The Dayton Jewish Observer, September 2024

Kettering brought healing touchinto Israel thisform summer Davidcouple Moss designs Grace After Meals comic book p. 22 p. 6

THE DAYTON Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton

September 2024 Av/Elul 5784 Vol. 28, No. 13

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Hate on parade in Springfield

Members of the Blood Tribe neo-Nazi group marched with firearms for about 85 minutes in downtown Springfield, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 10.

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Tour of Holocaust exhibit honors 25 years at Air Force Museum Renate Frydman, founder and curator of Prejudice & Memory: A Holocaust Exhibit, will lead a tour of the exhibit at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10 to commemorate its 25th anniversary on permanent display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The tour is presented by the JCC's adult programming department in partnership with the adult education and programming committees of Beth Abraham Synagogue, Beth Jacob Congregation, Temple Beth Or, and Temple Israel.

Frydman, chair of the Dayton Holocaust Education Committee, originally designed Prejudice & Memory as a mobile exhibit in 1997.

For more than a year, she had collected artifacts from local survivors, liberators, and rescuers. It was among the first exhibits in the United States to focus on local people's Holocaust experiences.

Prejudice & Memory had been on display at 10 sites across southwest Ohio when the late retired Maj. Gen. Charles D. Metcalf — then director of the Air Force Museum — invited

14-year-old Gertrude Wolff Kahn took with her when she was rescued from Nazi Germany through the Kindertransport program, and the violin her husband, Robert Kahn, was forced to play at age 15 on Kristallnacht as Nazis beat his father.

In the museum's World War II gallery is a French railroad car constructed in 1943. Millions of Holocaust victims were herded into this type of boxcar and sent to concentraRenate Frydman, curator of tion camps. Allied prisoners of Prejudice & Memory: A Holocaust war were also transported to Exhibit at the National Museum of German POW camps in these the U.S. Air Force. boxcars, some even to BuchenFrydman to display the exhibit wald concentration camp.

The railcar, part of the Prejuthere from February through dice and Memory tour, was airSeptember 1999. lifted to the Air Force Museum Two weeks after the exhibit went on display at the Air Force in 2001.

Admission to the Air Force Museum, Metcalf told Frydman the museum wanted to keep the Museum, the tour, and parking are free. The museum is located exhibit there permanently. at 1100 Spaatz St., Fairborn.

The late Dave London, an RSVP by Sept. 5 to jewishAir Force Museum restoration dayton.org/events or contact volunteer, renovated Prejudice Stacy Emoff, semoff@jfgd.net, & Memory two years ago.

937-610-5513. Emoff is also Artifacts on display include coordinating a pay-your-ownthe Buchenwald concentraway lunch for participants after tion camp uniform of survivor Moritz Bomstein, the accordion the tour at a nearby restaurant.

Talk about Dayton KKK in 1920s at UD Bill Trollinger, professor of history and religious studies at the University of Dayton, will present the address, Terrorizing Catholics, Jews, and Immigrants: The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Dayton at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept.

5 at UD's Roger Glass Center for the Arts.

The director of the university's Core Integrated Studies Program, Trollinger has written extensively on the Klan.

In the 1920s, an estimated 4 to 5 million Americans were members of the second iteration of the Ku Klux Klan, Trollinger told The Observer.

"In contrast with the postCivil War Klan, which was concentrated in the South, the 1920s KKK was a truly national organization, with particular strength in the Midwest and West," he noted.

"This Klan targeted Catholics, Jews, and immigrants, along with, as always, African Americans and other people of

color." director of UD's Human Rights Trollinger added that in the Center, will moderate a round1920s, Dayton was one of the table discussion with civil rights leading KKK strongholds in the leaders from across the state United States. Dayton's Klan, he about the fight against hate in said, directed much Ohio today. of its hatred against Discussion the city’s Catholic participants will be population, includAnti-Defamation ing at the University League Regional of Dayton.

Director Kelly FishHe'll share stories man from Cleveof how UD students land, Cincinnati and its football team NAACP President challenged the Klan, Joe Mallory, and and how the school’s Father Satish Joseph administration of Our Lady of the avoided confrontaImmaculate Conceptions and endured tion in Dayton.

Prof. Bill Trollinger the Klan's terrorism The program is in the 1920s as did several other hosted by UD's Alumni Chair in Catholic universities across the Humanities, Sam Dorf. AdmisUnited States. sion is free.

The Klan attacks of the 1920s The Roger Glass Center for have all but disappeared from the Arts is located at 29 Creative UD’s institutional memory, Way, Dayton.

Trollinger said.

For more information, conFollowing Trollinger's talk, tact the center at 937-229-5000 Natalie Hudson, executive or Dorf at sdorf1@udayton.edu.

Arts..............................21 Ca l e n da r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 7

Mazel Tov.................................18 Obituaries........................... 23

O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 6 R e l i g i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 8

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

THE REGION

Hate on parade in Springfield stopantisemitism.org

It's legal to openly carry guns in Ohio, individually or as a group. But what about aiming them at bystanders?

By Marshall Weiss, The Observer Springfield Chief of Police Allison Elliott says her department was prepared for whatever might come its way on a hectic Saturday, Aug. 10.

"This is my community. I was born and raised here. I'm very passionate about it," Elliott says.

Bernie Moreno, Ohio's Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, was scheduled to give a stump speech that morning in the parking lot of Mad River Armory and Range. He would talk about gun rights and how the influx of Haitian immigrants to Springfield under Temporary Protected This photo of members of the Blood Tribe neo-Nazi group Status has put "insane" strains on the city's marching with assault rifles across from Springfield Police headquarters on N. Fountain Ave., Aug. 10 has been posted at infrastructure. numerous social media sites and at stopantisemitism.org.

Moreno's staffers had asked for extrahate group showed up. duty police officers to be present at his "They went down to our core block area while rally, Elliott says. They were concerned counterthose large events were going on," Elliott says. protesters might show up.

"They marched up to our City Hall area. There That afternoon, from 1 to 5 p.m., families were some that were identified as holding rifles would head to the Summer Sky Festival put on by the Clark County Historical Society at its Heri- and they were obviously wearing masks." Some tage Center downtown. Springfield Kiwanis was of them, she says, appeared to carry sidearms.

Ohio is an open carry state. The hosting the second day of its group's name, Blood Tribe, was emblaSpringfield Jazz & Blues Fest zoned on the back of their red shirts. from 2:30 p.m. into the eveThey carried two flags with swastikas, ning at Commons Park Plaza the symbol of Nazi Germany. and Mother Stewart's Plaza in The police chief says a dozen Blood downtown's core block area.

Tribe members showed up about 4:35 The weather was perfect. p.m., walked as a group in the core With all the negative nablock area for about 85 minutes, and tional media attention over the "were heading back out of the core block of the weeks before focused on Springfield's soaring city" around 6 p.m.

Haitian population — much of it from RepubThough The Observer asked Elliott repeatedly, lican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance's stump speech references — Aug. 10 looked like a she declined to say whether her department had day for people there to take a breath. To just have any prior knowledge that members of Blood Tribe planned to show up and march. fun.

And then a dozen members of the Blood Tribe Continued on Page Four

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'There were some that were identified as holding rifles.'

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From the editor’s desk

oy c O Menachem

All these years later, she’s still the apple of my Oy.

OK

A year or so after I began working on The Observer, I couldn't decide whether I should publish a photo of a hate group rally in Cincinnati. I asked several members of our Jewish community what they thought. Some said that to publish Marshall such a photo would give the hate group Weiss the attention they craved. It would increase fear in the people the hate group wanted to frighten. Don't give them what they want.

When I asked Holocaust survivors, they urged me to run it. It's important that our readers see what's going on, to look at hate directly. We can't stand down hate if we don't look at it fully.

Rabbi Cary Kozberg, who leads Temple Sholom in Springfield, told the Columbus Jewish News that he spoke with Springfield Mayor Rob Rue after the Aug. 10 Blood Tribe march there. "He was very supportive, I think, for his comments and he shared that Springfield was going to be very watchful of these things," the rabbi told the CJN. "We have to be watchful and cautious and prepared for anything."

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THE REGION

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they had parked on High Street in Toledo, Ohio, July 15, 2023; half a block from City Hall. in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 2, 2023; "My husband and I, we heard and in Madison, Wisc., Nov. 18, Continued from Page Three this loud noise and shouting," 2023.

"We didn't get an applicaWeber says. "We were like, The Columbus Dispatch retion for a permit for a rally or 'What the hell? What's going ported Sept. 11, 2023 that Blood a parade or anything like that," on?'"

Tribe claimed it had started an Elliott says. "Obviously, exercisHer husband said, "Get to the Ohio chapter. ing your First Amendment right car now."

Elliott declined to share how just to walk up the street and "Then I saw the group of closely her officers surveilled march up the street, you do not them. Their red shirts, their the Blood Tribe group during have to have a permit here in masks, and the Nazi flag. And their march in Springfield.

Springfield for that. Once they we got in the car."

"Obviously, this group is exarrived to the city, we obviously Their daughter asked what ercising their First Amendment, had our plans in place from our was going on.

Second Amendment rights, but increased staffing and follow"Nothing. We're we also understand ing our action plans on how we just trying to get the potential for handle situations like that that home." dangerous situations do arise." to occur, of course, Chelsea Shirk Weber says Who they are in any potential for she was keenly aware of the According to the opposition at any police presence in Springfield Anti-Defamation event like that. that day. She and her husband League, Blood Tribe "We had more brought their 4-year-old daugh- is a neo-Nazi group officers throughter downtown to take in the with semi-autonout the area, just Summer Sky Festival and Jazz omous chapters in monitoring and then & Blues Fest. the United States also monitoring the "Being a mom, the first thing and Canada. It was group to ensure that I look at is, OK, I take a picture formed online in while they're going of my kid and the clothes she's 2021 and started to exercise their First wearing that day, I check to see showing up at anti- Springfield Police Chief and Second Amendwhere are the exits, the safety, LGBTQ+ events last Allison Elliott ment rights, we also how many police officers are year. have an obligation there," Weber, also a Springfield It champions "hard-line and duty to protect the public native, says.

White supremacist views and and ensure no criminal activity "At the Summer Sky Fesopenly directs its vitriol at Jews, is occurring and keeping people tival, that we went to first, 'non-Whites' and the LGBTQ+ safe and trying to prevent any we only saw two officers for community." sort of negative interaction or the entire event," Weber says.

Approximately two dozen significant event."

"But at Jazz Fest, I said to my Blood Tribe members marched The chief says some people husband, 'Wow, there's a lot of through downtown Nashville, downtown made comments cops around here.' They were Tenn. on Saturday, Feb. 17, call- back as they drove past the paired up, a lot of them walking ing it a celebration of "the Great Blood Tribe marchers. around."

White South."

"We did have some reports Weber says she's known ElThe Southern Poverty Law that they (Blood Tribe) were liott her entire life. "She's going Center notes that Blood Tribe's making statements initially to do big things for Springfield," founder, Christopher Alan about our Haitian community she says of the chief. "She has Pohlhaus, has led members of members," Elliott says. "That been the best thing for Springthe hate group on at least five was obviously second-hand field since she took over." other rallies: in Wadsworth, information."

At 5 p.m., the Webers were Ohio, March 11, 2023; in CoThe chief, who has since been walking back to their car, which lumbus, Ohio, April 29, 2023; in contact with the FBI, says her

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Cathy Gardner CEO The Dayton Jewish Observer, Vol. 28, No. 13. The Dayton Jewish Observer is published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, a nonprofit corporation, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459.

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THE REGION officers did not observe Blood Tribe members breaking any laws Aug. 10 in Springfield.

"But I will tell you though, we do encourage the public, especially in any event — we're human too, and there may be some things that we missed — at any sort of operation or event, we do encourage the public if you see something, say something."

