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

By Rachel Ringler, The Nosher Every Jewish holiday has its rules and the foods you should eat. And Purim is no different. We’re expected to listen to its story during the reading of the Megillah. We are obliged to remember those less fortunate through tzedakah or righteous giving. We are

By Ron Kampeas, JTA Ohio lawmakers have launched a Holocaust education commission for the state amid increased concern about Holocaust awareness in the United States. The Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission would “help cultivate knowledge and understanding of one of the most tragic occurrences in the world’s history,”

Marilyn Ruth Caden passed away Jan. 6. She was born Marilyn Ruth Stouffer on 7/16/1929 in Galion, Ohio. She was a graduate of Buchtel High School, Akron, and the University of Dayton. Mrs. Caden was married to Edward B. Caden Jr. from 1953 to 1992. Mrs. Caden is survived by

Interview by Marshall Weiss The Observer Although Dr. Jack Bernstein estimates he’s run between 60 to 100 medical studies over his career as an infectious disease physician, the trials for Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine this fall marked the first for him and his wife, Maryann, as participants. An emeritus professor at

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Montgomery County’s increased Covid-19 cases have impacted three local Jewish community organizations: Chabad, Hillel Academy, and the Jewish Federation. At the end of November, three rabbis with Chabad and two of their wives began testing positive for Covid-19: Chabad Directors Rabbi Nochum and

By Toby Klein Greenwald, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Jewish robots? This is one of the “pressing questions of modern life” taken on by 61 rabbis in Can Robots be Jewish? published by MomentBooks and Mandel Vilar Press. The topics they parse are far more immediate, relevant, serious, and

Considering Creation Series Jewish Family Education with Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer Recognizable by its colorful blocky graphics, the video game Minecraft encourages endless experimentation and creativity while the player explores, builds, and interacts within fantastical 3D virtual worlds. Taking their cues from the known universe, game architects

With Scott Halasz, The Dayton Jewish Observer A successful artisan pizza baker out of her Brooklyn apartment, Dayton native Miriam Weiskind routinely sells out weeks in advance. She accepts donations and provides pizzas free of charge for those who can’t afford to pay, for whatever reason. Hundreds have munched on

Omega Baptist Church and Temple Israel will present their annual pulpit exchange virtually, with the Rev. Joshua Ward delivering the sermon for Temple Israel’s Friday night service, Jan. 15 beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom; and Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz preaching for Omega’s Sunday service, Jan. 17 at 10:15 a.m. via