The Dayton Jewish Observer, April 2023

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THE DAYTON Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton

April 2023 Nisan/Iyar 5783 Vol. 27, No. 8

OBSERVER

The Miami Valley’s Jewish Monthly • daytonjewishobserver.org

Kerri Strug

Happy Passover

to keynote Presidents Dinner

The People of Israel Live

23

Rabbi Judy Chessin

They fought for the Union

33

Address Service Requested Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton 525 Versailles Drive Dayton, OH 45459

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTON, OHIO PERMIT NO. 59

DAYTON

Beth Abraham Sisterhood Women of Valor luncheon to honor area spiritual leaders

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Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel

Rabbi Judy Chessin, Temple Beth Or

Courtney Cummings, Temple Israel

Cantor Andrea Raizen, Beth Abraham

For this year's Women of Valor luncheon, Beth Abraham Synagogue Sisterhood will celebrate women who provide spiritual leadership to local Jewish congregations and make unique contributions across the Jewish and general community. The honorees are: • Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel • Rabbi Judy Chessin, Temple Beth Or • Courtney Cummings, Temple Israel

Mary ‘Mahira’ Rogers, Temple Beth Or

Rabbi Tina Sobo, Temple Israel

• Cantor Andrea Raizen, Beth Abraham Synagogue • Mary ‘Mahira’ Rogers, Temple Beth Or • Rabbi Tina Sobo, Temple Israel The annual fundraiser will be held at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 10 at Beth Abraham Synagogue, 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood.

RSVP by May 1 to Beth Abraham Synagogue, at 937-293-9520.

Community celebration of Israel at 75, April 30 Israeli food, innovations, culture, music, and activities will be the highlights of the community Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration marking 75 years since Israel's independence, Sunday, April 30, 2-4 p.m. at Arts & Culture.........................33 Calendar..................................15

the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville.

The JCC will present this celebration in partnership with Beth Abraham Synagogue, Beth Jacob Congregation, Dayton

Sister Cities, Dayton Hadassah, Hillel Academy, Jewish War Veterans Post #587, Temple Beth Or, and Temple Israel.

For more information, go to jewishdayton.org or call 937610-1555.

Family Education....................32 Obituaries...........................35

O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 6 Religion.......................... 23

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Wishing You and Yours a Happy Passover

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

DAYTON

Kerri Strug to keynote Presidents Dinner

By Lisa Keys Kveller.com One of the most — if not the most — iconic Olympic gymnastics moments of all time was when Jewish gymnast Kerri Strug clinched the gold medal in the 1996 Olympics despite having a serious injury.

With the encouragement of her coach, Béla Károlyi, Strug continued to compete after injuring her ankle on her previous vault attempt. She vaulted again, stuck the landing — and then collapsed in pain on the mat.

At 18 years old, Strug immediately became a national hero. Strug’s decision to power Kerri Strug through her pain and secure the gold was a huge deal at the time. Recall, if you will, that in the mid-’90s, the internet was in its infancy, there was no such thing as social media, and nobody had ever heard the term “viral video.”

And yet, everyone was talking about this.

Jewish Federation’s Presidents Dinner with Kerri Strug, 6 p.m., Sunday, May 21 at the Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. Tickets are $100 each, $50 per young adult (ages 35 and under).

Kashrut will be observed.

Participants will be asked to make their pledges to the 2023 Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. RSVP by May 15 to jewishdayton.org/events.

In the aftermath of her feat, Strug made the rounds on talk shows, graced a box of Wheaties, and even made an appearance on Beverly Hills, 90210. Strug never competed in gymnastics again.

Strug will keynote the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton Presidents Dinner, Sunday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education. She'll talk about her career and the role Judaism has played in her life.

Thanks to YouTube, footage of Strug’s 1996 Olympic vault is available for anyone who wants to watch it. And while her determination remains undeniably powerful, watching Strug compete despite injury feels more like a tragedy than a triumph, especially in the wake of the horrific USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal, and other reports of the abusive relationships of gymnasts and coaches, including Károlyi.

Strug has pushed back against accusations she was bullied into doing the vault by her coach.

These days, Strug is a 45-year-old Jewish mom of two kids. Here are Jewish facts to know about the Olympic icon.

1. Strug was raised in a Jewish home.

Strug grew up in Tucson, Ariz. She was raised Jewish by her parents, Melanie Barron and Burt Strug, a cardiovascular

Bark Mitzvah Boy Israel@75

Leaning in, Mr. Herzl.

BMB

2. Strug has described her childhood home as culturally Jewish.

Her family attended services on the High Holidays but she did not have a bat mitzvah. “By the time I was 7, I was winning competitions and I had to make a choice: Go to Hebrew school or go to the gym,” Strug told the Jewish Standard in 2006.

cc O O Menachem Menachem

Strug began to explore her Jewish identity while she was in college. She attended UCLA and later transferred to Stanford University, where she earned a master’s in sociology. She has credited her Conservative Jewish boyfriend at the time with acquainting her with many aspects of Jewish tradition, including celebrating Shabbat and other Jewish holidays.

4. She officially opened the 1997 Maccabiah Games.

She kicked off the multisport event, known as “the Jewish Olympics.” It was her first trip to Israel. In the opening cerContinued on next page

Our destiny as a people is laid bare this month. The Jewish past, present, and future collide, with our hearts and minds on the journey from slavery to freedom, from death to life, from Marshall despair to hope, in the narratives of Weiss Passover, the Shoah, and Israel's Memorial Day and Independence Day. At its 75th year, if Israel is in an existential crisis, it is from within. Can we contemplate celebrating when the nature of Israeli democracy itself is at issue now? For those of us who love Israel, it's because of that love that we must engage in civil discourse and actions to express our support for and disagreement with the government of the Jewish state. When we vehemently disagree with government policies here in the United States, our love of the U.S. and what it stands for remain in our hearts and keep our activism alive. Wishing us all a season in which we can balance justice and mercy in pursuit of freedom and a complete peace.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

Kerri Strug after injuring her ankle at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta

3. She began to explore her Jewish identity after the Olympics.

From the editor’s desk

Don’t give up on the dream.

David Madison/Contributor/Getty Images

surgeon. She has two older siblings, Kevin and Lisa. “The first to fall in love with gymnastics was Lisa, the oldest,” Strug’s official bio reads. “She started competing when she was 8 years old, before Kerri was even born. A few years later, Kerri declared that she wanted to be just like her older sister, and she was soon enrolled in a 'Mom and Tots' gymnastics class.”

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DAYTON

Piqua temple celebrates building's 100th Temple Anshe Emeth

Temple Anshe Emeth in Piqua, which was established in 1858, will celebrate the centennial of its current building with an open house, Saturday, April 15, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The community is also invited to join 10 a.m. Shabbat services that day, led by Rabbinic Intern Anna Burke, with a carry-in dairy lunch to follow. The Shabbat services will also be available via Zoom.

At 1 p.m., Burke will lead the temple's annual Judaism Sanctuary of Temple Anshe Emeth, Piqua 101 class for the public.

The Reform congregaAs an adult, Leo M. Flesh had contion dedicated its building, at 320 verted to Christianity but continued Caldwell St. in Piqua, on April 2, to acknowledge his Jewish lineage 1923. According to Austin Reid's A and support Jewish causes.

History of Jewish Life in the Upper MiAnshe Emeth Sisterhood raised the ami Valley, the new building cost apother half of the funds — to ensure proximately $20,000, about $350,000 the new building was free of debt — in today’s dollars. through individual contributions, Leo M. Flesh, president of the bake sales, dinners, rummage sales, Atlas Underwear Co., the Citizens Nation Bank, and board chairman of and raffles.

For more information about Anshe the Piqua Savings Bank, donated half of the funds in memory of his father, Emeth's programs, contact Steve Shuchat at 937-726-2116 or ansheemeth@ Henry Flesh, a founding member of gmail.com.

— Marshall Weiss the temple who had died in 1919.

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Kerri Strug INFORMING. INSPIRING. EMPOWERING.

Continued from previous page emony, she carried an Olympic-style torch into the stadium to open the Games. That year’s Maccabiah was marred by tragedy: A bridge leading to the stadium where the opening ceremony was held collapsed, killing one athlete and injuring 48 others.

5. Strug views her athletic prowess as profoundly Jewish.

She’s proud of being Jewish, despite repeated encounters with people who express surprise at her Jewish identity. As Strug herself wrote in I Am Jewish: Personal Reflections Inspired by the Last Words of Daniel Pearl: “I think about the attributes that helped me reach that podium: perseverance when faced with pain, years of patience and hope in an uncertain future, and a belief and devotion to something greater than myself. It makes it hard for me to believe that I did not look Jewish up there on the podium. In my mind, those are attributes that have defined Jews throughout history.”

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6. She had a Jewish wedding.

In 2010, Strug married attorney Robert Fischer in a Jewish ceremony that also incorporated Christian traditions. “They’ll have a Kiddush cup and then a unity candle, so it will be special for both of them,” wedding planner Anne Bryan told People magazine. The wedding took place at Skyline Country Club in Strug’s hometown of Tucson.

7. About that 90210 episode...

Strug made a cameo appearance on the Sept. 18, 1996 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. In the scene, Strug briefly meets Jewish character David Silver (Brian Austin Green) who, frustrated by class registration at California University, quips: “What do you have to do, win a gold medal or something?”

Oddly enough, this was a very Jewish episode of the series, which has Kelly (Jennie Garth) and David take their friend Jimmy, who is Jewish and dying of AIDS, to synagogue to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

8. Strug is a Jewish mom.

She and her husband are the parents of two children: Tyler William, born in 2012; and Alayna Madaleine, born in 2014.

“It’s different how your perspective changes once you have a kid,”she told ESPN shortly after Tyler’s birth. “Everybody tells you it’s going to happen, but until you have one, you don’t get it.”

9. She’s an inductee in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2008, Strug was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. The total number of gymnasts to have received this honor is three: Strug; Mitch Gaylord, the first American gymnast to score a perfect 10, in the 1984 Olympics; and two-time Olympian Aly Raisman, who was inducted in 2012.

THE DAYTON

OBSERVER daytonjewishobserver.org Editor and Publisher Marshall Weiss mweiss@jfgd.net 937-610-1555 Contributors Rabbi Judy Chessin, Martin Gottlieb, Candace R. Kwiatek Advertising Sales Executive Patty Caruso, plhc69@gmail.com Administrative Assistant Samantha Daniel, sdaniel@jfgd.net 937-610-1555 Billing Sheila Myers, smyers@jfgd.net 937-610-1555 Proofreader Rachel Haug Gilbert Observer Advisor Martin Gottlieb Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton Mary Rita Weissman President Dan Sweeny President Elect Marni Flagel Secretary Neil Friedman Treasurer Ben Mazer VP Personnel Teddy Goldenberg VP Resource Dev. Dr. Heath Gilbert Immediate Past Pres.

Cathy Gardner CEO The Dayton Jewish Observer, Vol. 27, No. 8. The Dayton Jewish Observer is published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, a nonprofit corporation, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459.

Views expressed by columnists, in readers’ letters, and in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff or layleaders of The Dayton Jewish Observer or the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton. Acceptance of advertising neither endorses advertisers nor guarantees kashrut.

The Dayton Jewish Observer Mission Statement To support, strengthen and champion the Dayton Jewish community by providing a forum and resource for Jewish community interests.

Goals • To encourage affiliation, involvement and communication.

• To provide announcements, news, opinions and analysis of local, national and international activities and issues affecting Jews and the Jewish community.

• To build community across institutional, organizational and denominational lines.

• To advance causes important to the strength of our Jewish community including support of Federation agencies, its annual campaign, synagogue affiliation, Jewish education and participation in Jewish and general community affairs.

• To provide an historic record of Dayton Jewish life.

The Dayton Jewish Observer

Please recycle this newspaper.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

DAYTON Humor & hope in Bible, Jewish Christian dialogue, theme of Ryterband Symposium

Smith College Jewish Studies Prof. Joel S. Kaminsky and Hartford International University President Joel N. Lohr will lead the 43rd Annual Ryterband Symposium in Judaic Studies, Thursday, March 30 at United Theological Seminary.

The symposium is cosponsored by The University of Dayton, United Theological Seminary, and Wright State University.

At 4 p.m., Kaminsky will present the lecture God Has Brought Me Laughter: Exploring Humor & Hope in the Bible.

At 7:30 p.m., his talk will be Jewish/Christian Dialogue is No Joke...Or is it?, followed

by Lohr's lecture, Is Christian Humor Even a Thing? What I’ve Learned from Jewish-Christian Dialogue.

Both sessions are free and open to the public. UTS is located at 4501 Denlinger Rd., Trotwood. For more information, contact UTS Prof. Anthony Le Donne at acledonne@united. edu.

Discussion with IDF veterans April 27

The Dayton Jewish Community Relations Council will host its next Community Conversation, Israel Defense Forces: Past, Present, and Future, over lunch at noon on Thursday, April 27 at Beth Abraham Synagogue.