'They have four assault rifles pointed at the car'

When Weber's husband pulled their car out from its spot on High Street, they got stuck in traffic. Two cars were ahead of them at the red light at High and Fountain Avenue.

That's when the Blood Tribe marchers started crossing the street in front of them.

"While they were in the crossing, it was the guy in the suit who wasn't wearing a mask — he was leading them — and then there were four people standing on the street pointing their guns, saying, 'Go the f--- back to Africa,'" Weber says.

"That's what they were shouting. Pointing the guns at the cars. At my car."

Her husband drove through the red light to get them to safety.

"I don't know what they're going to do," Weber says of the marchers. "They have four assault rifles pointed at the car. So we sped off and left."

Weber says she didn't see any police nearby when the neoNazis aimed their rifles at her family.

"I did not see a single police officer interact with them or stop or watch them. The only

field, Ohio - Government Faceperson that was trying to stop book page read: them was a teenager boy on a We want to inform you that skateboard. Because he fola hate group from outside of our lowed them around." community made an appearance She and her husband didn't in the downtown core block today. contact the police. "We wanted Their presence is deeply concernto get out and head home." ing, and our public Their daughter, safety services took Weber says, is trauthe necessary steps to matized. ensure the safety and "My daughter is well-being of everyone asking, 'Why are in our community was there bad men with maintained. masks on, pointMayor Rob Rue ing guns at the car commented on the saying bad words?' situation stating, Now she's getting “There was an attempt into, 'What happens to disrupt our comif there's a tornado? munity by an outside What happens if the Chelsea Shirk Weber hate group. Nothing house catches on happened, except they expressed fire?' All these bad situations their First Amendment rights. Our because of the Nazis and them Police Division was aware and in pointing their guns at my car."

Weber was one of two people control the entire time.”

We stand united against hate that day to post photos of the Blood Tribe marchers in Spring- and discrimination and remain committed to upholding the values field on social media.

"I posted it on the bulletins in of respect and inclusivity within our community. Let’s continue to Springfield and Clark County support one another and uphold Facebook pages," she says.

That photo is on the cover of these values that define our community. this issue of The Observer.

Thank you.

"Well, my post blew up. Hundreds of people commented on "It was just completely disapit." pointing that the government Weber wishes she had screenshot those posts. She says said, 'Oh, they're just exercising their First Amendment right they were removed. She adds and they did no harm.' Tell that that people were commenting on it in favor of the hate group. to my 4-year-old, who is completely traumatized. I'm 37 and Others said the photo she I was scared s---less. How do posted wasn't real.

"I got hundreds of comments. you explain it to a 4-year-old?"

The Observer provided Police Mostly hate-filled. And then Chief Elliott with a transcript after they removed my post, of Weber's interview. Despite about five minutes later, the City of Springfield government repeated attempts to reach out to Elliott for a follow-up interposted." view, she declined to comment.

The post, at City of Spring-

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Kettering couple brought healing touch to Israel as volunteers this summer An interview with pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Mike Bloom & educator Amy Bloom

By Marshall Weiss, The Observer This summer, the Times of Israel reported that since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, approximately 400 physicians and 30 health professionals from the United States and other countries have volunteered in Israel to treat those injured in the war or to cover for Israeli doctors and medical staff called to active duty. One of these physicians was pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Mike Bloom of Kettering, July 1-15. He and his wife, Hillel Academy first- and second-grade secular teacher Amy Bloom, volunteered in and around Beersheba, the largest city in the Negev desert, in Israel's south.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did your volunteering come about?

Mike: I found out from a pediatric ophthalmologist, a friend of ours, through Seroka Medical Center in Beersheba. It was geared toward specific needs. With the universal healthcare system there, sometimes the state hospitals get backlogs of surgeries or cases or specific situations.

The ophthalmology department head reached out because he had a need, and it spread among all the Jewish pediatric ophthalmologists. We all forwarded it to our friends.

They ended up bringing in four of us, each on consecutive weeks, on two-week blocks. The last one, Retired U.S. Army Brigadier Gen. Robert Ezenauer, he was my mentor. He’s not Jewish. He was friends with an Israeli pediatric ophthalmologist, found out about it, and "wanted to do a mitzvah" is what he said.

Was it hard to get away?

Mike: We have our own practice. Rob (his brother, Dr. Rob Bloom) covered the office for me to go there.

He goes frequently enough on his own for some time.

We’ve been to Israel many times over the last decade.

Amy went on a Momentum trip in January with her sister and Marci Vandersluis. When Amy came home, the first thing she said was, "Mike, we have to go back to Israel in the summer." I’m not really good with a hammer or picking fruit. I was thinking, how do we do this? And then that email showed up in my inbox a month after she said we have to go back.

Amy: Momentum is an organization that was started by a handful of women. It was meant for women with younger children to go back to their communities after they’ve gone on the trip and spread the word to their friends and advocate for Israel. But after Oct. 7, they pivoted and made trips geared for anybody who wanted to go and bear witness.

Where did you and Mike stay in Beersheba?

Amy: We found an AirBNB in Beersheba's Old City.

Mike, what procedures did you perform?

Mike: Their staffing was short either from reservist duty because of the war or other factors that played into a backlog in my area of expertise, which is strabismus surgery, which is crossed eyes and eye muscle surgeries. I was not taking care of the traumas. There was the ophthalmology team that would round on the soldiers. I made an effort during the first week of my stay to go round with that team. And it was very impactful. You see in the news how many people die in a particular day, but you don’t always think of the ones that were injured. And the ones that are permanently going to have to deal with the injuries they sustain.

Blooms in the desert: Dr. Mike and Amy Bloom in the Negev.

The first patient I saw was probably in his young 20s and he was just a big, muscular kid. And he sustained such a bad brain injury, he was on a ventilator and permanent brain damage and will never be the same again. And then multiple blast injuries, foreign bodies in the eyes. One soldier had to have his eye removed from the trauma.

Have you done medical procedures in Israel before?

Mike: This was the first time. They assigned me to one of the residents, Mohammed Wattad, a second- to third-year resident, and he did all the translating, the charting. We would see patients together in the clinic, make the diagnosis, make the decisions on how to manage and treat them if they needed surgery. A lot of the patients were referred specifically by outside ophthalmologists and optometrists for the surgery.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

And then he would scrub in with me.

When I went there, I thought this is going to be just like the States and we’re going to do a lot of surgery and we’re going to take care of all the backlog of all the cases and see all these patients, but the Israeli healthcare system is different from ours.

And so we definitely saw less patients and did less amount of cases than we would do here in my typical day.

I kind of pivoted my mindset. A very rewarding part of the experience was the training of the residents. They got to scrub in and we were able to help with their training and their experience. It was just a win-win.

When you weren’t volunteering, what were you up to?

Mike: We rented a car, and Amy was a champ with this microcar on the streets of Beersheba, which was pretty incredible. She would drop me off in the morning, at 7:30-8 at the hospital.

Amy: The chief ophthalmologist who had arranged all of this in Beersheba, he and his wife live in a village near the West Bank. They have a school on-site and the school was having a summer camp. So he arranged for me to go there and I went for a few hours every day and tutored English. They were K through eighth grade. We’re going to try to do some kind of a communication between the Hillel kids and their kids where we write them in Hebrew, they write us in English.

When Mike would get off work, it

Them Home posters. She brought was really, really hot. Usually, we’d her daughter in for an eye exam. rest in the afternoon for a couple And she told the resident that she hours and then go out after the sun had one of those posters. She said, was starting to set a little bit and go the resident translated back to me, out to dinner. We spent a Shabbat that her brother was missing since in Jerusalem and that was great. We Oct. 7th. And recently, security spent a Shabbat lunch at the chief video had shown that he was killed ophthalmologist's home. I went to Tel and that his body had been taken.

Aviv one day.

He had a job at one of the kibbutzes.

Mike: And Mohammed and another resident, Baker, he was Bedouin, Is there anything else you’d like he drove us in his souped-up SUV. our readers to know?

Amy: He took us to the sand dunes Amy: The Israelis are so gratein the Negev. He gave us a whole ful to have visitors and volunteers.

Bedouin picnic after sundown.

Dr. Mike Bloom (Center) at Soroka Medical Center in Mike: Amy drove to Jerusalem for July with Ophthalmology Chair Dr. Erez Tsumii (L) and There are so many people walking around there to help, from a lot the day to visit the family (who lived medical resident Dr. Mohammed Wattad. of farming, helping to pick crops, in Dayton some years ago) whose people helping put the kibbutzim back 16-year-old son passed away (of natural Hebrew, Arabic, English, and there’s a lot of Russian immigrants there. We had together, like Kibbutz Be’eri and Kfar causes). The Harels.

Aza, and helping in general with anya Ukrainian-Russian population there, Amy: I saw them at the shiva. thing they can. too. What was heartwarming, what felt It’s just an incredible experience to really nice was it felt exactly like seeing Did you experience anything on the be there and not just sitting over here, patients in my office here in Dayton. trip that you didn’t expect?

The staff is multicultural, the patients helpless. The Israelis really feel that, Mike: The resident assigned to me and are grateful. are multicultural. From the patients to was Muslim, an Arab Israeli. And Mike: And the Israelis, they’re very in the nurses to the doctors, everyone is Baker, he’s really interested in pediatric tune to the news in the media and how just living their lives. ophthalmology. We were communicatthings are portrayed. They were just so A lot of people have asked since ing about setting up future trips and thankful that an American Jew would I’ve come home, what was the political getting him trained, as he has young come, or any American would come to conversation? It was very little of that. children, and it would be difficult for Israel at this time. him to be away from his family to come It was all people trying to find a way They were so appreciative. They feel to support their families, to better their to the States and train. isolated. To go there and not only bear lives, just like here. That was obvious I always knew that about 20 percent witness but to show our support at this from the get-go when we got there. It of the Israeli population was Arab. time felt wonderful to us. Throughfelt good. I was not expecting it to the There’s Druze — it’s a melting pot. out the entire trip it was, "Thanks for extent that it was there.

In Beersheba, in particular. When my coming. We appreciate your just being A Muslim mom came into the hospiresident would translate, English was here." tal office, and she saw one of the Bring probably the third language. There was

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Flight cancellations postpone Israeli Arab student trip for a year

‘We recognize how much he cared.’

Bonnie Kaplan

— Andrew, Becky & Ben Weprin with their father, Bart

I

n the ultimate act of tzedakah, Bart Weprin, of blessed memory, co-chaired the project to create the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton while dying.

Always looking out for future generations of his family and community, he created an organization to preserve the dignity of our cemeteries in perpetuity. Consolidating the three Jewish cemeteries made sense to him practically. More importantly, it was a way to honor the memory of his adored parents and grandparents.

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DaytonMetroLibrary.org or by calling the Ask Me Desk at 937.463.2665.

Israeli Arab students from the Galilee region take in a Dayton Dragons game during their two-week visit here in 2022.

Leading by example, he showed his children, Ben, Andrew and Becky, the importance of caring for their hometown Jewish community.

Now living out-of-town, they all contributed to the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton campaign to honor their father and to preserve the dignity of his eternal home. And they hope their participation will inspire generations of Daytonians living around the country.

When Bart’s children visit Temple Israel’s beautiful cemetery, they feel a sense of connection with the generations that came before them which they now share with all of Bart’s grandchildren.

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

Four days before nine Israeli Arab high school students from the Galilee and their chaperone were to arrive Aug. 9 for two weeks in Dayton, their trip was postponed until next year. With heightened tensions and threats of retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah after Israel's assassinations of top Hamas military and political leaders in July, Delta Airlines cancelled its flights in and out of Israel until September.

