin board next to Barry Serotkin’s desk.  One reads, “Stay Calm. Carry On.” The other has one word: “Think.” Barry says he posted those messages “just as reminders that we should show everybody the proper respect.”

By Martin Gottlieb, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer During the 100th anniversary year of Raoul Wallenberg’s birth, a one-man play is coming to Dayton — having been seen before only in Chicago — that explores his development into a venerated hero. Wallenberg was the Swedish diplomat who saved perhaps