Veterans of the IDF will lead the discussion. Beth Abraham Synagogue is located at 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood.

Kosher box lunches are $18 and must be ordered in advance with event registration at jewishdayton.org/events.

51st

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We Wish The Dayton Jewish Community A Very Happy Passover.

Our Warmest Wishes For A Happy Passover

J-Serve clothing drive

Dayton BBYO will sponsor a spring clothing drive for Closet Transformation, a clothing exchange for the transgender community in the Miami Valley, as part of J-Serve, International BBYO's annual day of Jewish youth service.

Through Friday, April 14, drop boxes for gently used clothing will be in place at the Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville; and at Temple Israel, 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. Needed items are: T-shirts, hoodies, larger-size men's pants, new underwear, new socks, travel-size mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

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at www.morrisathome.com WISHING YOU A HAPPY PASSOVER

937-222-4625

Contact Patty Caruso at plhc69@gmail.com to advertise in The Observer.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

PAGE 5

Purim Roundup

Temple Beth Or

Children in the religious schools of Beth Abraham, Temple Beth Or, and Temple Israel, their parents and teachers share their silliest faces at Temple Beth Or for a shared Purim celebration

Hillel Academy

Chabad Temple Israel

At Temple Israel's Wild West Purim (L to R): Music & Communications Dir. Courtney Cummings, Associate Rabbi Tina Sobo, and Senior Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz.

Rabbi Nochum Mangel is dressed as a High Priest at Chabad's Purim in Jerusalem event, shown here with (L to R): Josh and Dr. Miri Lader, Estee and Yosi Atzmon, and Judah, Seth, and Andy Schwartz

Beth Jacob's Rabbi Leibel Agar visited Hillel Academy dressed as Dumbledore from Harry Potter and showed students the synagogue's new Megillah scroll.

Beth Abraham

Beth Abraham's shpiel, Purim According to Elvis, featured the talents of (L to R) Alan Chesen, Irwin Dumtschin, Bob Kohn, Shana Fishbein, Adam Feiner, Irene Fishbein, synagogue Business Director Elaine Arnovitz, Judy Chesen, and Diane Williams.

PAGE 6

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

To a Beautiful Passover.

3100 Far Hills Avenue x 937-298-0171 www.JAMESFREE.com THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

PAGE 7

DAYTON

Community Yom Hashoah Observance evolved from survivors' bonds ‘Judaism teaches us that the highest obligation of the living is to take care of our deceased.’

F

First public commemoration 60 years ago at Beth Jacob Congregation

Collection of Renate Frydman/JFGD

— Linda & Steve Horenstein

or Linda and Steve Horenstein, their first personal experience with the Beth Abraham Synagogue cemetery was after the devastating loss of their 8-year-old son Joel in 1986. Since then, it has become a place of solace and reflection for them.

Although there was a family plot in the greater Boston area, almost 20 years later, Steve brought both his parents to Dayton to have them buried in the Beth Abraham cemetery, fulfilling their wishes to be buried alongside their beloved grandson.

Both Linda and Steve find comfort in the magnificently maintained cemetery; but understand the financial burden of perpetual care. So, they contributed to the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton campaign to ensure that all necessary funding and resources will be available to keep the cemetery a serene and tranquil place for all future families seeking the same consolation.

Happy Passover.

Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton is an endowment organization created to maintain our three Jewish cemeteries in perpetuity.

Please join us as we strive to maintain the sanctity, care, and integrity of these sacred burial grounds.

Preserving our Past Ensuring Our Future

daytonjewishcemeteries.org 525 Versailles Drive • Centerville, OH 45459 PAGE 8

A citizenship ceremony scene in an original play with songs and dance, Our Story, performed by Holocaust survivors, Oct. 28, 1951 at Temple Israel on Salem Avenue (L to R): Play director Leon Unger as the judge, with Henry Eckstein, Morris Gordon, Edith Akerman, Sam Heider, Charles Frydman, John Kneller.

By Marshall Weiss, The Observer Holocaust and Heroism, as 27 Nisan, with the anniIt was 60 years ago when Holocaust survivors inversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in mind. Yom vited the public to the Dayton area's first community Hashoah falls a week after the seventh day of Passover Yom Hashoah memorial service, held April 21, 1963 at and a week before Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Beth Jacob Congregation on Kumler Avenue.

Day. It wasn't until 1959 that the Knesset officially legBut Holocaust educator Renate Frydman recalls islated Yom Hashoah as a national commemoration. that a few years before that event, survivors would In the interview here, Frydman shares her recollecjoin together annually in Beth Jacob's basetions of Dayton's survivors and the origins of ment for a private service in memory of the Community Yom Hashoah Observance. those they had lost in the Shoah.

Her husband, Charlie, was among them.

What do you remember about the survivors' She attended with him beginning with the first private Holocaust service in Dayton? first service, which she thinks may have There were just chairs and the survivors been in 1959 or 1960. themselves. Men led the service. They didn’t From 1963 through 1975, the terms Yom all run the service. I don’t think there were Hashoah and Holocaust were not used in more than 25, 30 people in that room. Their the context of the Dayton area community wives were there too in most cases. It was terobservance, which will be held this year on ribly sad. And I had already been with these Renate Frydman April 23 at Temple Beth Or. people in home settings. And they would talk It was originally framed as a memorial to about specific things that happened to them commemorate the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust.

Uprising, April 19-May 16, 1943, and "the martyrs, They felt the only people who can understand what who gave their lives for the sanctification of God's they were telling were other survivors at that time. I Holy Name." And 1963 marked the 20th anniversary was present because Charlie and I were married. So I of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. listened.

In 1951, Israel's Knesset had set the date for Yom That day, at the service, men were teary eyed. They Hashoah ve Hagevurah, the Day of Remembrance of the tried not to show their emotions. But if they were reading a prayer or something, there was a catch in The Community Yom Hashoah Observance will be held their throat. But some of the women, a few of them at 4 p.m., Sunday, April 23 at Temple Beth Or, 5275 were wailing. And that’s a sound I can still hear.

Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. At 3 p.m., works from this Then, it was truly a Kaddish service. It was the year's Max and Lydia May Holocaust Art and Writing pouring out of emotion of loss. It opened a wound.

Contest will be on display, and Renate Frydman will Now, it’s much more of a program. lead a discussion with contest participants and area teens. Also at 4 p.m., during the community observance, The survivors who put this together in those days PJ Library and PJ Our Way will host a story, craft, were young, weren’t they? and snack program about how to spread kindness for Yes. Some were in their 20s, some were in their 30s. children and their families. RSVP for all events with But they were still very lively when it was a happy ocSamantha Daniel, sdaniel@jfgd.net, 937-610-1555. casion. They would dance and sing. But for this, it was

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

DAYTON strictly mourning. And you felt it. It was really small compared to nowadays, when we had about 300, 400 before Covid. We mostly all knew each other.

Some had lost whole families previously in the Holocaust. And some had remarried after the war. This was a very small nucleus of Polish survivors.

It was mostly Beth Jacob members?

Yes, definitely. Because most of them belonged to Beth Jacob as soon as they got here. Rabbi Sam Fox was there (at the first Yom Hashoah service) because he was very supportive of the survivors from the beginning. And they all clung to him. We belonged to Beth Abraham because of my parents. But we went to Beth Jacob a lot. The survivors had their own club, they had their own meetings, sometimes they had happy occasions.

What was the name of their club?

The Jewish New Americans Society of Dayton. And there were dues. It was $5. I have the box with all their names.

It was very male oriented, although the women attended things. The men ran this whole thing. We called them “The Boys." And once in a while they had a dance at Beth Jacob in the social hall, and they had some survivors like Jack Bomstein and his father who played instruments. They had groups from Cincinnati come. There were interchanges among the Cincinnati and Day-

Collection of Renate Frydman/JFGD

ton survivors for years.

Almost all of the socialization centered around the survivors — and their families, eventually.

Why did they formally organize?

It was a brotherhood.

They were trying to be like other people at that point. They wanted to be a group. It took a long time till American Jews, any of them, mingled with them socially or in any other ways. Maybe in the synagogues durWomen in the New Americans group prepared European delicacies for the reception after the play, Oct. 28, 1951 ing prayer services they at Temple Israel. The survivors hosted the play and party for the entire Jewish community. Event chair Carmen did. They wouldn’t have Appel, mother of Renate Frydman, said at the time it was the New Americans' way of 'expressing to the Jewish excluded them. But it community of Dayton our gratitude for the help they have given us in starting a new life in this community.' took time. It took a lot of were open to them for a while. I think time for them to feel like part of society They didn’t all get along, believe it was just defensiveness. The miracle again. They tried really hard. me. The ones from the bigger cities in is that they had the resilience to live And in 1951, they put on a show at Poland were a little bit like they were the old Temple Israel. There were only better than the ones who came from out again at all. To have families after all they had seen. To be a responsible part survivors in the show, with a story in the country. I didn’t want to be part of our community. Of any community. about them coming over. They had a of that.

Because they had been so degraded scene on the ship, and then they had For a long time, Americans weren’t for being Jews. And then they had lost entertainment. A survivor and daughreally interested in hearing what they everything. And still to be able to come ter did a ballet dance. They invited the had gone through. They didn’t want to general community. hear the stories because it was too much back from all of that. That slow revival of spirit that they found. Not all of them They clung together, those who had for them. And the older people maybe did well emotionally. Some didn’t have shared the same experience. I think felt a little guilt. families. But they all became part of the that’s the human thing. That you try to The survivors were not any more community eventually. find people who understand your pain. open to other people than other people

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PAGE 9

THE WORLD Gili Yaari Flash90

HAPPY PASSOVER! This year and always, may your cup overflow with happiness and prosperity.

Alarmed by their country’s political direction, more Israelis seek to move abroad Thousands of Israelis rally against the government's judicial overhaul bills, Tel Aviv, March 4.

Congregational Second Seder Thursday, April 6 at 6:00PM Seating may still be available. $36/adult, $20/child, ages 3-11 Call Temple for more details.

APRIL SPEAKERS

April 16 Dr. Shashank Sarvepalli Kettering Health

Trust Your Gut: Tools for Avoiding Gastrointestinal Cancers

April 30 Rabbi Karen BodneyHalasz & Israel trip participants

A View From Israel

By Deborah Danan March, JTA TEL AVIV — When Daniel Schleider and his wife, Lior, leave Israel in April, it will be for good — and with a heavy heart.

“I have no doubt I will have tears in my eyes the whole flight.” said Schleider, who was born in Mexico and lived in Israel for a time as a child before returning on his own at 18.

Describing himself as “deeply Zionist,” he served in a combat unit in the Israeli army, married an Israeli woman, and built a career in an Israeli company.

Yet as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power, assembled a coalition that includes far-right parties, and started pushing changes

that would erode hallmarks of Israeli democracy, Schleider found himself booking plane tickets and locating an apartment in Barcelona. Spain’s language and low cost of living made the city a good fit, he said, but the real attraction was living in a place where he wouldn’t constantly have to face down the ways that Israel is changing.

Israel’s strength over its 75 years, Schleider said, is “the economy we built by selling our brains. And yet, in less than half a year, we’ve managed to destroy all that.”

Schleider has been joining the sweeping protests that have taken root across the country in response to the new right-wing government and its effort to

April 23 Radha Konar-White

From Hinduism to Judaism, Radha’s 32 Year Journey The Dorothee and Louis Ryterband Lecture Series includes a light breakfast of bagels, schmear, coffee, and tea.

Brunch begins at 9:45AM and the speakers start their presentations at 10:15AM. Cost is $7 per person.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

THE WORLD They include families strip the Israeli judiciary pushed to leave by the of much of its power and political situation; those independence. But while investing in real estate he considered recomabroad as a future shelter, mitting to his country if needed; and Israelis and fighting the changes who can work remotely rather than fleeing over and are worried about the them, he also accepts the country’s upheaval. government’s argument Economics are also a that most Israelis voted concern: With foreign for something he doesn’t investors issuing dire believe in. warnings about Israel’s “I have a lot of internal economy if the judicial conflict,” he said about reforms go through, the protests. “Who am I companies wary to invest to fight against what the in the country and the majority has accepted?” shekel already weakenSchleider is far from ing, it could grow more alone in seeking to leave expensive to leave in the Israel this year. While Isfuture. raelis have always moved The most common abroad for various readestination for the new sons, including business departures, Drenger said, opportunities or to gain is Europe, representing experience in particular 70% of moves, compared fields, the pace of planned to 40% in the recent past. departures appears to be Daniel Schleider and his wife, Lior, are leaving Israel for Barcelona because of the political Europe’s draws include picking up. instability in their country. its convenient time zones, No longer considered quality-of-life indices, a form of social betrayal, the organization received last and chiefly, the relative ease emigration — known in year, according to senior manin recent years of obtaining Hebrew as yerida, meaning ager Shay Obazanek. foreign passports in countries descent — is on the table for “Never in history has there such as Portugal, Poland and a wide swath of Israelis right been this level of demand,” even Morocco. now.