"The kids were booked on Delta," said Dr. Marti Moody Jacobs of Washington Township, who, since 2007 has facilitated eight such trips with Israeli Arab students from the Galilee. It's the culmination of a summer English language program for Israeli Arab students in the Galilee taught by Dayton-area volunteers on alternating years. The program is funded through private donations.

"I talked to Delta people for days, and they tried to be helpful and find other flights out, but there wasn't Dr. Marti Moody anything," Jacobs said. "A group Jacobs of 10, it's hard to move them. I've texted all the students and they're all very gracious and excited to come next summer. And one of the girls said, 'Oh, don't feel too bad. Nobody can get out of the country now.'"

JTA has reported that United Airlines suspended service to Israel indefinitely and that American Airlines has also canceled its flights until April 2025.

The students live in the villages of Sakhnin and Kaukab. "None of them have been to the U.S. before," Jacobs said. "They don't have relatives in the U.S. They were very excited." Their itinerary included visits to essentially every site worth seeing in southwest Ohio, meetings with local social justice leaders and University of Dayton international students, producing and editing their own videos at DATV, a movement/acting class at the Human Race Theatre Company, a SWAT team demonstration, and a Dragons game.

"We do all these educational things, and they had a list of things they also wanted to do here: Five Guys, beach volleyball, a drive-in movie. Surfing, we told them no, they couldn't do that here. It's really sweet."

What to do with all the food Jacobs prepared for the guests, hosts, and other program volunteers?

"I cook a lot, and I now find myself with a freezer stuffed with food for the group that was coming in.

So I’m changing the group's farewell dinner into a 'forward' dinner for everyone here involved with the program."

— Marshall Weiss

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

THE REGION

Columbus JCC preschool teachers attempt to formally unionize employees in your peers, and it makes it better for our

By Kaitlyn Finchler, Columbus Jewish News students and families that are there.”

A collective of preschool teachers at the Jewish A total of 117 employees are involved in the unionCommunity Center of Greater Columbus announced ization effort, and are represented by Council 8 of the its intent to unionize June 5. Since then, they claim American Federation of State, County and Municipal to have been met with “union-busting tactics” and a “combative” work environment, while Columbus JCC Employees, according to the case file with the Nationleaders express an interest in finding a solution benefi- al Labor Relations Board.

The teachers’ initial statement on X reads: “The cial for all, the Columbus Jewish News has been told. teachers of the JCC of Greater Columbus are proud to Jennifer Steiner, a preschool teacher at the Coannounce that we are unionizing to make the JCC a lumbus JCC for three years, said July 15 that talks of sustainable place to work for early childhood profesunionizing started prior to her hiring.

She said talks with the administration, where teach- sionals. We ask that administration voluntarily recognize this union so that we can begin working together ers have stated their “wants and needs,” have made to make this not just an incredible place the need for a union “the best way” to 'In general, the staff, for children, but an incredible place for have a “voice on the job that’s recogteachers too.” nized in an official capacity.” the teachers, we Columbus JCC CEO Mike Klapper The formal announcement of the would like to have said in a July 15 email to the Columbus unionization effort was posted on X, Jewish News that it was formally notified on the JCC Teachers United account @ a sustainable workJune of the teachers’ petition filed jccteachers_oh8, on June 5. place where we can in with the NLRB. He said there are no Steiner said prior to working at the current policies about unionizing at the JCC, she worked in public education attract and retain JCC and no other part of its workforce and was part of a union. When JCC quality teachers.' is unionized. preschool teachers asked around to see “The JCC has always had an openif there was enough interest in uniondoor policy with our teachers and staff,” Klapper izing, it was met with an “overwhelming response,” said. “We are committed to listening to them so that she said. we can fully understand and address any specific and “In general, the staff, the teachers, we would like actionable concerns through a productive dialogue. to have a sustainable workplace where we can attract Working within the strict state and federal laws for and retain quality teachers,” Steiner, a Bexley resiengaging with employees actively pursuing union dent, said. “It’s always easier when you have quality

Columbus JCC Preschool Teacher Jennifer Steiner

Columbus JCC CEO Mike Klapper

representation, we have been conducting a listening tour to better understand any concerns that teachers may have.”

Klapper said that while the Columbus JCC is aware the union organizers have “discouraged” teachers from engaging in the listening sessions, they “value the perspectives and insights” afforded by those teachers who have participated.

Steiner said the Columbus JCC hired an outside HR consultant and “had us meet with her,” referring to the teachers trying to unionize. A June 11 statement on the @jccteachers_oh8 X account said the consultant pulled teachers out of classes to “sow division.”

“She was able to give some information about unions, but in my experience, it felt very one-sided,” Steiner said. “My perception was that a lot of the information was incomplete, in my opinion.”

Steiner feels as though many organizing teachers Continued on Page 10

There’s still time to apply!

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

PAGE 9

THE REGION

Columbus

MY JEWISH YEAR

SEPTEMBER 8 at NOON: High Holidays SEPTEMBER 22 at NOON: Tu Bishvat and Purim OCTOBER 27 at NOON: Passover, Shavuot, and Tisha B’av COST: Free RSVP: Call the Temple Office at 937.496.0050 to register.

Whether it feels like you are celebrating Jewish holidays for the first time or the millionth time this year, there’s always something more to discover!

Join us for one or all three of our sessions inspired

by Abigail Pogrebin’s book, My Jewish Year. Reading the book is not required; but will start you on a journey that “travels through the calendar’s signposts with candor, humor, and a trove of information, capturing the arc of Jewish observance through the eyes of a relatable, wandering and wondering – Jew.” Each of our sessions will focus on a subset of holidays, with the aim of deepening the meaning of these holidays, our personal connection and observance of them, and our connection to each other.

This program is brought to you by Temple Israel’s Adult Education Committee.

Temple Israel • www.tidayton.org • 937.496.0050 130 Riverside Drive, Dayton, OH 45405 A Reform Synagogue open to all who are interested in Judaism.

PAGE 10

Continued from Page Nine believe it has turned into an “us versus them” situation, but are trying to stay positive.

“Teachers have been pulled out of classrooms,” Steiner said, adding she declined her own listening session.

“All meetings have been labeled as voluntary or optional. I do know that some of my colleagues have felt pressured to attend. So while they say that they’re optional, I know that not everyone feels that is true...I only attended the first meeting, and it was over 90 minutes long. Which feels like a long time to be pulled away from your kids in our last weeks and months together because my kids are moving on to kindergarten.”

Steiner said between the JCC’s main campus on College Avenue and the two satellite preschools in Worthington and New Albany, there are over 100 teachers employed. She said the statedesignated ratio is 14 students to one teacher, and this ratio is met, sometimes exceeded, but never below ratio.

Klapper also confirmed this in his email, but declined to confirm the exact number of teachers and their salaries.

But, he added “our teacher salaries are higher than those of similar early childhood education providers in the area.”

The Columbus JCC’s preschool teachers are not the first JCC-affiliated teachers to try to unionize. Earlier this year, the Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center’s Early Learning School in Denver was understaffed and working long hours, and were pushing for a union, according to The Denver Post.

Other cases filed with the NLRB include the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center in East Palo Alto, Calif., and the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey – Betty and Milton Katz Jewish Community Center in Cherry Hill.

The JCC of Greater Columbus’ case, 09-RC-343754, is still ongoing, and the employer is represented by Brian Mumaugh and Juan Obregon of Holland and Hart, LLP, both in Denver.

The petitioners’ legal representative is Michelle Evans from AFSCME Ohio Council 8.

“We did ask for voluntary recognition because we have the overwhelming majority,” Steiner said. “We knew based on how the process typically goes that was potentially not going to happen, and it didn’t. (Klapper) made it clear that he thought it was important that everyone have a voice. He said that he was going to have it go to a vote and since then, there’s been some other things that we’re waiting to clear to see if we can get to that point.”

The unionizing teachers also claim the Columbus JCC is attempting to get a religious exemption to prevent a union from forming.

Klapper said there are “unique legal issues” with the NLRB asserting

jurisdiction over religious organizations such as the JCC, and the NLRB “must address” those issues.

According to the NLRB’s jurisdictional standards for religious organizations, “The board will not assert jurisdiction over employees of a religious organization who are involved in effectuating the religious purpose of the organization, such as teachers in church-operated schools. The board has asserted jurisdiction over employees who work in the operations of a religious organization that did not have a religious character, such as a health care institution.”

Klapper said, “We have asked the NLRB to first determine whether it may legally retain jurisdiction over the JCC as a Jewish organization before either side makes decisions about how to proceed. We respect that the teachers affiliated with the effort to unionize may have differing opinions in this situation, but it is important to understand that the JCC of Greater Columbus and those teachers not affiliated with the effort have rights that must also be expected.”

Klapper also said labor law is “extraordinarily complex,” so the JCC hired “experts to make sure we conform with all state and federal laws,” but said “to be clear,” they believe the NLRB does not have jurisdiction over the JCC. “We also believe that a large international labor union made up of mostly government workers have nothing in common with early childhood education or with our unique Jewish faithbased curriculum,” Klapper said.

“A union would create unnecessary bureaucracy and make us slower to respond to teacher needs because we would be required to follow a formal bureaucratic process. We do not believe that is in the best interests of our teachers or the children and families we serve.”

When asked what the next steps are if a resolution beneficial to both parties can’t be reached, Klapper said the organization would “cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“Right now, we focused on adding to our understanding of our educators’ perspectives through our listening tour and awaiting clarification from the NLRB,” he said.

Regardless of the situation, Steiner said she has never had a job she loves as much as being a preschool teacher at the JCC. At the end of the day, she said, “we just want what’s best for the teachers, which in turn is what’s best for our students.”

“I have never felt so fulfilled and connected to my role and because of that, I feel really passionately about the place that I work,” she said. “Having a daughter here, I want it to be the best.

So if there’s not an official resolution, we still have our union, we have still created this connection, this united front, and we won’t stop advocating for the things that teachers and students need and deserve to have to build a successful classroom.”

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

September 2024 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 10:30AM - 1:30PM Museum Field Trip to Prejudice and Memory: A Holocaust Exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 5:45 - 8PM Community Shabbat: A Celebration with Family and Friends SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 11AM - 12:30PM Women’s Philanthropy Brunch SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 3 - 5PM PJ Library and PJ Our Way Rosh Hashanah Apple Picking

Connect with us! Check out our events.

For more information, check out our calendar at jewishdayton.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 5:30 - 8PM PJ Library Down on the Farm

Community Shabbat:

A Celebration with Family and Friends Friday, September 13, 5:45 – 8PM At The Boonshoft CJCE (525 Versailles Dr., Centerville, 45459) Join the community for a Shabbat celebration with family and friends of all ages. Experience tradition, community, and joy during a Kabalat Shabbat program. Enjoy a familystyle kosher meal while participating in a camp-style song session. $18 individual, $36 family. RSVP and menu choice requested by September 6 at jewishdayton.org/events.

In partnership with Hillel Academy of Greater Dayton, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Dayton, PJ Library, and PJ Our Way. This event is made possible through Prizmah and funding provided by an Innovation Grant of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.

Jewish Community Center

Questions? Contact Kate Elder at kelder@jfgd.net.

OF GREATER DAYTON

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

PAGE 11

September 2024 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

Rosh Hashanah Apple Picking

Sunday, September 22, 3 – 5PM Tuken’s Orchard & Farm Market 15725 Eaton Pike, West Alexandria, 45381 PJ joins Beth Abraham Synagogue to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

Learn about the holiday and pick your favorite apples to dip in honey!

No charge. RSVP by September 20.

