The Dayton Jewish Observer
A wedding gown that made history
By Helen Zegerman Schwimmer, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Lilly Friedman doesn’t remember the last name of the woman who designed and sewed the wedding gown she wore when she walked down the aisle more than 60 years ago. But the grandmother of seven does recall that when she
American Jews and guns
Charles Strauss, the first Jewish mayor of Tucson, Arizona Territory, and his son, Charles Jr., were gun enthusiasts of a different sort. According to Dr. Eileen R. Warshaw, executive director of Tucson’s Jewish History Museum, Mayor Strauss would never have dressed as shown in the photo above. “He was a
‘Few are guilty, but all are responsible’
By Rabbi David Burstein, Temple Beth Or, Washington Township, Ohio Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Philosopher Edmund Burke is believed to have said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” As the weeks pass, the sordid tale of accused child
Planning a wedding: delays, details, diplomacy
By Pearl Salkin, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer Planning a child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration can be a rough roller coaster ride that requires a lot of antacid pills and a truckload of patience. But that terrific and somewhat terrifying experience is just basic training for the real
New! The Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy
Look for The Adventures of Bark Mitzvah Boy each month in The Observer and at this site!
And he hunts too
By Masada Siegel, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer American Jews and Guns: An ambivalent relationship At a Shabbat dinner a few weeks back, someone asked me about my new friend, Josh. I wickedly responded, “Oh we have been together for eight years.” Josh, whom I had only met for
Hunting in Jewish law and tradition
By Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen, Special To The Dayton Jewish Observer American Jews and Guns: An ambivalent relationship In Western civilization, hunting is seen as a noble and manly pursuit. In Greek and Nordic mythology hunters are heroes; in popular culture hunting is the epitome of manliness. Twelve and a half
American Jews views on gun control
American Jews and Guns: An ambivalent relationship Two U.S. Supreme Court rulings in recent years show the organized Jewish community’s widespread support for strict gun control laws. A 5-4 decision in 2008 struck down the District of Columbia’s ban on owning handguns for self-defense, the strictest gun-control law in the
Come home before kids celebrate Xmas
In The Mix By Julie Wiener So, as you no doubt have already heard, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in response to complaints from major American Jewish groups, has pulled the controversial “Come Home Quick, Before You Assimilate Into Nothingness” commercials which are apparently, according to a representative from Israel’s
Integrating arts, science, & Judaics at Hillel — naturally
By Marshall Weiss, The Observer “Hashem makes everything we see and so we pray to Him, Hashem makes our hearts sing, And so we’ll dance and sing for Him.” Hillel Academy Jewish day school’s six kindergartners sang out these words, part of a song they wrote called Caterpillars, Birds &