Obazanek said, citing the comMany Israelis have roots in Many of the people weighpany’s 80 years’ experience as those countries and are or have ing emigration were already the barometer of movement in been entitled to citizenship tothinking about it but were and out the country. day because their family memcatalyzed by the new governShlomit Drenger, who leads bers were forced to leave under ment, according to accounts Ocean Relocation’s business duress during the Holocaust or from dozens of people in varidevelopment, said those lookthe Spanish Inquisition. ous stages of emigration and of ing to leave come from all organizations that seek to aid walks of life.

Continued on Page 12 them.

“I’ve already been on the fence for a few years — not in terms of leaving Israel but in terms of relocating for something new,” said Schleider.

“But in the past year, with all the craziness and everything, I realized where the country was going. And after the recent A Healthy Alternative elections, my wife — who had We Use The Best Ingredients been unconvinced — was the Prepared Fresh Daily one who took the step and said now she understood where the public is going and what life is going to be like in the country.

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THE WORLD

Israelis

around the world before deciding where to settle.

“We’re living in a democracy Continued from Page 11 On the other hand, Drenger and that democracy is depensaid, emigration to the United dent on demography and I States, where the vast majority can’t fight it,” he said, alluding of the 1 million Israeli citizens to the fact that Orthodox Jews, abroad live, has declined sigwho tend to be right wing, are nificantly. the fastest-growing segment The United States is known of the Israeli population. “The for its tough immigration laws country that I love and that I’ve and high cost of living in areas always loved will not be here with large Israeli and Jewish in 10 years. Instead, it will be communities, and a country that is even people who 'Never in history suited to other have no rights to people, but not a foreign passport has there been for me.” have an easier While others this level time obtaining have already residency rights of demand.' started their emiin Europe than gration process, the United States.

American-born Marni Mandell, Some Israelis aren’t picking a mother of two living in Tel anywhere in particular before Aviv, is still on the fence. Her leaving. Ofer Stern, 40, quit greatest fear is that judicial his job as a tech developer, left reforms could open the door Israel, and is now traveling to significant changes in civil rights protections — and in so doing, break her contract with the country she chose.

“If this so-called ‘reform’ is enacted, which is really tantamount to a coup, it’s hard to imagine that I want my children to grow up to fight in an army whose particularism outweighs the basic human rights that are so fundamental to my values,” Mandell said.

Most people who look into emigrating for political reasons do not end up doing so.

In the weeks leading up to the United States’ 2020 presidential election, inquiries to law firms specializing in helping Americans move abroad saw a sharp uptick in inquiries — many of them from Jews fearful about a second Trump administration after then-President Donald Trump declined to unequivocally condemn white supremacists. When President Joe Biden was elected, they largely called off the alarm.

The Trump scenario is not analogous with the Israeli one for several reasons, starting with the fact that the Israelis are responding to an elected government’s policy decisions, not just the prospect of an election result.

What’s more, U.S. law contains safeguards designed to prevent any single party or leader from gaining absolute power. Israel has fewer of 72 Plum Street those safeguards, and many Beavercreek, Ohio of those appear threatened if 937-429 9000 the government’s proposals go through. www.pashagrill.com Casandra Larenas had long courted the idea of moving Wishing You overseas. “As a childfree perA Happy Passover son, Israel doesn’t have much

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THE WORLD

Happy Passover

Clockwise from upper L: Benjamin-Michael Aronov, Casandra Larenas, and Ofer Stern are all leaving Israel because of political unrest there.

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937-228-2020 to offer and is a really expensive country. I’ve traveled around so I know the quality of life I can reach abroad,” she said. But she said she had always batted away the idea: “I’m still Jewish and my family are still here.”

That all changed with the judicial overhaul, she said.

While not against the idea of a reform per se, Laranes is firmly opposed to the way it is being carried out, saying it totally disregards the millions of people on the other side.

Chilean-born, Laranes grew up under Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship.

“I still remember (it) and I don’t want something like that again,” said Larenas, who has purchased a plane ticket for later this spring and plans to take up residency abroad — though she said she would maintain her citizenship and hoped to return one day.

The departure of liberal and moderate Israelis could have implications on Israel’s political future. Israel does not permit its citizens to vote absentee, meaning that anyone who leaves the country must incur costly, potentially frequent travel to participate in elections — or cede political input altogether.

Benjamin-Michael Aronov, who grew up with Russian parents in the United States, said he was taken aback by how frequently Israelis express shock that he moved to Israel in the first place.

“The No. 1 question I get from Israelis is, ‘Why would you move here from the U.S.?

We’re all trying to get out of here. There’s no future here.'”

He said he had come to realize that they were right.

“I thought the warnings

were something that would truly impact our children or grandchildren but that our lifetime would be spent in an Israeli high-tech, secular golden era. But I’m realizing the longevity of Tel Aviv’s bubble of beaches and parties and crazysmart, secular people changing the world with technology is maybe even more a fantasy now than when Herzl dreamt it,” Aronov said. “I found my perfect home, a Jewish home, sadly being undone by Jews.”

Not everyone choosing to

jump ship is ideologically aligned with the protest movement. Amir Cohen, who asked to use a pseudonym because he has not informed his employers of his plans yet, is a computer science lecturer at Ariel University in the West Bank who voted in the last election for the Otzma Yehudit party chaired by far-right provocateur Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Cohen was willing to put aside his ideological differences with the Haredi Orthodox Continued on Page 14

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Israelis

Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images

Continued from Page 13 parties if it meant achieving political stability — but was soon disillusioned.

“None of it is working.

And now we’re on our way to civil war, it’s that simple.

I figured, ‘I don’t need this nonsense, there are plenty of places in the world for me to go,’” he said.

Cohen stuck with the country after one of his brothers was killed in the Israelis protesting against the government’s controversial judicial reform bill 2014 Gaza War. Now, he said, his other brothers have block the main road leading to the departures area of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on March 9. recently followed his lead Mizrahi described sitting in and applied for Hungarian Everything’s calm.” traffic jams in Jerusalem and passports in an effort to find Back in Israel, Schleider is realizing that if a terror attack a way to move abroad permamaking his final preparations were to unfold — “and let’s nently. for leaving, advertising his be honest, there are at least “I’m not alone,” he said.

Tesla for sale on Facebook this “Most of my friends and family one or two every week” — he week. He remains hopeful that wouldn’t be able to escape in feel the same way.” the massive anti-government time because he was caught in Others still, like Omer protests will make a difference. a gridlock.

Mizrahi, view themselves as In the meantime, though, his “Our politicians can’t do apolitical. A contractor from one-way ticket is scheduled for anything about it because Jerusalem, Mizrahi, 27, headed April 14. they’re too embroiled in a war to San Diego a month ago as a “I dream of coming back, but of egos.” result of the reform. Mizrahi, I don’t know that it will ever Now 7,500 miles away, who eschewed casting a vote happen,” he said. “We made a Mizrahi says he feels like he’s in the last election, expressed a decision that was self-serving, finally living life. “I sit in traffic but that doesn’t mean we’re less common impetus for leavnow and I’m happy as a clam. ing: actual fear for his life. any less Zionist.”

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

CALENDAR Classes

Beth Abraham Classes: Mondays, noon: Lifelong Learning w. Rabbi Glazer. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood. 937-2939520.

Beth Jacob Classes: Tuesdays, 7 p.m.: Torah Tuesdays on Zoom w. Rabbi Agar.

Thurs., Apr. 20, 27, 7 p.m.: Thursdays of Thought — Jewish Thought, Halacha, & Holidays on Zoom w. Rabbi Agar.

937-274-2149.

Chabad Classes: Wednesdays, 7 p.m.: Talmud Class in person. Thursdays, noon: Lunch & Learn on Zoom.

Fridays, 9:30 a.m.: Women’s Class in person. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. Register at chabaddayton.com. 937-6430770.

Temple Beth Or Adult Classes: Sundays, 12:30 p.m.: Adult Hebrew. Mon., Apr. 3, 10 a.m.: Apocryphal Study on Zoom. 937-435-3400. 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. Temple Israel Classes: Tues., April 11, 18, 25, noon: Talmud Study, in person & virtual.

Weds., Apr. 5, 19, 26, 10 a.m.: Social Justice Commentary w. Rabbi Bodney-Halasz at home of Cathy Lieberman.

Saturdays, 9:15 a.m.: Virtual Torah Study. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. tidayton.org, 937-4960050.

Family

Temple Israel Prayer & Play: Sat., Apr. 15, 10 a.m. Infants2nd grade. Contact Rabbi Sobo, educator@tidayton.org.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 937496-0050.

PJ Library & PJ Our Way, Spreading Kindness: Sun., Apr. 23, 4 p.m. Story, craft, snack. For info., call Samantha Daniel, 937-610-1555. At Temple Beth Or, 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp.

Jewish Youth Group, JServe, A Day of Service: Sun., Apr. 16, 10 a.m. Grades 6-12 at Closet Transformation.

Register at jewishdayton.org/ events or call 937-610-1555.

Men

Chabad Bagels, Lox & Tefillin: Sun., Apr. 2, 9:30 a.m.

937-643-0770. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood.

Passover

Chabad Community Pesach Seder: Wed., Apr. 5, 7:15 p.m. $36 adult, $20 child. RSVP to rabbilevi@chabaddayton.com or 937-643-0770. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood.

Temple Israel Second Seder: Thurs., Apr. 6, 6 p.m. $36 adults, $20 ages 3-12. RSVP

by March 27 to 937-496-0050.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

Temple Beth Or Second Seder: Thurs., Apr. 6, 6:30 p.m. $36 adults, $25 children.

RSVP templebethor.com/ events or call 937-435-3400.

5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp.

Community

43rd Annual Ryterband Symposium in Judaic Studies: Thurs., Mar. 30. 4 p.m.: Smith College Jewish Studies Prof.

Joel S. Kaminsky, God Has Brought Me Laughter: Exploring Humor & Hope in the Bible.

7:30 p.m.: Prof. Kaminsky, Jewish/Christian Dialogue is No Joke...Or is it? Followed by Hartford Intl. Univ. Pres. Joel N. Lohr, Is Christian Humor Even a Thing? What I’ve Learned from Jewish-Christian Dialogue. Free. For info., contact UTS Prof. Anthony Le Donne at acledonne@united.edu. United Theological Seminary, 4501 Denlinger Rd., Trotwood.

Temple Anshe Emeth Building Centennial Celebration: Sat., Apr. 15. 10 a.m: Shabbat services. Noon: Carry-in

Children & Teens

Chabad Kids Club Pesach World Records: Sun., Apr. 2, 4 p.m. Free. Ages 5-12. Optional dinner following. RSVP at chabaddayton.com/ckids. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 937643-0770.

dairy lunch. 1 p.m.: Judaism 101 Class w. Rabbinic Intern Burke. 2:30 p.m.: Open house.

For more info., contact Steve Shuchat, 937-726-2116 or ansheemeth@gmail.com. 320 Caldwell St., Piqua.

Temple Israel Ryterband Brunch & Lecture Series: Sundays, 9:45 a.m. $7. Apr. 16: Kettering Health's Dr. Shashank Sarvepalli, Trust Your Gut-Tools for Avoiding Gastrointestinal Cancers. Apr. 23: Radha Konar-White, founder, Promised Land Children’s Charitable Trust, From Hinduism to Judaism, Radha’s 32Year Journey. Apr. 30: Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, A View From Israel. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 937-496-0050.

Jewish Community Relations Council Community Lunch Conversation: IDF: Past, Present, Future: Thurs., Apr. 27, noon. Kosher box lunch $18. Order in advance at jewishdayton.org/events. At Beth Abraham Synagogue, 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood.

Temple Beth Or Art on the Lot: Sun., Apr. 30, 11:20 a.m.

Free. Contact Ruth Schumacher, ruth.schumacher@wright. edu. 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash.

Twp. 937-435-3400.

Israel @ 75 Yom Ha'atzmaut Celebration: Sun., Apr. 30, 2 p.m. Free. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville.

RSVP to jewishdayton.org/ events or call 937-610-1555.

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Community Yom Hashoah Observance: Sun., Apr. 23, 4 p.m. Works from Max & Lydia May Holocaust Art & Writing Contest on display beginning 3 p.m. Program for teens at 3 p.m. For info., call Samantha Daniel, 937-610-1555. At Temple Beth Or, 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp.

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PAGE 15

OPINION

Israel is still a free country – but now with a warning sign Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

run for office. WithAssaf Shapira, Times of Israel out the Court, the In its annual index, published on coalition, thanks to its March 9, 2023, Freedom House gave control of the Central Israel a score of 77 out of 100 and the Elections Committee, designation “free.” This refers, of course, could disqualify parto 2022, and thus does not reflect the curties and candidates as rent “reform” project, which is almost it sees fit. certain to lower that score. The report’s editors stated this explicitly: “the new A not-really-liberal government’s agenda posed a direct democracy threat to judicial independence and Second, in all the other democratic principles, as well as to indexes, Israel ranks the basic rights of Palestinians.” at the bottom of the The Freedom House Index is one of list of liberal democthe prominent international measures of racies or at the top of the degree of freedom or democracy in the list of the not-recountries around the world, along with ally-liberal democraV-Dem and The Economist’s Democracy cies. Freedom House Index. Although there are many differIsraeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir gives it a score of 77 ences in these studies’ methodologies and their results, ultimately, they paint much the same and “free.” While it is not really close to falling into the group of “partially free” states – Hungary, India, picture, including with regard to Israel.