To register, visit jewishdayton.org/events Questions? Please contact Elaine Arnovitz at elaine@bethabrahamdayton.org or Kate Elder at kelder@jfgd.net

Museum Field Trips Tuesday, November 26, 7:30 PM A Beautiful Noise – The Neil Diamond Musical At the Schuster Center 109 North Main Street, Dayton, 45402 Meet at the Theater Ticket Cost $99 – Orchestra level seating (no booking fee required) Limited seating available – Must register by October 1 To Purchase Tickets visit jewishdayton.org/events or call 937-610-1555.

AUDITIONS Sunday, September 15 beginning at 2PM & Tuesday, September 17 beginning at 6PM

JCC Adults in partnership with the Beth Abraham Synagogue Program Committee, Beth Jacob Programming Committee, Temple Beth Or Adult Education Committee, and Temple Israel Adult Education Committee invite you and your friends to explore museums in our area! (age 16 and over are welcome)

Tuesday, September 10 10:30AM – 1:30PM • Lunch & Tour at the National Museum of the United States Air Force 1100 Spaatz Street, Fairborn, 45433 Honoring Prejudice And Memory's 25th anniversary on permanent exhibit at the Air Force Museum • Meet at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at 10:30 AM for a docent-led tour of Prejudice And Memory: A Holocaust Exhibit.

• Tour to be led by Exhibit Founder Dr. Renate Frydman, PhD. • No cost for the exhibit tour, museum admission, or parking.

• Lunch after the tour at a nearby restaurant (TBD – cost on your own).

RSVP by September 5 at jewishdayton.org/events or to Stacy Emoff, semoff@jfgd.net, 937-610-5513.

At The Boonshoft CJCE (525 Versailles Dr., Centerville, 45459) Audition for this year's musical — Descendants! Participants should come prepared with a one-minute song selection and a monologue of no more than two minutes. A short dance sequence will be taught, so come dressed in comfortable clothing and adequate footwear to dance.

Jewish Community Center OF GREATER DAYTON

Performance dates: February 15-16, 2025 | Program fee: $225 Please visit jewishdayton.org/youth-theatre-auditions to schedule an audition.

PAGE 12

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

September 2024 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

Washington, D.C. Mini Mission November 8 – 10 Cost: $800 (double occupancy)

a $300 stipend will be provided for each participant in order to make the cost $500

Join us for an exciting three-day trip to DC ahead of the JFNA General Assembly. We will tour exciting Jewish museums, dine at fun and interesting restaurants, experience a special Shabbat dinner together, and enjoy the beauty of Washington D.C. in the fall!

For more information visit generalassembly.org Questions? contact Janese R. Sweeny, Executive Director, Development & Strategy, at jsweeny@jfgd.net.

For more information, contact Janese R. Sweeny, Executive Director, Development & Strategy, at jsweeny@jfgd.net.

Down on the Farm Sunday, September 29, 5:30 – 8PM Candlebrook Farms at Lucas Brothers 3229 Ferry Road, Bellbrook, 45305 PJ Library and JCC Camp Shalom families are invited for our annual evening of fall fun, including hayrides, corn mazes, campfires, s’mores and a special mitzvah project!

No charge. RSVP by September 27.

To register, visit jewishdayton.org/events Questions? Please contact Kate Elder at kelder@jfgd.net

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

PAGE 13

September 2024 JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

2024 SUMMER SERIES Legacies, Tributes, & Memorials VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS Sponsored by:

FEDERATION

ANNUAL CAMPAIGN In memory of Joyce Margolis Melinda and Bill Doner THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER In memory of Joseph Litvin Harriet Klass THE RESILIENCE SCHOLARSHIP FUND In honor of Kellie Weckstein being designated as a “Rising Star” in Top Women in Grocery Donald and Caryl Weckstein SEEDS FUND In memory of Joyce Margolis In memory of Be’eri Assaf Heath Gilbert EDWARD R. HATTENBACH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND In honor of Marian and Henry Bernstein’s new granddaughter Shelley Hattenbach

mitzvah mitzvah

JOE BETTMAN MEMORIAL TZADIK Family Graceworks Catholic Social AWARD Services Lutheran Services of the In memory of Joyce Margolis Association Services Miami Valley In memory of Marvin Spector In memory of Joseph Litvin In memory of Marty Coates Sr. Jean and Todd Bettman Politicization of LGBTQIA Youth May 10, 2024

8:45am-12pm

3.0 CEUs

*Meets Ethics Requirement*

School boards, city gov’ts, and the state legislature have enacted policies that impact gender diverse and queer youth—often by attacking the practice CAROLE RABINOWITZ CAMP FUND of health and human services providers. We’ll In honor of Bill Rabinowitz receiving the Ohio status of these policies, what the review current Sportswriter of the Year future may hold, and how to take advocacy, legal, Alice and Burt Saidel & practice actions to preserve the right of social In memory of Harvey Tuck workers and other health and human service Brenda and Scott Meadow providers to provide care. We’ll also review how behavioral health professionals working with youth FILM FESTIVAL must adapt their practice in light of these laws.

In memory of Ethel Chesen

JCC

Helene Gordon Felix Garfunkel

mission

July 12, 2024

2024 SUMMER SERIES VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS

June 14, 2024

8:45am-12pm

8:45am-12pm

Presenter: Rachelle Kistner, M.Ed, PCC-S, LSW is Manager for the ESC program with South Comm Behavioral Health. She has 20+ years of experien with youth and families in various settings such juvenile corrections and school-based program

Mental Health Consideratio for Individuals with Developmental Disabilitie

August 9, 2024 3.0 CEUs

3.0

This training will explore the mental health crise teenagers within the school setting. We will disc common mental health diagnoses for this pop for addressing behavioral challenges, and how professionals can help support these youth wh may be limited.

Presenter: Danielle Smith is a social worker and the Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers-Ohio Chapter.

Trauma Basics

Family Services Appr #RCS032

Supporting Teens with Mental Issues & School-Related Chall

& Providers in Ohio

PJ LIBRARY In memory of Joseph Litvin Heath Gilbert

mission

Jewish Family Services of Greater Dayton

8:45am-12pm

3.

Topics include understanding common menta diagnoses among the population and providin for assessment, intervention and support. Preva common challenges faced by dually diagnose escalation techniques, and ethical and cultura considerations will also be addressed.

2024 SUMMER SERIES VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS

Trauma. Everyone has it. Everyone reacts differently to it. From big "T" trauma to little "t" trauma, Sponsored by: understanding the effects of trauma helps us to be Family Jewish Family Graceworks Catholic Social better therapists, caseworkers, parents, & humans.

Services Services of Lutheran Services of the Sponsored by: In our time together we will discuss how to define Presenter: Carol Kimbrough, MSW, LISW-S, is the Association Greater Dayton Services Miami Valley trauma and, more importantly, how to address FamilyHealth Services Family Services Approved Provider JewishCo. Family Mgr. at Mont.

Board of Develo Graceworks Catholic Social Family Services trauma within#RCS032101 our own bodies and the bodies Services of undergradua Lutheran Services of the of Services Disabilities Services (MCBDDS).

Her Approved Provider Association Greater Dayton those around us.

Services Miami Valley in Rehabilitation Svcs., and she has worked asFam a Politicization of LGBTQIA Youth Supporting Teens with #RCS032101 Mental Health Presenter: Aaron Earlywine, LPC, is the CarePortal Presenter: Mark Cummings, BSW, LSW, is a men & Providers in Ohio Issues & School-Related Challenges Regional Manager for the Sponsored by: Greater Miami Valley therapist with experience providing support to p May 10, 2024 8:45am-12pm 3.0 CEUs July 12, 2024 Region.

8:45am-12pm 3.0Resilience CEUs Politicization of LGBTQIA Youth Supporting Teens wit He is Social Model (SRM) certified, developmental disabilities and mental health ne a Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) facilitator, and a Family & Providers in Ohio Issues Catholic Social Family Graceworks Jewish Family& School-Rela Jewish Family Graceworks Social This training will explore the mentalCatholic health crises among *Meets Ethics Requirement* worked with vulnerable populations in settings s teenagers within the school setting.Services We will discuss trauma-informed practitioner and trainer.

Services of the Services Lutheran Services of 12, 2024 Services of Lutheran Services of the May 10, 2024 8:45am-12pm 3.0 CEUs School boards, 8, city10AM gov’ts, and the state legislature Dayton State Hospital andJuly group homes.8:45amSunday, September – 12PM common mental health diagnoses for this population, Miami Valley tips Association Services Greater Dayton Association

mitzvah

mission

mitzvah

mission

2024 SUMMER SERIES VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS

Greater Dayton This training will explore the menta

Services

Miami Valley

have enacted policies that impact gender diverse

*Meets Ethics Requirement* for addressing behavioral challenges, and how we as The Boonshoft CJCE, 525 by Versailles Centerville, 45459 and queer youth—often attacking theDr., practice teenagers within the schoolFamily settin professionals can help support these youth when resources School boards, city gov’ts, and the state legislature Clinical common Supervision Challen of health and human services providers. We’ll mental health diagnose may be limited.

No cost review current status of these policies, what the have enacted policies that impact gender diverse for addressing behavioral challen future may hold, and how to take advocacy, legal,

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

and queer youth—often by attacking the practice Presenter: Rachelle Kistner, M.Ed, PCC-S, LSW is the Program

in the Modern World

professionals can help support th Back by popular demand, JFS isto hosting another Drive-Thru Mission! of of health and human services providers.

We’ll Manager forHelp the ESC program with South Community & practice actions preserve the right of social Mitzvah Politicization LGBTQIA Youth Supporting Teens with September 13,may 2024 8:45am-12pm be limited. reviewacurrent status of these policies, what the us feed guests at St. Vincent de Paul’s with service frozen casseroles and provideHealth. She has 20+ Behavioral experienceseries working Theyears 2024ofworkshop offers total of 15 CEUs, workers and other healthshelters and human & Ohio Issues & Rachelle School-Relat Presenter: Kistner, M.Ed, P future mayin with youth and families in various settings as Providers foster care, providers to provide care. We’ll also review how high-need items for Crayons to Classrooms.

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If you have questions, please contactjuvenile Jacquelyn MayRegistrants 10, 2024 must 3.0 CEUs July 12, 2024 8:45am-1 counselors. log in by the official Health.

She has 20+ yea workers and other health and human service Clinical supervisionBehavioral has always been a challen must adapt their practice in light of these laws.

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No exceptions. times and events (post-COVID, advancement High-Need Executive Items for Crayons to Classrooms Director of the National Association of for Individuals with must adapt their practice in light of these laws. teenagers within the school setting for a morning ofthe online learning for 3 CEUs. Social Workers-Ohio Chapter.

School boards, city gov’ts, and state legislature technology, explosion of severe mental health pencils, crayons, markers, highlighters, colored pencils, glue sticks, kid scissors, Developmental Disabilities Mental Con mental healthHealth diagnoses Questions about the workshop topics?

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We’ll June 14, 2024 8:45am-12pm 3.0 CEUs • 1-1/2 lbs (24 oz) elbow macaroni with registration. may be limited. diagnoses among the population and providing strategies August 9, 2024 8:45am the etiology of these issues to help you better u review current status of these policies, what the Trauma Basics for assessment, intervention and support. Prevalence rates, • 2 lbs cheese,Trauma. melted Everyone has it. Everyone reacts differently the challenges, as well as suggest a variety of s Topics include understanding com Presenter: Rachelle Kistner, M.Ed, PC may hold, anddehow to 14, take advocacy, legal, 3.0 CEUs REFUNDS. Fees prepaid for a missed workshop common challenges facedNO byfuture dually diagnosed clients, June 2024 8:45am-12pm From big "T" trauma • 1 can (10.5 to oz)it.cream of celery soupto little "t" trauma, diagnoses among population interventions and tools to meet thethe demand co Manager for the ESC program with S escalation techniques, andcan ethical and cultural understanding the effects of trauma helps us to be & practice actions to preserve the right of social be applied to another workshop in the same Clinical Supervision Challenges • 2-1/2 cups milk for assessment, intervention and s Trauma. Everyone has it. Everyone and reacts differently professionally. considerations will also be year addressed. better therapists, caseworkers, parents, & humans.

