Memoir of raising 4 biological & 5 adopted kids No Biking In The House Without A Helmet By Melissa Fay Greene • Farrar, Straus and Giroux • 354 pages • $26 Interview By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer Former Daytonian Melissa Fay Greene is known for her accounts of

Musical about Southern Jewish family and maid during Civil Rights era at Loft Theatre By Jennie Szink, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Imagine being an 8-year-old who receives a large sum of money for Chanukah, only to lose it to your housekeeper — almost a second mother — because

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer This fall, Dayton’s harvest of live theatre yields three Jewish-oriented productions: Neil Simon’s familiar Lost In Yonkers, the rarely performed Abie’s Irish Rose, and the musical Caroline, Or Change. Richard Brock, director of Abie’s Irish Rose, says he’s tried for years to get

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

An interview with pianist Menahem Pressler By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer My first attempt to interview Menahem Pressler was a 9 p.m. call to him at the Adamant Music School in Vermont after his day leading master classes and lessons. “Can you call back in an hour?” the

            The aspirations of the Jews who founded Dayton’s major arts ensembles enrich us to this day By Burt Saidel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer June 1999 Dayton’s rich arts life is the envy of many cities that are much larger and more metropolitan.