Mexico, Serbia, the Philippines, Georgia, Tunisia, To begin with, they all reflect a broad concept of Armenia, Singapore, Lebanon, and Pakistan, to name a democracy and pose questions that refer not only to few, it could be added to that list if, for example, it lost the existence of competitive elections – a criterion five points on questions about political rights. for democracy in the narrow sense as well – but also All the same, today it is very far behind the 43 counto many other aspects: The protection of individual tries and territories with a score of 90 or more – which rights (such as equality, property, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and freedom of religion), includes not only long-established western democracies but also countries in Latin America (Uruguay, the rule of law, free media, independent universiChile, and Costa Rica), East Asia (Japan and Taiwan), ties, government transparency, the struggle against institutional corruption, freedom of activity for human and Eastern Europe (Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Slovakia). The Economist’s index defines rights organizations, and of course – an independent Israel as a “flawed democracy,” but with a score of judiciary.

7.93 that is only slightly below the 8.0 that would make The Freedom House Index, for example, is based on 25 questions that fall into two categories, “political it a “full democracy.” V-Dem sees Israel as a liberal democracy, but uncomfortably close to the line between rights” and “civil liberties.” Sixty out of one hundred liberal and merely electoral democracies. points are allocated to the questions on civil liberties This finding should not surprise us. We are well – that is, democracy in the broad sense. The Economist’s index also defines civil liberties as a core aspect aware that Israeli democracy is far from perfect. There should be no doubt: In light of the circumstances, of democracy, while V-Dem distinguishes electoral the very fact that Israel is a liberal democracy or a democracies from liberal democracies. free country – or at least almost so – is an incredible This is an important point. It is sometimes asserted achievement, bordering on a that terms such as “liberal democracy” and “substantive democraThe idea that democracy miracle. Along with this, howIsraeli democracy is indeed cy” were coined by Israeli jurists to goes far beyond elections ever, flawed in many respects: rangserve as antidemocratic ammunition against the principle of major- is not an Israeli invention. ing from the religion and state relationship, through equality ity rule, in order to preserve the and freedom of expression, and power of the old elites. But leaving This is the concept of aside the sociological argument, democracy prevailing all concluding with the status of the Arab minority (and we haven’t these international indexes clearly over the world. yet mentioned the occupied terdemonstrate that the idea that ritories, which all these indexes democracy is mainly or entirely do not relate to). When it comes to democracy, our majority rule is not accepted in the world. starting point is already problematic, even before the The common view is that democracy is expressed planned “reform.” also – and perhaps chiefly – in adherence to values The proposed reforms would be even more harmful such as equality, protection of individual rights, to Israeli democracy. It is difficult to estimate just how strong and independent law-enforcement agencies, many points Israel would lose on the international inand a system of checks and balances. dexes; that depends on the specific reforms that would It is important to emphasize: Each of these princibe imposed, their actual ramifications, and whether ples are important in their own right, but also­– bethe authors of the indexes would be severe or lenient cause they are a prerequisite for democratic elections. in their judgment of Israel. But we can certainly wager, For example, it should be obvious, that if a majority currently in power limits the minority’s freedom of ex- that on several questions, Israel’s Freedom House pression, the next election will not be truly democratic. score would be lowered.

These begin with the independence of the judiciary, In the Israeli context, it is clear that we will no on which Israel currently receives the maximum score longer have democracy, even in the narrow sense, without a strong and independent Supreme Court that – 4 points out of 4. But if the current proposals are enacted, the status and independence of judges and protects the rights of Arab parties and candidates to

So, what do you think?

PAGE 16

ministry legal advisors will be dealt a lethal blow, and there is no doubt that Israel’s score would plummet.

The same can be anticipated for the question on due legal process. According to the directions in the index, this requires full independence of all those involved – judges, prosecutors, and police. The proposed reforms would undermine not only the independence of judges, but also that of prosecutors and the police (in part as a result of the “Ben-Gvir Law,” which would subordinate the police to the minister of National Security, and of another law that would alter the status of the Police Investigation Division).

Another question on which Israel could suffer relates to efforts to combat official corruption. There is no shortage of problems here: The Deri Law that would permit convicted felons to serve in the government, the Gifts Law that would allow elected officials to receive contributions from the public to help defray their legal and medical expenses, the difficulty of enforcing Netanyahu’s conflict-of-interest arrangement, and, more generally, the attacks on law-enforcement personnel that deter them from conducting additional investigations of government corruption.

Not an academic exercise

But all this is the rosy picture. The gloomier prospect, which includes bills that were submitted but not yet advanced and clauses in the coalition agreements, would undermine freedom of the media, academic and educational freedom, labor unions, human rights organizations, religious freedom, and more. Each of those is an important component of democracy and is allotted its own four-point question by Freedom House.

The worst-case scenario – the abolition of the High Court’s ability to protect fundamental democratic rights such as freedom of association, and even the right to vote and be elected – would do such severe damage, that it would no longer be possible to view Israel as a democracy.

The idea that democracy goes far beyond elections is not an Israeli invention. This is the concept of democracy prevailing all over the world. Countries subscribing to a narrower definition of democracy have discovered that the world refuses to go along. Within 10 years, Poland has lost points on the Freedom House index; Hungary, 22.

In some international indexes, Israel has already been losing ground in recent years. In the Freedom House Index for 2017 its score was 80, and this fell to 76 a year ago, and 77 this year (the rise was thanks to the improvement in the security situation in 2022, after Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021).

There was a similar decline in its ranking by V-Dem (but not by the Economist). We are still very far from the plunges recorded by Poland and Hungary, but the reforms being advanced by the coalition are liable to move us in that direction.

It is important to understand that this is not an academic exercise. A retreat from democracy would impact every aspect of our lives – the economy (a drop in the country’s credit rating and in foreign investment), the IDF (exposure of soldiers and senior officers to criminal prosecution abroad), and the rights each and every one of us is entitled to enjoy, but especially members of vulnerable groups – Arabs and women. It would make Israel a much worse place to live.

Assaf Shapira is a researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute’s Center for Governance and the Economy.

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Connect with us! Check out our events. For more information, see our calendar at jewishdayton.org.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 3–5PM Yom Hashoah Observance: Resilience and Strength THURSDAY, APRIL 27, NOON–1PM Community Conversation- Israel Defense Forces: Past, Present and Future SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2–5PM Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel @75 SUNDAY, MAY 21, 5–8PM SAVE THE DATE: PRESIDENTS DINNER

30

Israel Defense Forces

EDUCATE-ADVOCATE-ACT JCRC Community Conversations

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE THURSDAY, APRIL 27 NOON-1PM

Beth Abraham Synagogue 305 Sugar Camp Circle, Oakwood 45409 Join us for a discussion with veteran soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces.

RSVP online for event and kosher boxed lunches ($18 each) at jewishdayton.org.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

PAGE 17

April 2023 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

YOM HASHOAH OBSERVANCE

RESILIENCE& STRENGTH SUNDAY, APRIL 23

Programming begins at 3PM. See details below.

Temple Beth Or, 5275 Marshall Road, Washington Township 45429 Children, teens, adults. Please join us!

RSVP BY WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19 FOR ALL EVENTS: SDANIEL@JFGD.NET OR CALL SAMANTHA AT 937-610-1555

3PM Teen Program Holocaust Educator Renate Frydman leads an interactive discussion with with contest participants and teens in our community. All teenagers are invited.

Max and Lydia May Holocaust Art & Writing Contest on display.

4PM Community Yom Hashoah Observance Presentation of contest winners and reflections from a panel of some of our local Holocaust survivors.

PJ Library and PJ Our Way Program, Spreading Kindness Join us for a story, craft and snack as we discuss kindness in a separate program just for youth.

EXPERIENCE

ISRAEL

like never before Admission is FREE! Experience Israeli food, innovations, culture, music, activities, and fun for ALL AGES! Yom Ha’atzmaut SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2–5PM

Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Drive, Centerville RSVP by Friday, April 21 at jewishdayton.org/events The JCC of Greater Dayton in partnership with: Beth Abraham Synagogue, Beth Jacob Congregation, Dayton Sister Cities, Hadassah, Hillel Academy, Jewish War Veterans, Temple Beth Or, and Temple Israel.

This program is proudly supported by the Israel Engagement Fund: A JCC Association of North America Program Accelerator, and the Dayton Sister City Committee.

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Israel’s Independence PAGE 18

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

April 2023 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

Jubano Jazz CONCERT

JUNE 5 – JULY 28

SUNDAY, MAY 7 FROM 2-4PM Cline Elementary School Auditorium 99 Virginia Ave, Washington Township 45458

Camp Shalom is planning a summer full of excitement! We are offering a variety of specialty camps including tennis, golf, magic, art and theatre. We have field trips planned to fun destinations throughout the Miami Valley. And we’ll celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday!

Open to all. $10 Adult, $5 Child 15 & under

SPRING CLOTHING DRIVE FOR

KLEZMER COMPANY JAZZ ORCHESTRA Accordionist and arrangerTRANSFORMATION Aaron Kula and Trumpeter/Arranger Chaim CLOSET Rubinov will fly in from Florida for performances with Dayton’s own Flying Donate for gently used clothing (noand ripsKlezmer or stains) at drop boxes Klezmerians a mix of Latin rhythms melodies. at Temple Israel or the CJCE by 4/14.

Register atTeen jewishdayton.org. volunteers will sort donations on 4/16 at 1:30

RING CLOTHING DRIVE FOR LOSET TRANSFORMATION Spots are filling up quickly. Register your camper today!

See jewishdayton.org for more information.

Register at app.campdoc.com/register/ jccgreaterdayton

A clothing exchange

Scan QR code These programs are made possible by a Jewish Federation Innovation grant. affirming the transgende Do you know someone 16 or older who is NEEDED ITEMS: looking for a meaningful, challenging and FUN summer work experience?

T-shirts Camp Shalom is hiring summer staff! hoodies Interested candidates should contact larger size men's pants Meryl Hattenbach at mhattenbach@jfgd.net new underwear/socks or 937-401-1550 for instructions on how to apply. travel size mouthwash shampoo/conditioner toothbrushes/toothpaste

for monetary donation options.

community of the Miami Val

e gently used clothing (no rips or stains) at drop boxes at Temple Israel or the CJCE by 4/14.

Teen volunteers will sort donations on 4/16 at 1:30

S:

Spring Clothing Drive

A clothing exchange Scan QR code FOR CLOSET TRANSFORMATION affirming the transgender SPRING CLOTHING DRIVE FOR J-SERVE 2023 for monetary Donate gently used clothing CLOSET (no rips or stains) at TRANSFORMATION drop boxes at Temple community of the Miami Valle Israel or the Boonshoft CJCE by FRIDAY, APRIL 14.

Donate gently used clothing (no rips or stains) at drop boxes donation options.

TEEN TEEN TEVOLUNTEERS EN VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEERWILL S WILL WILSORT L Teen volunteers will sort donations on at SUNDAY, TempleAPRIL Israel 16 or at the1:30PM. CJCE by 4/14.

DONATIONS ON SUNDAY, SORT SOR T DONATIONS DONA TION S ON ON RT AT SUNDAY APRIL AT 1:30PM. RSVP SUN16 DA Y 4/16 4 /16 AT AT 1:30.

1 :30. TO AY 4/ A clothing RSVP RSexchange VCHARLIE@TIDAYTON.ORG P TO TO CHARLIE@TIDAYTON.ORG CHARLIE@TIDA Y TON.ORG AY YT

Teen volunteers will sort donations on 4/16 at 1:30 NEEDED ITEMS:

NEEDED ITEMS:

s pants /socks hwash tioner toothbrushes/toothpaste oothpaste • T-shirts • Hoodies T-shirts • Larger Size Men's Pants hoodies • New Underwear • New Socks larger size men's pants • Travel-Size Mouthwash new underwear/socks • Shampoo • Conditioner travel size mouthwash • Toothbrushes shampoo/conditioner • Toothpaste

Scan QR code for monetary donation options.

affirming the transgender community of the Miami Valley.

CLOSET TRANSFORMATION IS A CLOTHING EXCHANGE AFFIRMING THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY OF THE MIAMI VALLEY.

SCAN QR CODE FOR MONETARY DONATION OPTIONS!