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Presenter: Aaron Earlywine, LPC, is the CarePortal Regional Manager for the Greater Miami Valley Region. He is Social Resilience Model (SRM) certified, OF GREATER DAYTON a Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) facilitator, and a trauma-informed practitioner and trainer.

Jewish Family Services

PAGE 14

REGISTRATION INFORMATION The 2024 workshop series offers a total of 15 CEUs, approved for licensed social workers and

Health Mgr. at Mont.

Co. Bo session. The Monday prior to the training, you will Program in the College ofServices Education and Human trauma our worker own bodies and the bodies of Presenter: Mark Cummings, BSW, LSW, a mental Presenter: Danielle Smith islink awithin social and the Disabilities Services (MCBDDS). Her receive an isemail withhealth the Zoom and details Wright State University. those around us. therapist with experience providing supportDirector to personsof with in Rehabilitation Svcs., and she has Executive the National Association of about accessing the training.

Presenter: Aaron Earlywine, LPC, is the CarePortal developmental disabilities and mental health needs, having Presenter: Mark Cummings, BSW, Social Workers-Ohio Chapter.

Regional Manager for the Greater Miami Valley worked with vulnerable populations in settings such as therapist with experience providing Region. is Social Resilience Model (SRM) Dayton State Hospital and group homes. Register online atHecssmv.org/events • certified, $35 per session or $140 forand allme 5 developmental disabilities August 9, 2024 8:45ama Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) facilitator, and a worked with vulnerable population trauma-informed practitioner and trainer.

Dayton State Hospital and group h Clinical Supervision Challenges

Mental Health Con for Individual Developmental D

Trauma Basics

14, 2024 in the ModernJune World

September 13, 2024

8:45am-12pm

3.0 CEUs

Topics include understanding com

diagnoses among the 2024 population a THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER Clinical Supervisio 8:45am-12pm 3.0 CEUs for assessment, intervention and su Trauma. Everyone hasREGISTRATION it. Everyone reacts differently INFORMATION in the Moder

*Meets Supervision to Requirement* it. From big "T" trauma to little "t" trauma,

common challenges faced by dua September 13, 2024

8:45

THE NATION

How do Jewish Columbia students feel about Minouche Shafik’s resignation? It’s complicated.

By Jackie Hajdenberg New York Jewish Week Yakira Galler, a Barnard College sophomore, was finishing up work at a Jewish summer camp in New Hampshire when she got a text from a college friend that her university president had resigned.

The events that led to Minouche Shafik stepping down as Columbia University’s president — such as the pro-Palestinian encampment at the school and the unrest that accompanied it — had punctuated Galler’s first year.

She had exams canceled and, at one point, delayed a return to campus out of fears for her safety. But she didn't cheer for Shafik’s resignation.

“My initial reaction is a little bit disappointed,” Galler said.

“Even though I disagree with a lot of Shafik’s decisions and felt as though she was not strongset in what she was standing for, whatever it was, I think that she had an opportunity to teach an important lesson that even when you make mistakes, you can try to fix those mistakes and try to make amends.”

Galler was not the only Jewish Columbia student or graduate to express a measure of ambivalence about Shafik

stepping down Aug. 15. While new year is set to begin in some outspoken pro-Israel September. “I and most other and pro-Palestinian activists people in the Jewish commucheered her departure, others nity are coming back hoping said Shafik deserved a chance for the best and expecting lead the school through calmer the worst, but I do hope that waters this year. All hoped that people have had time to kind her successor would implement of reflect on the past year, and policies that, they hope, will hopefully we’ll all be able to get create a safer and more tranquil more learning done next year,” campus. he added. “Everyone’s still “She really did kind of just reeling from the seem thoughtful shock of the administration and caring, and completely turning over I think that she over the past few days.” would have had Activists on campus gave much more of a more emphatic reactions chance if it hadn’t to the news — few of them been, probably, fans of Shafik. Pro-Israel the most fraught Minouche Shafik voices have long charged year at Columbia that Shafik let pro-Palessince 1968,” said Gabriel Freed- tinian students threaten Jews man-Naditch, a junior in the and violate school rules with joint undergraduate program near-impunity. Pro-Palestinian between Columbia and the protesters depicted a mirror Jewish Theological Seminary. image of that critique, blamFreedman-Naditch had ating her for calling police on the tended listening sessions Shafik encampment, which led to the held in a bid to deescalate tenarrest of dozens of students, essions during the spring semespecially after a group occupied ter. He thought Shafik should a campus building. have been quicker to discipline “The students of Columbia protesters who violated univer- will never forget the sheer sity policies but said he thought violence unleashed upon us by the past year was an “impossiMinouche Shafik, and we will ble” situation for the university not be placated by her removal to handle. as the university’s repression He’s apprehensive as the of the pro-Palestinian student

movement continues,” the campus chapter of the anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace said in a statement shared on X. Shai Davidai, an Israeli business school professor at Columbia who has become one of the most visible and outspoken critics of its response to the pro-Palestinian protests, issued a video statement with his response to Shafik’s resignation.

“People are asking me if I’m happy. I’m not happy. I’m not unhappy,” he said. “It’s never been about Shafik, it’s never been personal...It always has and always will be about the Jewish students, staff and faculty.”

He listed policies he’d like

Shafik’s successor to implement, including permanently banning Students for Justice in Palestine, which the university suspended last year; banning masks at protests; and expelling student leaders of “terrorist-supporting pro-Hamas organizations on campus.” He also said Shafik should have been fired earlier in the year.

“I’m looking forward to restoring accountability with the interim president, accountability for students, staff and faculty who engage in antisemitic rhetoric and support terrorism against Jews, against Israelis and against Americans,” he said.

“But most of all, I’m looking forward to working with the interim president on making Columbia safe for everyone in our community, Jews and nonJews.”

Our New Religious School Opens Sept. 7 Looking for an innovative, creative, spiritual Jewish education for your kids? Do you want your kids to build a Jewish identity in conversation with kids of other faiths? Our new Director of Religious School, Dr. Elyssa Wortzman, along with Jese Shell, have an award-winning approach to Jewish education.

To enroll your kids, contact us at 937-293-9520.

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

For our complete program schedule, go to bethabrahamdayton.org.

305 Sugar Camp Circle • Dayton, Ohio 45409 937•293•9520 • www.bethabrahamdayton.org THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

PAGE 15

OPINION

It's legal. But is it right? The Iranian regime is not its people

By Martin Gottlieb What the leading Jewish lobby in Washington is doing in congressional elections raises some troubling questions. At what point does standing up for a group's beliefs become simple bullying? Just how big a role should money play in our elections? Isn't something wrong when millions of dollars from outside a congressional district are deployed against an incumbent who can't raise remotely as much?

AIPAC — the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — is the core of the legendarily successful, legendarily powerful pro-Israel lobby in Washington.

For decades, it has been widely credited with sustaining overwhelming bipartisan support for Israel. Lately, sustaining that support has become more complicated.

A few members of Congress are very boldly pro-Palestinian and hostile to Israel. This year, AIPAC has focused $24 million on defeating two of them in Democratic primaries, and it has been successful. The two have been described as the most prominent Black members of the left-wing progressive caucus.

Personally, I prefer the views of the two winners in those primaries to those of the defeated incumbents, Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, and Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York. Still, something feels wrong here.

It's true that both Bush and Bowman have been accused of harboring antisemitism. Both have used inflammatory rhetoric such as “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” about the war in Gaza. Bush has been accused in the Jewish press of associating with an antisemite in fundraising. But the underlying issue here is support for the Palestinians against Israel.

What AIPAC has done is certainly not illegal. For some people, that fact resolves any qualms. But whether it should be legal is another question.

Current relevant law was established in 2010 by a 5-4 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, in a case known as Citizens United. It eliminated restrictions on “independent expenditures” by politically motivated groups, that is, expenditures by somebody other than a candidate in the race in question.

But even if it's legal, is it right? An aphorism tells us that "politics ain't beanbag." One would have to look hard to find a political organization that declines to use its power in ways it can get away with.

Indeed, defenders of the AIPAC expenditures might say that critics are holding a Jewish organization to a higher standard than others. In fact, though, the AIPAC issue stands out. It has won the attention of the political world for its audacity and success.

Other interest groups have made

So, what do you think?

PAGE 16

similar single-minded efforts. But degree — the sheer amount of money — matters.

News reports have made clear that in the case of Bowman race, the ads that were purchased with AIPAC money were generally not about Israel. They did not encourage people to see the necessity of the war against Hamas.

They did not say that any congressperson who's hostile to the Israeli position should be defeated. Instead, they focused on whatever subjects Bowman was thought to be politically vulnerable on.

Doesn't that make the case for the AIPAC role weaker? In defending its decisions about which members of Congress to attack, AIPAC makes very clear that its only concern is with the legislator's views on Israel.

So, in the ads, AIPAC is, in effect, pretending to care about things it doesn't care about.

It would be one thing if a real all-out fight for political power were at hand, and the other side was throwing money in. Under those circumstances, fine; throw money in. But the lopsidedness here — the disproportion — is troubling.

The role of money in determining the outcomes of elections is often overstated. In truth, the less-funded side does sometimes win. Excessive focus on the importance of money can come close to making voters out to be a bunch of airheads, able to be influenced by the nonsense in political ads.

But, in truth, primaries do offer a special opportunity for the big-money forces. In primaries, voters are typically not so dug in, not so focused on the ideological differences between the candidates, not acting as members of partisan or ideological camps or interest groups. They are more easily influenced.

Any discussion of “Jewish money” in politics gets into dicey territory.

Antisemites are always poised to point to that money to foster their arguments about Jews running the world, or whatever.

AIPAC is right not to worry about that. Plow right through it. If the people making the money decisions think they are doing the right thing, they should do it, of course. But is it right to freak out over a few members of Congress?

Was it right to create a situation in which — by most appearances and most accounts — the selection of congressional representatives from Missouri and New York was determined by decisions made by a lobbying group in Washington? It doesn't feel right.

Retired Dayton Daily News editorial writer Martin Gottlieb is advisor to The Dayton Jewish Observer.

cal effect and, therefore, little popular appeal.

In the theatre that is Iranian elections, the 12-man Guardian Council, its members chosen directly and indirectly by the supreme leader, is the casting director that hand-picks who can run.

Of the 80 hopefuls who registered as

By Scott Abramson candidates in June’s presidential elecAs the specter of escalation in the tion, the Guardian Council disqualified Middle East looms ever larger, it’s well all but six. worth remembering that the governUnsurprisingly, the election itself ment of Iran doesn’t represent those it proved to be a performance for which presumes to speak for: the people of many didn’t even bother showing up; Iran. turnout didn’t even crack 40%.

