Non-Jews help bring music to temples on High Holy Days and Shabbat Non-Jews hired to perform liturgical music for liberal Jewish congregations is not unusual. But the stories of those who come to do it and why they continue are unique. By Renate Frydman, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer

Author wrestles with challenges, rewards of Sabbath By Michelle Tedford, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Judith Shulevitz tells stories. There are ones about her father, who would take his children on Saturdays to the movies against the wishes of their mother, a rabbi. And there are recent stories, like

By Masada Siegel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer   Performers are ultimately storytellers, weaving a tale, expressing emotions, creating joy. They can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Sarge — a comedian, singer and pianist with a story to tell — will perform at the 2012 United Jewish Campaign

By Scott Halasz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer When Cassius Clay beat Sonny Liston for the heavyweight boxing title in 1964, it boosted the career of not one, but two people.Clay went on to boxing and entertainment greatness, eventually changing his name to Muhammad Ali. But in addition to

By Jennie Szink, Special to The Dayton Jewish Observer When Jim Axelrod commutes home to Montclair, N.J. from Manhattan, he studies the looks on people’s faces around him. They don’t reflect relief at the end of the work day or anticipation of seeing their families. Instead, they’re what Axelrod describes

By Rabbi Karen N. Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Parents will do nearly anything to protect their children. To see a child suffer is often more than a mother or father can bear. We wish we could fight our children’s battles for them, especially when they

With Charlotte Golden, The Dayton Jewish Observer Brandeis University has named Andrew Flagel its new senior vice president for students and enrollment, the school’s top admissions and student life position. Andrew, who began work Sept. 1, served as dean of admissions and associate vice president of enrollment development at George

By Mark Mietkiewicz, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer It’s one of the pivotal moments of the Jewish calendar. Worshippers, many dressed in white, flock to synagogue and wait, often with trepidation, for the cantor to start singing Kol Nidre. But why has a prayer concerned with annulling vows and

In The Mix By Julie Wiener, The New York Jewish Week I’ve been covering Jewish education for almost 15 years and have interviewed countless people telling me about the myriad challenges (not to mention the financial investment required) of maintaining and passing on our illustrious Jewish traditions. For interfaith families

Jewish Family Identity Forum – Children of the Bible series By Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Spanning an entire lifetime, as described in four of the five books of the Torah, Moses’ memory album captures his awe at the burning bush, his bold approaches to Pharaoh, and his