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

PAGE 19

April 2023 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

Legacies, Tributes, & Memorials FEDERATION JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER DAYTON ENDOWMENT FUND › Wishing A Speedy Recovery to Bob Bernstein › Wishing A Speedy Recovery to Don Zulanch

Barbara and Jim Weprin ADDISON CARUSO B’NAI TZEDEK YOUTH PHILANTHROPY FOUNDATION › In Memory of Sheila Wagenfeld

JCC FILM FESTIVAL › In Memory of Jim Levinson Louisa and Phil Dreety LINDA RUCHMAN MEMORIAL FUND › In Memory of Sheila Wagenfeld Marshall and Judy Ruchman

Donna Holt

A Warm Welcome

JFS SOCIAL WORKER L. KATE SCARPERO, LSW

Kate was born and raised in Sidney, Ohio. She is a graduate of Wright State University and has lived in Montgomery County since college.

Kate is a licensed social worker (LSW) and previously worked in mental health settings for 19 years. Prior to that, she worked in schools and drug/alcohol treatment settings.

Kate and her husband have an adult son and two four-legged fur babies. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, attending live music events, and even skydiving! Kate is excited to start her new position as JFS Social Worker and support our community.

WELCOME KATE TO OUR STAFF!

Sincerely, Tara Feiner Senior Director, Jewish Family Services

PAGE 20

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

JCC’s A Night In Vegas

THANK YOU TO OUR VALUED SUPPORTERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND ATTENDEES OF THE JCC’S A NIGHT IN VEGAS! All Star Pawn

TO A

NIGHT

Ashley’s Pastry Shop Bockrath Flooring and Rugs Central Perc Dayton Dragons Dayton Optometric Center Dayton Theatre Guild Economy Linen Fleming’s Flying Ace Car Wash Gordon’s Jewelry and Loan Harmoni Salon and Spa Houser Asphalt & Concrete

IN

Jaffe Jewelers James Free Jewelers Lula Bell Meadowlark Morning Sun Florist My Favorite Muffin Natural Foods and Juice Caboose Premier ProduceOne Rodney Gibbs, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services The Rubi Girls

Square One Salon and Spa Temple Beth Or The Neon Theater The Pine Club Dave London Helen and Mark Jones Jennifer VanArtsdalen Larry and Linda Ran Rachel Gilbert Roger Apple Vicky and Bob Heuman Night in Vegas Committee

Mazel tov to the very talented and hard-working cast of Newsies Jr.!

They performed three shows in front of an audience of 400+!

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

PAGE 21

MAZEL TOV! Holocaust educator Renate Frydman and Adriane Miller, executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice of Greater Dayton, will be honored as League of Women Voters' 2023 Dangerous Dames of Dayton.

Also being honored is Kaukab Husain, Muslim Sisterhood of Dayton founder and a director of Muslim youth outreach. The League of Women Voters came up with the term dangerous dames in honor of the Dayton suffragists who marched and protested on the streets and were deemed “dangerous to polite society.” Those suffragists founded Dayton's LWV in 1920. This year's Dangerous Dames will receive their awards at a dinner in their honor, April 25 at NCR Country Club.

Dr. Joel Vandersluis has been selected as a Dayton Business Journal 2023 Health Care Hero.

The award honors those who have made an impact on health care through their concern for patients, their research and inventions, management skills, innovative programs for employees, service to the disad-

vantaged and uninsured, and community engagement. He'll receive the award at the Dayton Business Journal's Annual Health Care Heroes Luncheon, April 27, also at NCR Country Club.

Dayton Jewish Community Relations Council Senior Director Chen Shterenbach was sworn in as a member of the Welcome Dayton Committee in March

by Regina Blackshear, clerk of the Dayton City Commission.

The Welcome Dayton Committee provides guidance to the Dayton City Commission to achieve the goal of becoming an immigrant-friendly city. It facilitates and supports community goals and projects that promote the integration of immigrants into the greater Dayton community. Committee members collaborate with businesses, community organizations, government agencies, and immigrant groups to make Dayton welcoming for new residents, revitalize city neighborhoods, promote economic development, and enrich the city with cultural diversity.

Four teens represented the

Happy Passover!

937-836-1206

At the BBYO convention in Dallas (L to R): Alli Becker, Maddie Perry, Bri Becker, and Cay Becker.

Dayton area at BBYO's International Convention in Dallas in February: Alli, Bri, and Cay Becker, and Maddie Perry. With the theme #Now IsOurTime, the convention included visits from former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett; Doug Emhoff, second gentleman of the United States; and the national touring cast of Hamilton.

Send your Mazel Tov announcements to mweiss@jfgd.net.

Regina Blackshear welcomes Chen Shterenbach to Welcome Dayton.

Happy Passover.

Jeff Noble MRINetwork Management Recruiters of Dayton 937-228-8271 jnoble@mridayton.com

Robert M. Rosensweet Robert M. Rosensweet will be called to the Torah on April 1 at Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati. Rob is a seventh grader at Sycamore Junior High School.

In addition to being a great student, Rob is also involved in the International Club. Rob attended Rockwern Academy from preschool to sixth grade.

During the summer, Rob attends Camp Livingston. Rob also enjoys a good game of Jeopardy, Pokémon or a video game. When he grows up, Rob wants to be either a paleontologist, as he has had a lifelong love of all things dinosaur, or a Hollywood film director like his heroes Steven Spielberg or George Lucas. For his bar mitzvah project, Rob has chosen Circle Tail, which trains dogs to be service and emotional support animals. One of Circle Tail’s favorite ambassadors works regularly at Camp Livingston, and Rob cannot wait to help support them on their mission. Rob is the son of Matthew and Renee Rosensweet, the brother of Morgen, Lydia, and Isaac. He is the grandson of Judi Rosensweet, and the late Robert M. Rosensweet who he is named for.

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Will Drook, Owner of Fox Cleaners THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

RELIGION

CONGREGATIONS Beth Abraham Synagogue

Conservative Rabbi Aubrey L. Glazer Cantor/Dir. of Ed. & Programming Andrea Raizen Fridays, 5 p.m.

Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

305 Sugar Camp Circle, Oakwood. 937-293-9520. bethabrahamdayton.org

Beth Jacob Congregation

Traditional Rabbi Leibel Agar Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. Evening minyans upon request.

7020 N. Main St., Dayton.

937-274-2149. bethjacobcong.org

Temple Anshe Emeth

Reform Rabbinic Intern Anna Burke Sat., April 15, 10 a.m.

320 Caldwell St., Piqua.

Contact Steve Shuchat, 937-7262116, ansheemeth@gmail.com. ansheemeth.org

Temple Beth Or

Reform Fridays, 6:30 p.m.

Rabbi Judy Chessin Asst. Rabbi/Educator Ben Azriel 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937-435-3400. templebethor.com

Temple Beth Sholom

Reform Rabbi Haviva Horvitz 610 Gladys Dr., Middletown.

513-422-8313. templebethsholom.net

Temple Israel

Reform Senior Rabbi Karen BodneyHalasz. Rabbi/Educator Tina Sobo Fri., April 7, 6 p.m.

Fridays, April 14, 21, 28, 6:30 p.m.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

937-496-0050. tidayton.org

Temple Sholom

Reform Rabbi Cary Kozberg 2424 N. Limestone St., Springfield. 937-399-1231. templesholomoh.com

ADDITIONAL SERVICES Chabad of Greater Dayton

Rabbi Nochum Mangel Associate Rabbi Shmuel Klatzkin Youth & Prog. Dir. Rabbi Levi Simon. Beginner educational service Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. 2001 Far Hills Ave. 937-643-0770. chabaddayton.com

Yellow Springs Havurah

Independent Antioch College Rockford Chapel.

Contact Len Kramer, 937-5724840 or len2654@gmail.com.

Am Yisrael Chai

that then and there, he composed our now-familiar melody to Am Yisrael Chai, adding the words Od Avinu Chai (Our

By Rabbi Judy Chessin baby boys who had been born Father is still alive).

Temple Beth Or there, and even conducted a Thus, Carlebach added a "Long live Europe, Am Yiswedding of a survivor to a Brit- biblical and rabbinic context to rael Chai," exclaimed European ish soldier.

Am Yisrael Chai. The biblical Commission President Ursula He had faced so much death verse, "Our father is still alive" von der Leyen as she received and horror that his (Gen. 43:28), is Jacob's an honorary doctorate from response was an emo11 sons answering JoBen-Gurion University last tionally defiant promseph's inquiry about year. Her words were quickly ise that Israel's people his father's wellbeing. decried on Twitter as imperialwould hereafter live.

The rabbinic comistic "racist Nazi slogans."

Another citation of mentary adds that In 2015, Itamar Ben-Gvir, IsAm Yisrael Chai is said Jacob (aka Israel) lives rael's current national security to have occurred in on through the patriminister, was arrested on the Stalinist Russia, where arch's progeny even Temple Mount for saying, "Am Soviet Jews faced masafter Jacob himself Yisrael Chai." Ben-Gvir made sive religious persecu- Rabbi Judy Chessin died (Ta'anit 5b). tion and Jewish life By inserting these could only be practiced underwords, Carlebach added a ground. spiritual addendum. Od Avinu one of many controversial trips Golda Meir was sent as IsChai reiterates the first stanza: to the Jordanian Waqf-run raeli ambassador to Russia just that Israel (the people named Temple Mount in Jerusalem, months after the proclamation for the patriarch) is still alive. where by informal agreement, of the Jewish state. On Rosh However, it also hints at the Jews are not allowed to pray or Hashanah eve, Oct. 4, 1948, she theological implication that carry political symbols. When was met by tens of thousands God, Israel's true parent, exists a Muslim woman protested his of Soviet Jews crowded around and protects the Jewish people presence, crying out "Allahu Ak- Moscow's Great Synagogue, and the nation of Israel eterbar" (Allah is great), Ben-Gvir risking imprisonment or worse nally. responded, "Am Yisrael Chai," to celebrate their Jewish idenNow a new liberation anand was immediately arrested tity and to catch a glimpse of them was born for the Jewish for praying. Ironically, Israeli this emissary from the nascent people whether they knew courts exonerated Ben-Gvir, Jewish state. They sang Am Hebrew or not, whether free or ruling that the phrase is a patri- Yisrael Chai boldly. fettered, religious or secular, otic slogan, not a prayer.

This brave Jewish solidarity in Israel or the Diaspora. It beThe origins of the welltriggered more repression by came a well-sourced expression known phrase Am Yisrael Chai Stalin and his successors. To of continuity, survival, pride, (the people of Israel live) are survive, many Jews chose to defiance, aspiration, and faith. unclear. The slogan is not in conceal their identity or even But is it a prayer? Dr. Rachel the Torah, Psalms, rabbinic literase it altogether.

Naomi Remen relates the story erature, or ancient In April 1964, of her grandfather teaching her liturgy.

We answer human rights the toast, L'chaim, to life, as a So is the saying activist Yaakov child. freedom and an incitement, naBirnbaum, founder "Is it to a happy life, Grandtionalistic policy, oppression, of the Student pa?" she asked him. prayer, affirmafor So"No, it is just to live! Nedemocracy and Struggle tion, or aspiraviet Jewry (SSSJ), shumale, my sweet soul." tion? protest, war sought a unifying "Is it like a prayer?"

An early theme. He asked "Ah no," he told her. "We and peace with the composer and pray recording of for things we do not have. the phrase was these words. spiritual leader of We already have life." memorialized at the baalei teshuvah "Is it written in the Bible, the first Shabbat (returnees to Judaism) moveGrandpa?"

Service held for survivors at ment, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, "No, Neshumale," he said, the Bergen-Belsen concentrato compose a tune to rally sup"It is written in people's hearts. tion camp on April 20, 1945. port worldwide for persecuted L'chaim means that no matter The downtrodden survivors Soviet Jews. what difficulty life brings, no had not participated in public Birnbaum vaguely recalled matter how hard or painful or prayer in years. that the words Am Yisrael Chai unfair life is, life is holy and Their service concluded with had been an expression of defiworthy of celebration." the singing of Hatikvah, the anance and hope in Nazi GerDuring this spring season them of the Zionist movement. many, and after the war, it had of festivals — Passover, Yom Then, after a beat or two, the been sung in Displaced Person Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron, and Rev. Leslie Hardman, the first camps. He wanted that slogan Yom Ha'atzmaut — Am Yisrael Jewish chaplain to the British set to unforgettable music.

Chai is the Jews' all-purpose army, cried out, "Am Yisrael In March of 1965, on a response.

Chai." visit to Communist-controlled We answer freedom and opHardman had that week Prague, Carlebach met with pression, democracy and prosaid Kaddish over the mass frightened Jewish youths afraid test, war and peace with these graves of over 20,000 victims in to celebrate Purim because words: The people of Israel the camp (possibly even Anne of the KGB. Carlebach finally live, our nation and our people Frank, who is believed to have won them over, and they began continue to live and survive. died there one month before dancing with him. The charMay the choices we make help liberation). He had circumcised ismatic figure was so inspired us thrive.

Perspectives

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

April

Nisan/Iyar Candle Lightings Erev Pesach April 5: 7:47 p.m.

1st Eve Pesach, April 6 8:47 p.m.