Many Iranians believe their governInstead of voting at the polls, many ment is more interested in starting fires Iranians simply vote with their feet and abroad than putting out the inferno at emigrate. home. In its never-ending war against Every year, a brain drain deprives Israel, Iran prefers to use Arab clients, the Iranian economy of 150,000-180,000 but Iranians pay a price for this belhighly skilled professionals who leave ligerency in other ways — not least for North America or Europe, a human literally. capital flight that is Iran’s loss and the The regime diverts billions of dollars West’s gain. Many of those left behind a year to its “Axis of Resistance,” which want out too. includes Hezbollah, Hamas, and the The dynamic between the regime Houthis. and its most bitter opponents is like that Meanwhile, the Iranian people between the protagonist of the Iranian languish in a mismanaged economy of national epic, the Shahnameh, and a inflation, poverty, and unemployment. mythical being he encounters. “If I say Popular sloganeering reflects this one thing, he’ll do the opposite,” he discontent. Iranians have been rallying says of this contrarian creature. for decades under slogans like “Forget In the same spirit, there are not a few Palestine! Think about us!” and the less Iranians who seem to relish whatever subtle “Death to Palestine!” One slogan the regime reviles. in particular — “Neither Gaza nor In the “physics” of this relationship, Lebanon. My life for Iran!”— has been a the regime’s repulsion is its opponents’ favorite of Iranian protestors since late attraction. The Iranian government has 2008. denounced the United States The Iranian The bitterness behind as “the Great Satan” and led population is chants of “Death to Amersuch slogans sometimes crosses over into the at mass assemblies. Its the most pro- ica” anti-Arab bias that has proxies have killed more American in existed in Iran ever since Americans than any other the Islamic conquests. The terrorist organization except the region slur Arab-parastan (“Arab Al-Qaeda. after Israel's. worshippers”), for exYet the Iranian population ample, is sometimes leveled is the most pro-American at regime officials and loyalists by their in the region after Israel’s. Despite the opponents. regime’s virulent hatred of Israel and For all this popular resentment, Jews, the Iranian people are, according the Iranian regime’s support for Arab to the ADL, the least antisemitic in the terrorism is the least of Iranian grievworld’s most antisemitic region. ances. While a majority of its populaThe same oppositional impulse tion disapproves of Iran’s leadership, as asserts itself when it comes to Israel.

Gallup polls have repeatedly attested, Although the Iranian government has discontent runs much deeper. They pursued Israel’s destruction as a sacred don’t just oppose their leaders but also duty, more than a third of Iranians are the Islamic Republic itself. favorably disposed toward the Jewish Iran’s best-known political scientist, state, a larger proportion than in many the regime-supporter-turned-politicalEuropean countries. prisoner Sadegh Zibakalam, has specuSympathizers are common in the lated that if a referendum were held on Iranian diaspora, where expressing abolishing the Islamic Republic, 70% support for Israel isn’t considered high of Iranians would vote the regime into treason. oblivion.

After the Oct. 7 massacre, Iranian An internal study by the regime’s demonstrations in solidarity with Israel Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidsprang up in the U.S., Canada, Belgium, ance leaked in February bears him out: France and Germany. On April 13, the It found that 73% of Iranians favor day of Iran’s drone and missile attack decoupling religion from governance. on Israel, the hashtag #IraniansStandThe Iranian regime, needless to say, WithIsrael racked up more than 60,000 would never go for such a vote. The uses on X. only voting it allows has little practiNothing is more damning for the

Views expressed by columnists, in readers’ letters, and in opinion Send letters (350 words max.) to The Dayton Jewish Observer, pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff or layleaders of 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459 • MWeiss@jfgd.net The Dayton Jewish Observer or the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

CALENDAR

OPINION Islamic Republic than that it has turned many Iranians away from Islam itself. Many Iranians have abandoned their religion altogether, embracing secularism, reverting to the pre-Islamic religion of their ancestors — Zoroastrianism — or even converting to Christianity.

This devastating verdict on the mullahs’ rule proves that in Iran as in other theocracies, there is no greater enemy of religion than religious government. Given the chasm between Iran’s rulers and the ruled, to conflate Iran’s government and its people is to do the government a service and the people an injustice.

It legitimizes a government that has no mandate for its rule and insults the people by suggesting that a kakistocracy (government by the worst) is the best Iranians can do.

Indeed, the Islamic Republic isn’t just unrepresentative of a people that has bestowed countless gifts on humanity, it’s unworthy of them.

When it was established in 1979, the Islamic Republic took two groups hostage: Several dozen Americans and the Iranian people themselves.

The ordeal of the Americans wore on for 444 hellish days before they were released. As for the Iranian people, their captivity endures. They and the world’s many Iran-doostan (friends of Iran) await their liberation.

Scott Abramson is a historian of the modern Middle East and the senior research officer at the Center for Israel Education.

Classes

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

Thursdays, 7 p.m.: Thursdays of Thought on Zoom.

Call to register, 937-274-2149. bethjacobcong.org/beth-jacobhappenings.

Chabad Classes: Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.: Talmud Class on Zoom & in person.

Call for Zoom link. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 937-6430770.

Temple Beth Or Classes: Sundays, 12:30 p.m.: Adult Hebrew. Thurs., Sept. 12, 7 p.m.: Chai Mitzvah on Zoom. templebethor.com/events.

5275 Marshall Rd., Wash.

Twp. 937-435-3400.

Temple Israel Classes: Tuesdays, noon: Talmud Study in person & Zoom. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.: Torah Queeries w. Rabbi Bodney-Halasz or Rabbi Sobo, call for location.

Sun., Sept. 8 & 22, noon: My Jewish Year. Free. Thurs., Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m.: Living w. Ambiguous Loss w. Rabbi Bodney-Halasz. Fri., Sept.

6, 11 a.m.: Living w. Loss w.

Rabbi Bodney-Halasz. Sat., Sept. 7, 21, 28, 9:15: Torah Study on Zoom. Sat., Sept.

14, 9:15 a.m.: Torah Study in person & Zoom. For Torah Study Zoom info., email Fran Rickenbach, franwr@gmail. com. Call for info. tidayton.org/

Free Up Your Time

During Back-To-School Busy Season

calendar. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. Call office to RSVP, 937-496-0050.

Children/Youths

JCC Youth Theatre Auditions: Sun., Sept. 15, 2 p.m. & Tues., Sept. 17, 6 p.m. For Disney’s Descendants. Sign up at jewishdayton.org/events.

Contact Suzzy Nandrasy, snandrasy@jfgd.net. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville.

Chabad Ckids Rosh Hashanah Airlines: Sun., Sept. 15, 4 p.m. Free. RSVP at chabaddayton.com/ckids. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 937-6430770.

Adults

JCC Trip to Prejudice & Memory: A Holocaust Exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force: Tues., Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m. Free.

RSVP by Sept. 5 at jewishdayton.org/events. Lunch to follow, pay own way. Contact Stacy Emoff, semoff@jfgd.net.

1100 Spaatz St., Fairborn.

Jewish Dayton at The Foodbank: Thurs., Sept. 12, 8:45 a.m. RSVP by Sept. 9 at jewishdayton.org/events. Contact Jeff Blumer, jblumer@jfgd. net. The Dayton Foodbank, 56 Armor Pl., Dayton.

Beth Jacob Cemetery Cleanup Mitzvah Project: Sun., Sept. 15, 10 a.m. (Rain date

Wash & fold laundry service

Sun., Sept. 29.) Call for info.

937-274-2149. Beth Jacob Cemetery, 4001 Old Troy Pike, Dayton.

Women

JFGD Women’s Philanthropy Brunch: Sun., Sept. 15, 11 a.m. $36. RSVP by Sept. 9 at jewishdayton.org/events. For info., contact Janese Sweeny, jsweeny@jfgd.net. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. 937-610-1555.

Men

Chabad Bagels, Lox & Tefillin: Sun., Sept 1, 9:30 a.m.

13+ welcome. chabaddayton. com. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 937-643-0770.

Family

Beth Abraham Rhythm ‘N’ Ruach: Fri., Sept. 13, 5:306:15 p.m. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood. 937-293-9520.

PJ Library Community Shabbat: Fri., Sept. 13, 5:45 p.m. $18, $36 family. RSVP by Sept. 6 at jewishdayton.org/ events. For info. contact Kate Elder, kelder@jfgd.net. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville.

Temple Israel Prayer & Play: Fri., Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m. Infants–2nd grade. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 937496-0050.

PJ Library & PJ Our Way w. Beth Abraham Rosh

Household goods cleaning

Hashanah Apple Picking: Sun., Sept. 22, 3 p.m. Free.

RSVP by Sept. 20 at jewishdayton.org/events. Contact Kate Elder, kelder@jfgd.net.

Tuken’s Orchard & Farm Market, 15725 Eaton Pike, West Alexandria.

PJ Library & JCC Camp Shalom Down on the Farm: Sun., Sept. 29, 5:30 p.m.

Free. RSVP by Sept. 27 at jewishdayton.org/events.

For info. contact Kate Elder, kelder@jfgd.net. Candlebrook Farms at Lucas Brothers, 3269 Ferry Rd., Bellbrook.

Community

JFS Drive-Thru Mitzvah Mission: Sun., Sept. 8, 10 a.m.noon. RSVP at jewishdayton. org/events. For info., contact Jacquelyn Archie, jarchie@ jfgd.net, 937-610-1555. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville.

Collaborative Selichot Service: Sat., Sept. 28: 7:30 p.m.: Minchah. 8:15 p.m.: Reception. 8:30 p.m.: Havdalah followed by Selichot. At Beth Jacob Congregation. W. Beth Abraham, Temple Beth Or, Temple Israel, & the Dayton Jewish Chorale. 7020 N. Main St., Harrison Twp. 937-2742149.

Chabad Rosh Hashanah Market: Mon., Sept. 30, 5-7:30 p.m. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 937-643-0770.

Fox Cleaners delivers to Dayton & surrounding areas Find the location near you: TheFoxCleaners.com

Will Drook, Owner

FREE pickup & delivery service THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

PAGE 17

CONGREGATIONS Beth Abraham Synagogue Conservative Rabbi Aubrey L. Glazer 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 320 Caldwell St., Piqua.

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

Temple Beth Or

Reform Rabbi Judy Chessin Asst. Rabbi/Educator Ben Azriel Fridays, 6:30 p.m.

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., Sept. 6, 6 p.m. Fridays, Sept.

13, 20, 27, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 14, 10:30 a.m.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

937-496-0050. tidayton.org

Temple Sholom

Reform Rabbi Cary Kozberg Fridays, 6 p.m.

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.

1st & 3rd Saturday each month.

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

PAGE 18

RELIGION

MAZEL TOV!

Teshuva goes beyond apologies

By Rabbi Tina Sobo There’s a teaching Temple Israel

by Rav Kook that tesTeshuva, generally huva is about returntranslated as repening to the essence of tance, is a concept we our soul — to return Jews draw a lot from to ourselves in order during the High Holito reconnect with God days. Its root mean— the ultimate Jewish ing is to return. goal.

Most would say I thought about that Rabbi Tina Sobo that we are returnteaching while watching to God, to a more ing the Paris Olymrighteous path of action, etc., pics, particularly the gymand that this month of Elul is nastics, and how even at the about reflecting on how we Olympic level there were slips, have missed the mark (chet) in falls, and spotters needed. Aththat regard. letes spoke about overcoming Teshuva as a concept imchallenges, and more. mediately conjures up MaiThere were athletes who monides’ stages for repentance could've given up, walked as an excellent model for a true away, pouted, gone for an apology. easier routine, or made a dozen other choices, but who persevered and kept aiming for the loftiest of goals.

We acknowledge our We strive to be our best, for wrongdoing, feel remorse, perfection, for our goals. Often make a choice to change, make we miss, fall short, stumble, get amends, and prepare not to distracted. repeat the same type of wrongAt those moments, we have doing in the future. a choice: to give up, walk away, This introspective take on reset expectations, change our repentance stands trajectory. Or we in stark contrast to can choose to refothe "playground cus, get up, and try apology" grumbled again. after grown-up This, I think, insistence. Teshuva is the essence of and Elul are more return, of teshuva. than just this introGod knows we are spection. human, including Teshuva goes the imperfection beyond apologies. It’s not just and chaos that come with beabout making amends and ing human. avoiding future mistakes.

