
Bark Mitzvah Boy
Look for Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Dayton Jewish Observer and at this site! To read the complete October 2025 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.

Obituaries
Judith Kay Perlman passed away peacefully after her long journey with dementia, on Sept. 6. She was known for her love of Judaism, music, and family. She was a beloved sister, aunt, and cousin to her family and many friends. Judith was born Feb. 15, 1948 in Kansas City, Mo.

With JFNA funding, Federation expands to full-time security director
Retired longtime Centerville Police Officer John Davis will also provide security assessments/emergency plans for any local Jewish organizations at their request By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Jewish Federation Security Director John Davis remembers the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education being built in Centerville. When the Federation

Jewish Family Services director heads East for synagogue work
‘How grateful I am,’ Tara Feiner says of her 11 years in Dayton By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer It was Tara Feiner’s brother, Josh Laster, who urged her to apply for the job — his job. Josh had been executive director of Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, N.J.

Appeals court upholds verdict in favor of former Butler Co. magistrate who claimed she was fired because she’s Jewish
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 19 upheld the $1 million verdict in favor of a former Butler County Common Pleas Court magistrate who claimed she was fired because she’s Jewish, the Hamilton Journal-News reported. A U.S. District Court jury in Cincinnati sided with Kimberly Edelstein in the

Richmond, Ind. Police believe antisemitic swatter also made Walmart bomb threat
By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Richmond, Ind. Police believe the swatter who called in a bomb threat that evacuated Richmond’s Walmart July 19 is the same individual who, beginning June 24, placed multiple swatting calls claiming to hold Jewish hostages in Richmond, that he was armed with firearms

Tipp City man admits to federal hate crime for antisemitic attack on Jewish students at OSU
A Title VI complaint against OSU alleged that assailants shouted “free Palestine” during the November 2023 incident. By Grace Gilson, JTA A Tipp City man pleaded guilty Aug. 15 to a federal hate crime for assaulting two Jewish students at The Ohio State University in November 2023 after asking if

Ten Shifts for a multifaith future
By Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel This summer, I had the privilege of attending a remarkable gathering at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. To mark the occasion, the 88th Air Base Wing Chaplain Corps brought in nationally recognized leaders from the

Speech with an ‘I’
Sacred Speech Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Meshka, the village kvetch, couldn’t stop complaining. She grumbled about her aching body and too-small house. She whined about her daughter’s infrequent visits. She fretted about her son, lazy as “a bump on a kosher pickle.”

Much of book about TR & the Jews resonates today
By Martin Gottlieb, The Dayton Jewish Observer Some people, when they hear that there’s a book about Teddy Roosevelt and the Jews, are surprised: A whole book? Who knew there was enough material? TR is known – to history buffs, at least – for his activity in many policy realms.