Shabbat, April 7: 7:49 p.m.

7th Eve Pesach, April 11 7:53 p.m.

8th Eve Pesach, April 12 8:53 p.m.

Shabbat, April 14: 7:56 p.m.

Shabbat, April 21: 8:03 p.m.

Shabbat, April 28: 8:10 p.m.

Torah Portions April 1: Tzav (Lev. 6:1-8:36) April 15: Shemini (Lev. 9:1-11:47) April 22: Tazria-Metzora (Lev. 12:1-15:33; Num. 28:9-15) April 29: Achare-Kedoshim (Lev. 16:1-20:27)

Pesach

Passover April 6-13 15-22 Nisan Eight-day festival celebrating the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Leavened bread products are not eaten.

Yom Hashoah

Holocaust Remembrance Day April 18 • 27 Nisan Marked by memorials for those who perished in the Holocaust.

Yom Hazikaron

Israel Memorial Day April 25 • 4 Iyar Memorial Day for all who died serving Israel. Concludes with a siren blast as stars appear and Independence Day begins.

Yom Ha’atzmaut

Israel Independence Day April 26 • 5 Iyar Celebrated by Jews around the world.

Israel celebrates with parades, singing, dancing, and fireworks.

PAGE 23

RELIGION

Chag Sameach FROM MIAMI UNIVERSITY As we approach Passover, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion wishes Jewish community members and friends Chag Sameach during this time of celebration.

MiamiOH.edu/DEI Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion

Matzah pajamas latest trend in long history of American Jewish branding

By Jackie Hajdenberg, JTA Rabbi Yael Buechler conceived of her latest product two years ago, after planning ways to make the Passover Seder fun for her two young sons. But it wasn’t until she started promoting the matzah pajamas she designed that she decided to make adult sizes, too.

After she reached out in December 2021 to The Maccabeats — the Orthodox a capella group that releases splashy videos for most holidays — to offer kids’ pajamas for their Passover project, they demurred.

“They wrote back jokingly, ‘Haha — but like, do they come in grownup sizes?’” Buechler recalled.

Jewish influencers have modeled the pajamas on social media, often as entire families, and the children’s set vaulted near the top of Passover sales rankings at Modern Tribe, an online marketplace for Jewish products. And Etsy lists them as a bestseller item.

That the breakout Passover product is technically sleepwear reflects a new frontier in the ongoing commercialization of Jewish holidays. It also reflects the turn toward comfort clothes that Americans in general have made since the Covid pandemic began just before Passover three years ago.

“You used to get dressed up to go to Seder, but now everyone is a lot more casual,” said Amy Kritzer Becker, one of Modern Tribe’s owners.

The promotion of fancy clothing for Passover is a prime example of American consumerism layered atop traditional Jewish practice. Many traditionally observant families buy new clothes, especially for children, for the holiday, to fulfill the mitzvah of simcha, or joy.

That became a marketing opportunity for clothing manufacturers as Jews moved to the United States in large numbers and emerged as a new consumer segment.

“Because of the alignment of the Passover holiday with Easter, it was an opportunity for Jews to also purchase nice attire,” said art historian Kerri Steinberg, author of Jewish Mad Men: Advertising and the Design of the American Jewish Experience.

Steinberg says the commercialization of Judaism has been a defining characteristic of American Judaism — and, in some ways, a safeguard for Jewish identity in a country that long boasted of being a melting pot.

“One thing that's been very discrete and sort of distinctive I would say about Judaism in America is how it's been branded and marketed, and packaged,” she said. “(That acculturation) stopped short of full assimilation because in order to maintain a vibrant Jewish

Above: Midrash Manicures' Matzah Pajamas

PAGE 24

market, their identities had to be sort of retained in a discrete way.”

“In America, capitalism has been the key structure,” Steinberg added. “So it does make sense that there were opportunities for more consumption of Jewish goods and products around the holidays.”

Some of those goods and products were integral to observing the holiday. American Jewish newspapers from the early 20th century onward featured ads from companies like Streit’s, Horowitz, and Manischewitz battling over claims to the best matzah and whitefish.

And of course there's also the Maxwell House Haggadah, created as a marketing ploy for the coffee company in 1932 and still produced today. Its creator, Joseph Jacobs, was an advertising maven who saw huge potential in a base of Jewish customers; he is credited with inventing the concept of targeted marketing.

But other products promoted for Passover had little or nothing to do with what happens during it. Stetson advertised its hats to Jewish customers in Jewish newspapers, while Colgate hawked perfume; other companies noted sales on shoes. Even Macy’s had a Passover department advertised in a March 1912 edition of the now-defunct Hebrew Standard.

By the second half of the 20th century, other forces worked in favor of Passover products. The rise of identity politics in the 1970s meant that many Jews sought items that would let them display their Jewishness, Steinberg said. Then, starting in the 1990s, the rise of kitsch, a nostalgic aesthetic, opened the door to nostalgic items such as Manischewitz purses, Streit’s aprons, and gefilte fish T-shirts.

Just as dreidel and menorah patterns are ubiquitous on items mass-produced for Chanukah, the telltale striping of factory-produced matzah has long adorned items marketed for Passover.

“People have always loved matzah products,” said Becker, whose store offers a slew of print-on-demand matzah-emblazoned products, as well as baby shoes in the print.

“Obviously matzah is the preeminent symbol of the holiday,” Steinberg said. “Claiming matzah is just a proud assertion of Jewish distinction.”

For Buechler, who launched her line of Jewish fashion products a decade ago with nail decals of the 10 Plagues, the motif was inspired by her son’s confusion.

She bought her children new pajamas to liven up another at-home Seder, their second during the pandemic. “It goes late anyway,” she reasoned about the festive meal, which traditionally cannot begin until after sunset.

When she offered the two options — one yellow and the other blue — her then-2-year-old son declared he would have the “matzah pajamas.”

She decided to turn his idea into reality, creating a design that could be printed on fabric, ordering samples and then producing them in a large quantity in China. Then she set to work promoting the product, mailing free sets to influencers and reaching out to online Judaica stores, many of which were initially hesitant to purchase inventory they weren’t sure would sell. Then the adults began to demand pajamas for themselves, which were manufactured quickly.

“Passover has always been about making things in haste,” Buechler said. “We’ve had a hard few years,” Kritzer said. “I think people just want to have a little fun too.”

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

RELIGION

By Shuly Rubin Schwartz Just over 100 years ago, in April 1922, my greatgrandparents immigrated to the United States with their four children, fearing for their lives in Kremenets, a Russian city in present-day western Ukraine.

My great-grandfather, Aaron Shimon Shpall, an educator and journalist, recorded his thoughts about leaving “the city that we were born in and that we spent years of our lives in,” acknowledging how hard it would be “to separate from our native land, and our birthplace and our father’s house.”

But he was clear that the Russia he knew had “embittered our lives and saddened our souls. If not for the 3 million of our brothers who live there, it could be overturned along with Sodom and Gomorrah and the world would have lost nothing.”

Finally, after months of grueling uncertainty, including one arrest and another pending, my greatgrandfather was reunited with his family in Colorado before he and his family ultimately settled in New Orleans, where he served as teacher and then as assistant principal of the communal Hebrew school.

The anguish of my family’s departure and, I can only imagine, the feelings of refugees all over the world in every era, is captured in my great-grandfather’s diary: “Nobody desired to go, but everybody had to go. We all run, or, to speak more correctly, we flee. And when somebody flees, there is no question: ‘Where to?’ Where your feet carry you! Where you have the possibility!”

The Passover Seder — the Jewish ritual observed more than any other — serves as a symbolic reenactment of the journey of the Israelites from slavery to freedom. The Haggadah commands us to experience this journey annually as a way of developing histori-

Themes of Passover, bonds of history tie our struggles to Ukrainian Jews cal empathy for all who are oppressed, enslaved, and displaced, and who hope for liberation. As Jews, we have ritualized the recounting of our people’s enslavement and deliverance in part to cultivate a sense of moral responsibility toward those suffering in our own day.

This year, as we approach Passover, our focus includes Ukrainians fighting valiantly to defend themselves against Russian invasion. Outraged by the violence, heartbroken by the loss of life and appalled by the destruction, we feel an obligation to help the Ukrainian people by offering monetary support and help with resettlement.

We are especially attuned to helping the tens of thousands of Jews among them. The bonds of history that tie our struggles to those of Ukrainian Jews and their proud Jewish president today are deep and, in many cases, including mine, quite personal.

American Jewry has flourished thanks to ancestors like mine who realized their determination to seek freedom and escape oppression. Thanks to their courage and resolve, we are privileged to recount the Exodus from Egypt each year as citizens of a democratic state and to develop the empathy needed at moments like this to help others who fear for their lives.

For some, historical empathy for the plight of the Ukrainian people might be complicated by ancestors who suffered from brutal antisemitism at the hands of Ukrainian neighbors or whose ancestors’ murders at the hand of the Nazis were abetted by local Ukrainians.

How can we square these complicated emotions? In part, because we also know that countless other Ukrainians fought in the Russian army to defeat the Nazis, and that Ukraine has changed greatly over time.

Most important, we quell our doubts because the Haggadah reminds us not to take our freedom for granted, pointing us instead to activate our sense of moral responsibility to help others who are fighting to secure their own.

Our Haggadah prods us to recall our history so that it will conjure up our best selves, so that we will do what we can to ensure that the future brings freedom, safety, and security to all.

It’s a sentiment I believe my great-grandfather would have shared.

Shuly Rubin Schwartz is chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Distributed by JTA.

Why is this EMS organization different than all other EMS organizations?

In the United States, disaster relief, ambulance, and blood services are handled by an array of organizations. In Israel, there’s one organization that does it all — Magen David Adom.

As Passover approaches, whatever crises Israelis face — including terror or rocket attacks — MDA will be there to save lives.

Support Magen David Adom by donating today at afmda.org/give. Or for further information about giving opportunities, contact 847.509.9802 or dcohen@afmda.org.

afmda.org/give

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

PAGE 25

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover Beverly Saeks & Family

Warm Passover Greetings from

A zissen Pesach!

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Eleanor Must & Family

Judy Woll & Ron Bernard

The Goldenbergs Debby, Bob, Alicia & Teddy

A sweet and joyous Passover Mel & Jan Berman Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover Sylvia & Ralph Heyman

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Paula Gessiness & Jay Holland

A sweet and joyous Passover A sweet and joyous Passover Robert (Bob) Kahn Lenorah Leichtman Hart

Warm Passover Greetings from

A sweet and joyous Passover

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Suzi, Jeff, Amanda, Joshua, Anna & Teddy Mikutis Neil & Gina Kahn & Family

Bruce & Debbie Feldman

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

Warm Passover Greetings from

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Marni Flagel & Family

Robert & Vicky Heuman

Joseph & Marsha Johnston

Jeffrey Abrahams

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Happy Passover to our friends

The Wagenfeld Family

Ann & John Paddock

Warm Passover Greetings from

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Adam & Tara Feiner

Dena Briskin & Family

Louise Stein

We wish the Dayton Jewish community a very Happy Passover

WISHING ALL A HAPPY PASSOVER.

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Cantor Jerome & Goldye Kopmar

Carol Graff

Marc & Maureen Sternberg

Myrna Nelson

Jim & Kristen Mitchem

PAGE 26

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

Happy Passover

We wish the Dayton Jewish community a very Happy Passover Ronni & Marc Loundy

Warm Passover Greetings from

We wish the Dayton Jewish community a very Happy Passover

Sylvia Blum & Family

Kim & Shelley Goldenberg & Family

Have a Sweet Pesach

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

Linda & Steve Horenstein

Dr. Felix Garfunkel & Family

Warm Passover Greetings from

Warm Passover greetings from The Groveman & Begel Family Happy Pesach from Gayle & Irvin Moscowitz

The Weiss Family

Wishing all of Dayton a Happy Passover

We wish the Dayton Jewish community a very Happy Passover

The Gaglione Family

Steve, Shara, Rachel & Natalie Taylor

Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Harlan

Temple Anshe Emeth, Piqua

Happy Passover to our friends

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Charles & Joan Knoll

Bonnie Mendelson & Family

Marvin & Susan Mason

Art & Joan Greenfield

Susan & David Joffe

Warm Passover Greetings from

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Maggie, Dan & Mark Stein

Milton Nathan & Ritva Williamson

Edye Leuin & Dave Ziegler

Best Wishes for a Happy & Healthy Passover

Sharyn Reger & Family

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

Ken Baker - KW Baker & Assoc.

PAGE 27

A sweet and joyous Passover

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

Jeff & Cathy Startzman

Susan & Joe Gruenberg

Lynn Foster

Alice & Burt Saidel

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Happy Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Karen & Michael Weprin & Family

Susan & Nathaniel Ritter

Ann, Alli, Bri, Cate & Skip Becker

Esther & DeNeal Feldman

A sweet and joyous Passover

Wishing all of Dayton a Happy Passover

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Our warmest wishes for a joyous Passover

Judith Weber

Michael & Rochelle Goldstein & Family

Michael & Anita Barrett

The Guadalupe Family

The Jarvis Family

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

A sweet and joyous Passover

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Martin & Joan Holzinger

Judy Lipton

Brenda Rinzler

Happy Passover

Julie, Adam, Noah, Zoe & Oscar Waldman

A sweet and joyous Passover

PAGE 28

Best wishes to all for a Happy Passover

Mrs. Jack Goldberg

Wishing all of Dayton a Happy Passover

Judge Susan Dlott

Happy Pesach

Bark Mitzvah Boy & The Dayton Jewish Observer

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

Sephardic Matzah Spinach Pie

By Susan Barocas into the mixture until The Nosher well blended.

Matzah pies called Put one tablespoon minas are a classic Sepof olive oil in an hardic Passover dish, 8-X-11.5-inch (2 quart) traditionally served glass baking dish. for brunch or lunch Swirl the oil to cover with the slow-cooked, the bottom and a bit of hard-boiled eggs called the sides, then put the huevos haminados. dish in the preheated A mina makes a great oven for four to five side or main dish for minutes. Heating the any meal, even when baking dish will help it’s not Passover. With create a good bottom a top and bottom crust crust and keep it from made from sheets of sticking. matzah, the filling can The flavors in this vegetarian dish mimic spinach and feta As soon as the dish borekas or spanikopita, but with an artichoke twist be made of meat — comes out hot, cover like seasoned lamb, matzah in a single layer on a the bottom completely beef, chicken — or vegetables, thick dish towel or two. You with about one and a half most commonly spinach and can do the matzah in batches sheets of matzah, slightly overcheese, though sometimes with depending on the size of your lapping. The matzah should leeks or mashed potato added. pan with water. sizzle as it hits the oil. Spoon Another option is to shred, salt, Heat one tablespoon of olive half the spinach mixture onto and squeeze about two pounds oil in a large skillet over medithe matzah and gently spread of zucchini to use in place of um heat. Add the onion and a evenly. Cover with another the spinach in the recipe below. couple pinches of salt, stir and layer of one and a half sheets The flavors in this vegetarian sauté about five minutes until of matzah, then the remaining mina mimic spinach and feta the onion starts to soften. spinach mixture, making sure borekas or spanikopita, but Mix in the chopped artiit’s even. Add the top layer of I’ve added a twist. Given the choke and cook another 10 matzah, covering the filling fondness for artichokes in Sepminutes, stirring occasionally, edge to edge. hardic food, I’ve added some as the artichokes and onions Use the extra half piece of to the filling for extra texture begin to take on a little color. wet matzah to fill in any of the and flavor.

As the mixture cooks, use a layers as needed. large spoon or your hands to Beat the remaining egg and 20 oz. frozen chopped squeeze as much liquid as postablespoon of oil together. Pour spinach, thawed sible out of the spinach. Set the the mixture all over the top 5 or 6 sheets matzah squeezed spinach into a large of the matzah. Some will drip 2 Tbsp. olive oil mixing bowl, breaking up the down the sides and that’s fine.

1 med. onion, finely clumps. When the onion and Use a pastry brush to spread chopped artichokes are ready, add to the any pools of egg so the coating Salt to taste bowl with the spinach and stir on the matzah is even. Bake for 1 14 oz. can artichoke to blend the vegetables.

40 minutes, then sprinkle the hearts, drained and diced Add the dill, feta, one-third remaining one-third cup grated 1/2 cup fresh dill with thincup grated cheese, milk, pepcheese evenly over the top. ner stems, finely chopped per and nutmeg, if using. Mix Continue baking another 1 cup (about 4 oz.) crumuntil well blended, then taste 10 to 12 minutes until the top bled feta for saltiness. Depending on the is golden brown. Let stand 10 2/3 cup grated Parmesan or saltiness of the feta, add salt as minutes before cutting. Serve Romano cheese, divided needed. Beat two eggs and stir warm.

11/2 cup milk (can be lowfat) 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional) 3 large eggs, divided Preheat oven to 350.

Put the spinach into a fine mesh strainer and set in the sink or over a bowl to drain.

Fill a large baking pan with tepid water. Break two sheets in half as equally as possible.

Add the matzah to the pan of water for two minutes, making sure they are submerged. (You can gently lay a couple heavy pieces of silverware across the top of the matzah to hold down.) The matzah should be pliable, but still hold its shape.

Take each sheet out by lifting it holding onto two corners. Let some of the water drip off for a moment, then lay the softened

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PAGE 29

Apple Matzah Kugel

By Sonya Sanford The Nosher Apple matzah kugel is a classic Ashkenazi Passover dish. Just like many noodle kugels, this is a sweet kugel that is meant to be served with the main course at the Seder.

For a modern twist and some textural contrast, a simple streusel topping is added to the kugel for a nutty, sweet, crunch on top of the soft apple filling.

Warmed-up leftovers make a perfect breakfast, served with a little yogurt or a drizzle of cream on top.

And we won’t tell if you top it with ice cream to turn this apple treat into a dessert.

This kugel keeps for up to one week in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

For the kugel: 4 pieces of matzah 3 large apples (Fuji, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, or any flavorful apple you prefer) juice of ½ a lemon 3 eggs ⅓ cup brown sugar 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, vegan butter, or margarine 2 Tbsp. maple syrup 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. ground ginger (optional) ¼ cup currants or raisins (optional)

For the streusel topping: ½ cup pecans, chopped fine ⅓ cup almond flour 3 Tbsp. butter, cubed ⅓ cup brown sugar pinch of salt Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease an 8-X8-inch or 12-X6-inch baking dish.

Melt three tablespoons of butter in a small pan or in the microwave. Cool and reserve. Soak the matzah in a bowl of cold water. While

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the matzah is soaking, peel and core the apples. Dice the apples into small pieces.

Transfer to a medium bowl and squeeze lemon juice over the apples. Reserve.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger.

Drain the matzah, and squeeze out excess liquid.

Crumble the matzah into the egg mixture.

Add the diced apples and currants. Mix until everything is combined.

Transfer the kugel mixture to the greased baking dish.

Add the streusel ingredients to a small bowl.

Using your hands, rub the butter into the mixture until the streusel starts coming together and forms pea-sized crumbs.

Crumble the streusel over the top of the kugel.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly.

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

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PAGE 30

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

Iraqi Charoset Dessert Truffles

Beth Abraham, Dayton’s only Conservative synagogue, is enthusiastically egalitarian and is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

For a complete schedule of our programs, go to bethabrahamdayton.org.

for 15 seconds or so in the microwave.

By Vered Guttman, The Nosher If you’re using whole dates, soak These dessert truffles are a play on Level Sponsor them in a half cup of hot water in a the classic IraqiPlatinum charoset of date molasbowl. Let stand for 15 minutes then ses (known also as date honey or silan) Bernard & Carolewalnuts.

Rabinowitz Philanthropic Fund of the to JFGD transfer a food processor and run to and chopped CareSource create a smooth paste.

Pressed baking dates are available Eddie & Susie Katz Line a rimmed baking sheet with online.

Alternatively, you can use pitted parchment paper. Put softened dates in dates (details in the recipe.) a large bowl. Add the chopped walnuts Gold Level Sponsor to the softened dates; use your hands to 1 cup chopped walnut pieces press the mixture together until the nuts 13 oz. package pressed baking dates Burhillor Leasing are evenly incorporated.

10 oz. Corp. pitted medjool dates Eddie & Susie Katz Pinch off pieces and roll them into 8 oz. dark (semisweet or bittersweet) Patti &chocolate, Lee Schearchopped one-inch balls, placing them on the bakThe Dayton Power ing sheet.

1 Tbsp. oliveand oil Light Company Melt chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second segments.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Silver Level Sponsors Stir the chocolate with oil until it is Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for five minutes. Shake smooth. Let cool for about one minute.

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Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal, LPA chopped walnuts on top. Put the chaPlace the walnuts in the bowl of the Houser Asphalt & Concrete roset truffles in the fridge for about 20 foodFederation processorof and pulseDayton until they Jewish Greater minutes to help the chocolate set. are finely chopped; Stephen B. Levitt, MD reserve some of Keep charoset truffles in a sealed the more nuts Midwest Ironpowdery and Metal Co.for decoration container in the fridge up to 10 days. (a few tablespoons).

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PAGE 31

JEWISH FAMILY EDUCATION

The midwives' tale

authority considered to be morally wrong or detrimental.

Like the midwives, Moses’ mother, Yocheved, is secretly noncompliant with the law, Pharaoh instructed the Heare not like the Egyptian wom- hiding her infant baby boy brew midwives, “When you as- en: they are vigorous. Before instead of throwing him into sist the Hebrew women during the midwife can come to them, the Nile. childbirth, if it is a boy, kill him; they have given birth.” This By contrast, Pharaoh’s if it is a girl, let her live.” was the first recorded instance daughter publicly disobeys the in history of civil disobedience. law by rescuing the Hebrew Generally described as a child, raising him as her own, non-violent challenge to the law and denouncing the Pharaoh’s Candace R. or refusal to obey the law or deadly policy by naming the another authority, civil disobebaby Moses, meaning “I drew Kwiatek dience encompasses both active him out of the water.” protest and passive resistance.

The biblical attitude toward It includes unwillingness to civil disobedience is reinforced Fearing God above all, the follow the law due to personal in the epilogue to the midwives’ midwives did not follow Phamoral objections; noncomplitale. raoh’s command but instead let ance with the law in the belief “And God dealt well with the the boys live. When Pharaoh that it is immoral; and active so- midwives; and the people mulsummoned the midwives and cial protest against certain laws, tiplied and increased greatly. asked why, they responded, demands, orders, or commands And because the midwives “Because the Hebrew women of a government or established feared God, He established households (descendants) for them." Commentator and author Dennis Prager notes, “God rarely rewards people so immediately and directly…Perhaps their rewards are cited to show how unequivocally God approved of their behavior.”

In fact, the willingness to challenge and disobey arrogant, unethical, unaccountable power through civil disobedience, both clandestine and in public, has been a theme throughout Jewish history.

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And God answers, “I will be with you — this is your sign that I have sent you…” Student scholar Elena Flack concludes, “This (solves) the problem of the legitimacy of civil disobedience. Moses is not…disobeying Pharaoh’s law because he is following his own moral instincts...he is simply obeying the most absolute law of all, namely that of God.” The following stories of civil Serving Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana disobedience offer hints about COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • GOVERNMENT the underlying transcendent

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PAGE 32

Literature to share Alone Together on Dan Street

by Erica Lyons. Based on a true story, this delightfully illustrated children’s book tells how one neighborhood in Jerusalem managed to be together for a Passover Seder during the 2020 Covid shutdown. The abiding importance of celebration, togetherness, creativity,

values at their core.

The wedding. Threatened by the medieval Church with expulsion, persecution, or death, the vast majority of 500,000 Jews of Spain converted, at least half of whom adopted Christianity outwardly while maintaining their Jewish identity in secret.

Cinfa Cacavi, a housewife and mother living in Zaragossa, recalls her clandestine spring wedding.

“Three days before my wedding I took my bride's bath. I purified myself at the mikvah.

That day, we all met in my father's house, all my family and my sweetheart's family. They brought many presents. They filled my house with flowers and brought delicious meats for the meal of that day…The day I got married was the happiest of my life…”

These memories are recorded in her 1482 interrogation file of the Inquisition.

The factory. In 1909, New York City’s shirtwaist factories employed mostly women, unprotected by the male-dominated unions.

They worked in unskilled, poorly paid jobs, often in unsafe working conditions, seven days a week for 12 hours a day. After months of unsuccessful spontaneous strikes against individual factories, Clara Shavelson, a fiery 23-year-old strike leader, ignited a general strike of more than 20,000 women, most of whom were Jewish.

“I am a working girl, one of those who are on strike against intolerable conditions...What we are here to decide is whether we shall or shall not strike.”

Eleven weeks later, the strikers had won. The uprising sparked five years of revolt that transformed the garment industry into one of the bestorganized trades in the United States.

The festival. The Soviet Union’s early 20th century policy of encouraging Jewish assimilation into Russian culture and society was implemented by the liquidation of Yiddish schools, publication houses, research institutes, and theatres; the closing of more than 5,000 synagogues; and the targeting of groups fostering Jewish nationalism and Zionist ideologies. When Israel's minister to Moscow, Golda Meir, approached Joseph Stalin in 1948 about the emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel, he responded that they were extremely happy and didn’t need any Promised Land.

Yet a Jewish exodus was already underway, despite the threats of harassment, loss of jobs, and becoming stranded in Russia as a refusenik. Most inspiring were the annual celebrations of Simchat Torah in front of Soviet synagogues where, for years, tens of thousands of Russian Jews would sing Hebrew and Jewish songs and dance well into the night.

“He who has not witnessed Simchat Torah in Moscow,” Elie Wiesel wrote, “has never in his life witnessed joy. Had I come to Russia for that alone, it would have been enough.”

In Sefer HaMiddot, a medieval book of character traits or virtues, we learn that “He who is in a position to protest against an evil and does not protest, nor does he pay any attention to the deeds of the sinners, comes close to flattery, for then the sinners think, 'As long as they do not protest and do not reproach us, all of our deeds must be good.'”

There is authority and law that should not be obeyed, that should even be publicly protested, because it is objectively immoral. This virtue, we first learn in the midwives’ tale.

caring, and more comes to life in this excellent retelling.

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This was the first recorded instance in history of civil disobedience.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

Arts&Culture

They fought for the Union

Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War: The Union Army • By Adam D. Mendelsohn • New York Univ. Press, 2022 • 323 Pages • $35 Book Review

By Martin Gottlieb Special To The Observer The response of Jewish communities in the North to the Civil War was “tepid.”

That conclusion might surprise some. It is not the impression one gets from, say, the title of the 2014 book We Called Him Rabbi Abraham: Lincoln and American Jewry by Gary P. Zola. And it is not exactly support for the notion of American Jews as a reliable force for racial equality.

But it is the conclusion of a scholar who has studied a painstakingly collected database about Jews in the war. That database has been gathered by the Shapell Manuscript Foundation, an American and Israeli operation which collects historical documents, including letters.

In the 1890s, aspersions were cast in a prestigious journal, the North American Review, upon the role of Jews in the war. They were described as shirkers. In response, Simon Wolf wrote The American Jew as Soldier, Patriot and Citizen in 1895. He came up with 8,000 names of Jews who fought. Subsequent research revealed that some of those men weren’t Jewish and that Wolf missed some soldiers who were.

So the Shapell people set out to

systematize the pursuit of information about who fought, but also about what their experiences were. Since 2009, a team of researchers there has been putting together a digital archive about the soldiers, including some who hadn’t previously been identified.

In 2017, Shapell asked Adam Mendelsohn, who had written other books on Jewish history, to study the foundation's collections and to write a book about the Union army and then another about the Confederate army.

The result is an academic book, not very long and leavened with lots of photos, original letters, and documents. Mendelsohn writes as if a dissertation-approval committee looms with questions about whether he has pursued every issue as far as he could, even if an issue isn’t intriguing and even if he wasn’t able to offer a conclusion about it.

Still, there’s good stuff here, and the depth of his knowledge and his intellectual integrity cannot be questioned.

For starters, one must know that nearly all Union soldiers enlisted, as opposed to being drafted, though some enlisted only when threatened by the draft, which was created halfway through the war.

Jews did not enlist in high percentages. Mendelsohn says in Ohio, only 190 Jews out of a population of 9,000 enlisted, whereas more than 10 percent of all Northerners served.

One reason for the low Jewish rate was that many Jews lived in communities where opposition to the war was intense: New York, Baltimore, Cincinnati. And Jews tended to take on the politics of their surroundings.

Another reason was anti-

semitism. Very early in the war, complaints started to arise about the quality of equipment and clothing being sold to the army. The word shoddy was a noun, referring to a type of fabric that was not strong enough for combat uniforms. The cry went up that the people selling shoddy to the army were Jews, and the word shoddy became a part of everyday discourse.

Another apparent manifestation of antisemitism: Early in the war, rabbis were not allowed to be chaplains. That led to some hard feelings among Jews.

And there was this: In 1862, Gen. Ulysses Grant simply banned Jews from a vast area he

controlled. His charge was that Jews were engaging in illicit trade with the enemy, helping cotton sellers find markets, for example, and thereby helping the Southern economy. His order meant that some Jews would actually have to leave their homes. Lincoln overruled Grant almost immediately. But many Jews understood that Grant’s order grew out of prejudices that were widespread in the army. Mendelsohn says that Grant used the word Jew all the time to refer to the violators of his policy, presumably without knowing whether they were actually Jewish. That was not uncommon. The word Jew Continued on Page 34

Photos: American Jewish Archives

Testing Medal of Honor recipients' mettle

Mendelsohn's book lists the handful of Jews who won the Medal of Honor in the Civil War. Among them is David Urbansky (under various spellings). Born in Prussia, he arrived in the United States four years before the war. He served for almost the entire war, seeing many battles. He was in the 58th Ohio Infantry, a German-speaking unit. After the war, he established a clothing store in Piqua. He and his wife had 12 children. He lived until 1897 and was buried first in Piqua’s Jewish cemetery, then reinterred in Cincinnati, where the American Jewish Archives has his medal.

Urbansky’s medal is unusual. Instead of referring to a specific date – the way David Urbansky the others do – it refers generally to battles at Shiloh and Vicksburg.

Author Mendelsohn is not a big fan of the Civil War Medal of Honor. He says 1,500 were given. He doesn’t note this, but the medal back then didn’t say anything about behavior “above and beyond the call of duty,” today’s wording. The medals then referred to “extraordinary heroism.”

The reverse side of Urbansky’s medal refers to “gallantry.” Mendelsohn says the criteria were “subjective and imprecise, and some recipients…nominated themselves.”

He tells the story of another Jewish honoree, Leopold Karpeles, whose account of the relevant events in his case was later challenged in the regiment’s history. Karpeles nominated himself and got letters from his commanding officers acknowledging his bravery and general conduct, but in general terms, not in reference to a specific engagement. He received the award two weeks later.

Mendelsohn offers no such details about Urbansky.

— Martin Gottlieb Back of David Urbansky's Medal of Honor

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • APRIL 2023

A Magical Tale for All Ages

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PAGE 33

Jewish soldiers

Wishing you a delicious Passover.

The Pavlofsky Families

near Cleveland. The territory was deeply Copperhead, that is, anti-war. Marcus Spiegel joined the army because he was in financial trouble and Continued from Page 33 sometimes seemed to refer to a category of peocould get his debts ameliorated for joining, while ple identified by behavior rather than religion. earning a decent income.

Another factor presumably limiting Jewish In keeping with the Christians in his comenlistment was religious practice. Keeping komunity, he was appalled by the idea of a war sher was pretty much out of the question in the for abolition. “I do not fight or want to fight for army. For one thing, pork was an ever-present Lincoln’s Negro Proclamation one day longer staple. than I can help.” But as time passed, his views For whatever collection of reasons, Jewish changed. He became anti-slavery and pro-Lincommunity organizations did not aggressively coln. promote enlistment the way many other comSpiegel rose to the well-paying rank of lieutenmunity organizations in the North did. ant colonel and developed a taste for command In that context, it’s worth noting that, accordand for army life, thus frustrating his Quaker ing to Mendelsohn, there were no Jewish army wife. At a certain stage, Spiegel hired his brother units. Other historians have said there were at Joseph, a civilian, as sutler to his unit. A sutler least a couple. Mendelsohn says this confusion was a sort of traveling merchant with a general arises in part from the fact that some Jewish store, serving the troops. Ultimately, Marcus community groups did help to create army units died of a combat wound, and Joseph went on to (as did non-Jewish organizations). form the catalog company in Chicago.

But, he says, these weren’t Jewish units. It Mendelsohn doesn’t get much into what Jews would have been difficult almost in general thought about slavery. anyplace to put together a Jewish These are stories This presumably reflects that the unit. Besides not being all that issue isn’t mentioned much in the about what life gung-ho, Jews just weren’t nuletters he's read. He does record merous enough, at about 125,000 was like in camp that some Jewish soldiers were in the Northern population of 19 and in the military always motivated to fight against million. And they were scattered. slavery. But he clearly communigenerally, and Half the Jewish population cates that most Jews in the populalived away from the big cities, and about why a guy tion were not. For one thing, he most units were formed regionnotes, many in the North feared ally. That meant a Jew might find volunteered. that emancipation could result in himself alone in his unit as to freed slaves competing for jobs in religion. the North. And he notes that Jews were as likely Getting beyond the numbers — an announced to have their own prejudices as anybody. goal of both the foundation and the author — As for anti-Jewish prejudice, some Jewish solthe book focuses on the stories of specific Jews. diers were bedeviled by it. Most were not. Many These are not generally war stories: What was it hid their Jewishness by changing their names. like out there under fire? They are stories about But even among men who were openly Jewish, it what life was like in camp and in the military wasn’t necessarily a big problem. generally, and about why a guy volunteered.

Actually, before the Civil War, antisemitism One remarkable phenomenon: Some of the was not a very public force in the United States.

Jewish soldiers first arrived in this country durIn those days, anti-immigrant feeling was ing the war. They were young men who spoke largely focused on the Irish and on non-Jewish little English and had difficulty finding jobs in a Germans, both being much larger, more visible troubled economy. The army was a job. populations than Jews.

Others had been here a while. One memoBut the stereotypes were in place, if somewhat rable story from Ohio involves the Spiegel dormant, and the war brought about all manfamily, as in the eventual mail-order company. ner of bad things for which somebody had to be They were from Millersburg in Holmes County blamed.

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OBITUARIES Rick Fishman, age 65, passed Center, which connected her to away on Feb. 22. Rick was her time at Gifts & Games with preceded in death by his her son. Helen and her husband parents, Libby and Norman, loved theatre and traveling and and his brother, Coleman. He made sure their grandchildren resided at the former Covenant did as well— there was always House, now Garden Court, a Cincinnati Playhouse in the from 1995 to the present. Ricky Park ticket for a grandchild loved sports, people, and never passing through town. She knew a stranger. His smile and was well known for having the bright spirit will be missed by perfect hat for every occasion, everyone who knew him. Rick with a collection fit for a queen. is survived by many cousins Helen was a member of Temple and friends. Interment was at Israel in Dayton since 1961 and Beth Jacob Cemetery. Donations served with various women’s can be made to the Holocaust organizations. Interment was at Education Fund of the Dayton Riverview Cemetery. ContribuJewish Foundation or Beth Jacob tions may be made to Temple Congregation. May his famIsrael, Hospice of Dayton, or a ily and friends be comforted charity of your choice. amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.

Helen Edith Ross of Dayton, cherished mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on March 13 at age 87.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Dr. Allen R. Ross, and her parents, Max and Rachel Zeidman of Wheeling, W.Va. Helen is very proudly survived by three wonderful, caring sons, David (Debbie), Rick, and Marc (Donna); four terrific, loving grandchildren, Rachel (Harry) Wolff, Cameron (Scott) Fussey, Gabriel, and Carter; three adorable great-grandsons, Miles and Evan Wolff, and August Fussey. Helen was known for her razor-sharp sense of humor, and always had a joke (or 10) to share. She was born in Wheeling and graduated from Triadelphia High School. Helen attended Carnegie Institute of Technology, then transferred to The Ohio State University, receiving her B.A. in home economics in 1956. She was on the faculty of OSU Extension Service for three years, during which she wrote a regular home economics bulletin, and hosted a daily WOSU radio show as well as the occasional TV program. Helen managed her husband’s dental practice in Trotwood for over 30 years, and also ran her own gift shop called Gifts & Games in North Dayton. Her son Rick worked there alongside her, launching a candy business that he grew into a global candy design and packaging company, Galerie.

After retiring from dentistry, Helen and Allen worked in the candy business. Helen loved working in the Galerie Retail

Leonard Swartz passed away on Feb. 15 at the age of 90. He was the father of Greg (Sandy) Swartz and Ellen Swartz. He was grandfather to Melanie (Aaron) Fried, Max Swartz, and Matthew Swartz. He was greatgrandfather to Liam and Zoey Fried. He was born in Akron and moved to Dayton for his career in the early 1970s. He was executive vice president of franchises at One Hour MotoPhoto until he retired and moved to Delray Beach in 2000. He was married to Lillian Swartz for 63 years and they were both busy and involved in the community through their work, friends, and family.

Memorial contributions to the National Kidney Foundation would be appreciated. May the memory of Leonard be for a blessing, and may we join together to embrace and support his family.

Wishing You Happy Passover.

GLICKLER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE

Larry S. Glickler, Director Dayton’s ONLY Jewish Funeral Director 1849 Salem Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45406-4927 937-278-4287 lgfuneralhome@gmail.com

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Happy Passover.

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PAGE 35

PRESIDENTS

DINNER 2023

KERRI STRUG is an Olympic Gold Medalist who earned nationwide 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. After injuring her ankle on her first vault attempt, Kerri needed to land her second and final vault in order to seal the victory over Russia for the team combined gymnastics gold medal. With millions of people watching, and two torn ligaments in her leg, Kerri got the job done with a solid landing before collapsing to her hands and knees.

She was carried to the award ceremony where she received her first gold medal. It was the first time the U.S. Gymnastics Team won gold.

Kerri received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a Master’s Degree in Social Psychology at Stanford University. She currently works for the United States Juvenile Justice Department and formerly worked at the White House in Student Correspondence. Kerri is the mother of two young children.

Kerri will talk about her career and touch on the role Judaism has played in her life. Kerri was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. She is one of only three gymnasts to receive this honor.

DATE: Sunday, May 21 TIME: 6PM LOCATION: Boonshoft CJCE

525 Versailles Dr, Centerville 45459

For more information and to RSVP, go to jewishdayton.org.