To engage in teshuva at this Many of the sins we confess season is to reflect on the past at this season are unknowing, to reconnect with ourselves unintentional, and otherwise and God at an innermost level. inadvertent. For the most part, This will give the resolve we do not go through life want- and strength to move forward, ing to make other people’s lives to overcome challenges, and to difficult and to be obnoxious. try again this coming year.

Perspectives

It's not just about making amends and avoiding future mistakes.

September Av/Elul

Shabbat Candle Lightings September 6: 7:41 p.m.

September 13: 7:30 p.m.

September 20: 7:18 p.m.

September 27: 7:07 p.m.

Torah Portions September 7: Shoftim (Deut. 16:18-21:9) September 14: Ki Tetze (Deut. 21:10-25:19) September 21: Ki Tavo (Deut. 26:1-29:8) September 28: NitzavimVayelech (Deut. 29:9-31:30)

Moss family

Meredith Moss Levinson surprised her brother, Israeli Judaica artist David Moss, when she attended the National Library of Israel's ceremony in Jerusalem Aug. 6 announcing it had received the original Moss Haggadah illuminated manuscript from donors Trudy Elbaum Gottesman and Robert Gottesman. In Meredith Moss Levinson with brother David Moss, who created the Moss Haggadah, at the June, the Gottesmans National Library of Israel, Jerusalem, Aug. 6. purchased the Moss Haggadah for $480,000 via a And back here in Dayton, Julie Sotheby's auction. David, who has joined the board of Learn was born and raised in Dayton, to Earn Dayton. worked on the Haggadah from 1980 to 1984.

Scott Halasz, managing editor “The Moss Haggadah of the Xenia Daily Gazette and represents a high point for the Fairborn Daily Herald, has contemporary Judaic been named Best artwork and the 20thSports Writer in Divicentury revival of sion I by the Ohio Hebrew calligraphic Associated Press Mearts, in which David dia Editors. He also Moss played – and received second place continues to play – a in the Best Feature pivotal role,” said Writer category. the library's head of collections, Raquel The Department of Ukeles, according to Defense has honored ejewishphilanthropy. Alex Katz Rachel Kinard, a recom. Meredith said search mathematician David sent her an invitation with the Air Force Research but didn't expect her to show Laboratory, with its SMART up. "It was such an unbelievMentor of the Year Award, for able thrill to sit in the rare book her work mentoring intern room of this magnificent new Nathan Jones, SMART Scholar library and hear my brother of the Year. SMART stands and his work receive this wonfor Science, Mathematics, and derful lifetime recognition," she Research for Transformation. said. "I loved that he credited our parents and growing up in After more than eight years Dayton! I am so proud of him!" with the Dayton Better Business Bureau, Sarah Caplan has Connie Blum, joined the team at the Entreprewho for 26 neurs' Center as its community years has outreach manager. served as a MontgomElliot A. Ratzman, previously ery County Jewish studies visiting assistant coordinator professor at Earlham College, and volunteer is now a research fellow at the with the Ohio University of Michigan's new Senior Health Raoul Wallenberg Institute.

Connie Blum Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP), Steven Solomon has joined the was honored in July by the board of Temple Israel, where National Senior Health Insurhe is a member of the Adult ance Information Program at Education Committee. He also the U.S. Administration for recently joined the executive Community Living Office of board of the Miami Council of Healthcare Information and Scouting America. A former Counseling national conferfederal emergency response ence. She's the 2024 Outstandofficial, Steven is also on the ing SHIP Volunteer. boards of Preservation Dayton, Miami Valley Crime Stoppers, CBS/Nickelodeon Graphics Op- and the Lincoln Society of Dayerator Alex Katz, son of Marc ton. He also proofreads for this Katz and Julie Liss-Katz, won publication. a 2023-24 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Technical Send your Mazel Tov announceTeam Event, Super Bowl LVII. ments to mweiss@jfgd.net.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

JEWISH FAMILY EDUCATION

Courage or cowardice?

Judaism's Worldview Series

A slave of the Hasmonean king, Alexander Yannai, killed a man and was brought to trial. Since the Torah required that even an ox accused of goring a person to death be testified against together with its master, the judges summoned the monarch to court. The Talmud recounts how Yannai arrived and sat down. The presiding judge, Shimon ben Shetach, instructed him: “Yannai the king, stand on your feet before the One Who spoke the world into being, as

Candace R. Kwiatek both sides give their testimony.” Yannai countered: “I will not stand when you alone say this to me, but according to what your colleagues say, and if the whole court tells me, I will stand.”

Turning to the judges, Ben Shetach found every one with his face to the ground, completely silent. Ben Shetach said to them: You are masters of thoughts alone. May the Master of thoughts come and punish you. Immediately, the angel Gabriel came and struck those judges to the ground, and they died.

Courage, like that displayed by Ben Shetach, is a universally admired virtue and a common feature in traditional tales and folklore across generations and cultures.

Defined as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty,” the word courage derives from the Latin root cor or heart, the symbol of one’s emotional center and spiritual core. Courage originally meant “to tell the story of who you are,” explains researcher Brené Brown, to reveal one’s essence.

Described by Winston Churchill and

others as “the first of human qualities,” spite our fear…doing that which is right courage is foundational to successfully and just, even in the face of challenging practicing all other virtues, most notably emotions.” in situations when different values Ancient lawsuit. In the fourth cenconflict. tury B.C.E., an assembly of Egyptians And just as Aristotle believed, modappeared before Alexander the Great ern researchers have concluded that to bring a lawsuit against the Jews. The individuals develop courage by doing Egyptians claimed the Jews took an courageous acts, a self-reinforcing feedenormous amount of valuables when back loop that creates a moral habit. they left Egypt, justifying their claim Accordingly, the cowwith Ex. 12:35-36, which ardly judges who did not says the Jews “stripped” second Ben Shetach’s legitiEgypt of such items. mate demand for fear of the In response, the king’s wrath undermined Torah scholar Gebihah not only justice but also the Ben Pesisa used the likelihood of their acting 40th verse in the same courageously in the future. chapter to show that In Judaism, a similar nothe Jews lived in Egypt tion of courage is expressed for 430 years. He then by the Hebrew term ometz issued a counterclaim, The Cowardly Lion illustralev, courage of the heart or demanding payment tion by W.W. Denslow, 1900 heart-strength. According to of the wages owed to Rabbi Marc Margolius, every human is the 600,000 Jews who left Egypt for 430 innately endowed with ometz lev, which years of enforced labor. can be accessed at any given moment.

Alexander gave the Egyptians an opYet despite being a core spiritual and portunity to reply, but they left the court ethical value, courage is rarely adand never returned. dressed independently in traditional Dinner party. Laura Z. Hobson could Jewish literature. have passed for gentile, but she was There is the familiar biblical charge fiercely proud of her Jewish heritage. of chazak v’amatz, “be strong and couraJust before World War II, she was at a geous…do not be afraid” when God exdinner party in New York. When the pects the Israelites to be resolute in the conversation turned to Europe’s growface of dangers. On the eve of battle, the ing Nazi movement, some commented priests are obligated to similarly rally about “those awful Germans.” Others the troops. Judges are exhorted, “do not dismissed the Nazis as a fringe group. be afraid because of a man,” meaning, “do not cater decisions to aristocrats or bullies,” Rabbi Yitzhak Blau explains.

Courage is perhaps best learned from the endless stories of individual Jews throughout history. Abraham. Miriam.

Mordechai. Esther. Rabbi Hillel. Dona Gracia Nasi, rescuer of Inquisition Jews. Jacob Barsimon, champion of New World Jews’ equal rights. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, reviver of the Hebrew language. Frieda Caplan, produce-industry pioneer. Harold Grinspoon, founder of PJ Library. Noa Tishby, Zionist activist and author.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught that courage isn't “not to fear at all,” but rather choosing not to frighten ourselves beyond the fear we already experience.

“Courage involves moving forward de-

One guest opined that “the Chosen People asked for it.” When another uttered the cliché, “Some of my best friends are Jews,” Laura chimed in. “Some of mine are, too. Including my father and mother.” Laura Z. Hobson went on to write the 1947 bestselling novel Gentleman’s Agreement about antisemitism in America.

Bench memoir. For a half century, David Tatel has practiced as a lawyer, litigated in the courts, and served as a judge. His commitment to principled decision making based on faithful application of the law led to his appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, America’s second highest court.

There, he served for nearly 30 years.

He recently retired from the bench and returned to private practice. Tatel’s life is truly “a profile in courage.” Blind for the past 50 years, he has just completed his first book, a memoir titled Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice.

Traditionally recited during the fall holiday season, Psalm 29 ends with “Chazak veya’ametz libecha — Be strong and encourage your heart.” In the year ahead, cultivate courage in your daily activities.

“When we are attentive,” Rabbi Marc Margolius writes, “we notice innumerable opportunities to practice ometz lev by facing our fears honestly and summoning strength from the heart to do that which we recognize as true and just.”

Literature to share

Questioning Belief: Torah and Tradition in an Age of Doubt by Raphael Zarum. Looking for the modern meaning and relevance of Jewish traditions? This thought-provoking work is the perfect place to find some satisfying responses. A combination of history, philosophy, Torah and text, and modern Jewish thought in a conversational format, this award-winner addresses a dozen of the most common topics, from Creation to belief.

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman. In this middle-grade fiction that’s both heartbreaking and hopeful, the storylines of two characters intersect in transformative ways. One is 12-year-old Alex, whose life is significantly imperfect, whose unexpected violence leads to judge-ordered community service, and who believes he doesn’t matter at all.

The other is the 107-year-old narrator, Joseph, a Holocaust survivor living in a retirement home who refuses to speak. Courage, friendship, and rising to the occasion are some of the themes that make this novel a great family read or conversation starter.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

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SHANA TOVAH Churro Challah ‫טובה‬ ‫שנה‬ High Holy Days 5785

An indulgent Mexican twist on tradition.

Danielle Sinay

with Temple Beth Or

Temple Beth Or invites you to join us for the High Holy Days.

In-person and live streaming services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Erev Rosh Hashanah, Wednesday, Oct. 2 7:30 p.m. In-Person and Live Streaming

Rosh Hashanah, Thursday, Oct. 3

10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. In-Person and Live Streaming 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lunch 1:00 p.m. Family Interactive Service

Kol Nidre, Friday, Oct. 11

7:30 p.m. In-Person and Live Streaming Service

Yom Kippur, Saturday, Oct. 12

10:00 a.m. In-Person and Live Streaming Service 12:00 p.m. Family Interactive Service 2:00 p.m. The Heart of Israel Society: Reflections from Rabbi Azriel’s Recent Journey in Israel 4:30 p.m. Yizkor Service, In-Person and Live Streaming 5:30 p.m. Ne’ilah, In-Person and Live Streaming Break the Fast to follow

Visit templebethor.com for service times & updates Temple Beth Or 5275 Marshall Road Dayton, Ohio 45429 www.templebethor.com 937-435-3400

Today...and for Generations PAGE 20

By Danielle Sinay, The Nosher I'm a Jewish Mexican baker and spend lots of time baking either Jewish or Mexican dishes, but never a combination of both. Until now. I felt it was time to change that — so I created the challo: A slightly sweeter challah bread spiced with churro seasoning (aka cinnamon sugar) that I like to call my culinary self portrait.

Churros are a Mexican culinary staple originating from Spain: fried dough pastry sprinkled in cinnamon sugar. In some places, they’re considered breakfast, in others, snacks, and in the United States, they’re marketed most often as dessert — though I personally think they make a fine replacement for just about any meal.

Since I grew up eating both challah and churros and love them equally, I figured, hey, why couldn’t I turn these into one? After much trial and error, I’m pleased to present the challo (pronounced hallo) — it’s so good you’ll struggle not to finish the entire loaf in one sitting.

Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes Yield: 6-8 2/3 cup lukewarm water 1 Tbsp. dry yeast 1 tsp. sugar 4½ cups all-purpose flour 2 eggs, beaten + 1 egg yolk (reserve whites for glazing) ½ Tbsp. salt ½ cup sugar 1/3 cup vegetable oil ¼–½ cup cinnamon sugar Dissolve the yeast in the water with the one teaspoon of sugar. Stir well and leave for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure it foams. If it foams, the yeast is active and you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, try another packet or type of yeast.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add the salt, sugar, and oil and beat again. Add the foamy yeast mixture and mix well.

Add the flour, a cup at a time. Mix well — start with a large spoon or fork and then work it in with your hands.

Knead aggressively for about 15 minutes, until it is very smooth and elastic. I like to “smack” the dough onto my working surface as a fun kneading technique. If the dough feels too sticky, add more flour.

Pour a small amount of oil into the bowl and turn the dough so that it’s greased evenly.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave in a warm place to proof for two to three hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. You can tell it’s done proofing if, when you poke the dough with your finger, the indent remains and it does not bounce back.

Once the dough has doubled in size, knead it a second time. At this point, you can either divide into two pieces to make two loaves or move forward with the dough as one large loaf.

Braid challah into desired shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure there is adequate room for the dough to expand.

Cover dough in plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for about one hour, or until it’s doubled in size.

You can use the proof-ready tip again: Poke it with your finger, and if it leaves an indent, it’s ready.

Brush the bread with remaining egg whites and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture all over. Coat lightly or generously, depending on your preference.

Bake in a preheated 390-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. If you’re unsure if they’re done baking, tap the bottoms: If they’re baked, the bread will sound hollow.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

Arts&Culture

Melanie Einzig

Why students 16 to 84 spent their summer studying Yiddish in NY

By Julia Gergely New York Jewish Week When Tara Neuwirth arrived in New York in June for six weeks of intensive Yiddish study at the YIVO Institute for Yiddish Research, she knew what to expect — this summer was her third time taking the course over four decades.

The first time the Los Angeles native took the course was more than 40 years ago, when she was a graduate student studying Russian Literature and minoring in Yiddish at Yale. The second time was in 2022, when she returned to brush up on the Yiddish she had learned but never really practiced.

This year, Neuwirth came ready to hit the ground running: Alongside her coursework, she brought along a project translating letters and articles on behalf of a family whose grandfather wrote for the Yiddish Daily Forward in the mid20th century.

“In some ways, this year has been the most personal,” said Neuwirth, who is in her 60s. “This year, I’ve been able to ask myself, ‘Why am I studying

Yiddish? What do I want to do with it?’

What I want to do is translate, because I don’t want literature to be lost. I now feel more of a commitment than I did before to not let Yiddish be lost to the world — and not just Yiddish, but the culture of it.”

Neuwirth is one of 40 students from around the world who came to New York to participate in YIVO’s summer intensive program, called the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program for Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture; another 30 people joined the full-time course over Zoom. On Aug. 2, these students — who range in age from 16 to 84 and hail from countries as diverse as Lithuania, India, and Poland — held their graduation ceremony, or siem in Yiddish, at YIVO’s headquarters near Union Square. The celebration included skits, poems, and songs performed entirely in the Eastern European Jewish language; non-speakers could still get the feel of the event as they watched the crowd laugh, sing, and clap in unison as different groups of students moved

YIVO students present their final project, a comical original performance, in New York, Aug. 2.

through their presentations.

Ben Kaplan, YIVO’s director of education, said the program was the first and longest-running Yiddish intensive course offered — and gave students more than just language instruction.

“We see Yiddish as a civilization that should be studied in all its richness and complexity,” he said.” We’re always kind of fighting against the current a little bit, because some folks just see it as a silly, funny language, or the language of grandma and grandpa, as opposed to a very rich, deep language that has all kinds of seriousness.”

The program, which has been running continuously since 1968, draws students for a variety of reasons. Many

are graduate students studying German, which is similar to Yiddish, or literature or an aspect of Eastern European history. Some seek to supplement their coursework: YIVO’s program allows students to earn college credit through a partnership with Bard College.

Others are Ashkenazi Jews who want to know more about their ancestry, and still others are professional artists who want to learn more about Yiddish works in their fields, such as theatre or music.

“You have the older folks that have so much wisdom to pass down and share in life experience, which really enriches the classroom,” Kaplan said. “Then you have younger folks who are really Continued on Page 22

Find Community at Hillel Academy

Contact Hillel today to learn about our STEAM-focused curriculum. daytonhillel.org • 937.277.8966 • asmith@daytonhillel.org THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

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Melanie Einzig

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Continued from Page 21 excited and passionate and just starting out and are looking back towards the previous generation, while looking forward to the future.”

The intensive, Kaplan said, grew significantly in 2020, the first year YIVO started offering the program online due to the pandemic.

The in-person enrollment has held relatively steady at approximately 40 students, said Kaplan, and Zoom has enabled YIVO to add an online component. That change also made the program accessible to students worldwide, including many who couldn’t come to New York for the summer, as well as students who prefer studying at home.

“Being online really opens up options,” Kaplan said. “It’s the same core curriculum and you get it delivered to you directly. That’s very, very powerful as a pedagogical tool.”

A major aspect of the in-person program is a focus on Yiddish culture.

Students take field trips to the Lower East Side, a bastion of Yiddish in generations past, and the Satmar Chasidic community in Williamsburg, where it is used today as a lingua franca. They also go to Long Island City to visit CYCO, the last surviving independent Yiddish bookstore in the city.

Syed Habeeb Tehseen, a Ph.D. student at Duke University from India, studies German film, and needed to learn Yiddish to supplement his coursework. “Personally, I really just like the language and when I was exposed to it initially, I just wanted to learn more of it, because I just love reading literature, not in translation, but in the original,” said Tehseen, who is not Jewish. “I felt like I wanted to learn more and more of it.”

Aistė Puidokatė is a librarian at the National Library of Lithuania, and took the course so that when she returned home to Vilnius, she’d be able to read and translate thousands of Yiddish documents in the archives at the library.

“I needed to get better knowledge of Yiddish because I work with Yiddish documents — I read them, I organize them, I photograph them,” said the 32-year-old, who is likewise not Jewish.

She said the course vastly improved

her Yiddish reading skills, which is what she needed for her work. But she came away with more than she expected: “I’ve come to love Yiddish culture,” she said, pointing especially to the classes she took on Yiddish literature and on the kumzitz, a traditional Yiddish song circle.

The six-week program divides students into four different levels, ranging from beginners to fluent speakers. A rigorous academic undertaking, the summer intensive combines three hours of classes on language and literature in the mornings with conversation classes and electives — which include courses on Yiddish theatre, song, music, and cooking, as well as archival research and translation — in the afternoons.

“It’s a family dynamic,” said Dovid Braun, the program’s academic director. “You get to know people, you get to create a community really unlike anything else…Here, this was your choice to spend your summer here. We have people who are devoted to it, who really want to be here. This is their summer plan and their pleasure to be here.”

For Kasia Świerad-Redwood, a native of a small town near Poland’s Galicia region and a Ph.D. candidate in history at Notre Dame who is studying cultural nation-building in Eastern Europe, understanding the now-absent Yiddish culture that once permeated her country has been a personal and professional mission. Świerad-Redwood, who is not Jewish, said that until she started the YIVO course, “I didn’t realize just how enmeshed the two cultures were in Poland.” For example, she realized that many of the songs and lullabies she grew up with were actually Yiddish. Świerad-Redwood described her YIVO education as “a really moving process,” realizing “what kind of country it (Poland) could have been versus what kind of country it has become.”

“It’s difficult to realize that so much diverse, beautiful culture was lost from my place of origin, and that I never had a chance to experience it and be a part of it, especially coming from a town that had a really large Jewish population before the Holocaust, and also realizing just how little memorialization of that culture there is in my town and my hometown.”

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

OBITUARIES Karyl Cohn (née Stein), age Stein; brother, Fred Stein (Sha95, passed away peacefully on ron) and of course as mentioned July 21 in Tucson, Ariz. Born in earlier, her wonderful husband 1929, in Dayton, Karyl's life was Eddie. Karyl's life was a beautia testament to her passion for ful blend of music, family, and music and her enduring love community. While no memorial for her family. Karyl's musical service is currently planned, a journey began at the tender age celebration of her life may be of 8 with piano lessons, which held in the future. While it is not blossomed into a lifelong career. expected, donations in memory She was a prodigious talent, of Karyl can be made to SaveTperforming as a soloist with the heMusic.org, MTNAfoundation.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra org, or Lupus.org. Her legacy of at just 15. Karyl's education was music and love will resonate for equally impressive, attending generations. the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Juilliard Joseph Litvin, a licensed proin New York City, and the fessional engineer, a licensed Mannes School of Music, NYC. professional surveyor, an attorShe further honed her skills ney at law, and a private pilot, under Madame Olga Conus at passed away July 22 at Miami the Cincinnati Conservatory Valley Hospital. He was born of Music. Throughout her life, in Detroit, Feb. 23, 1935 and Karyl graced many stages in was preceded in death by his Ohio, Colorado, California, and parents, Paul and Devora Litvin.

Arizona with her performances He is survived by his wife of and contributed to the musical 67 years, Elaine (Sis) Litvin and community by teaching piano his two daughters, Sharon Beth and judging young adult piano Schramm (Marc) of Columbus competitions. She was also a and Ruthie Goodboe (Michael) proud lifetime member of the of Presto, Pa. Joe is survived Delta Omicron Music Fraternity. by his brothers, Daniel (Tikva) Karyl's love extended beyond of Wyomissing, Pa. and David music to her family and com(Rebecca) of Englewood, N.J.; munity. She married Edward nephews, Michael Litvin and (Eddie) Cohn, with whom she Steve Litvin; and his niece, Rose shared 60 years of marriage Litvin of San Jose, Calif. He is and three children. The couple also survived by grandchildren enjoyed summers waterskiing Chaim (Lisa), Yedidah (Joe), in Indiana and later, the serene Zev (Michele), Channa (Jacob), beauty of the Colorado Rockand seven great-grandchildren: ies after moving to Boulder in David, Amira, Caleb, Yaffa, Mir1975. In 2000, they settled in iam, Zeke, and Julia. Interment Tucson, continuing their active was at the Jewish Cemetery of involvement in the local music the Virginia Peninsula in Hampscene. Karyl also taught Hebrew ton, Va. Joe was a graduate of school in her younger years and the University of Michigan with was a member of Temple Israel a Bachelor of Science Degree in in Dayton. Her personal life was engineering, and the University filled with joy from her extenof Cincinnati with a Master of sive family and friends. Karyl Science degree. He received his is survived by her son, Roger law degree from The Ohio State Cohn (Aileen), her daughters, University in 1973. The family Kathy; and Betsy Cohn White moved to Dayton in 1963 when (John). She was a cherished Joe worked for Union Carbide grandmother to Stephanie, Eric to supervise the building of Guido (Sylvia), Jacob (Jake) homes in Red Coach Farms in Cohn, Kirsten Hutton (Josh), Kettering. When Union Carbide Maggie DeLaCruz (Steve), left Dayton, Joe went to work Cassandra D'Acunto (Domifor Arthur Beerman Construcnic), Leslie Mochtarian (Aric), tion Company (ABCO). He left Samantha and John (Bok) Cohn. ABCO to attend law school and She is remembered lovingly by practiced as a construction attorher great-grandchildren, Nayah, ney for 15 years. He was tapped Jaden, Judah, and Liam Hutton; by the Democratic Party in 1995 Vaughn and Jones Mochtarian; to be the Montgomery County and Isabella and Camila Guido; Engineer, a post he was reelectbrother Bob (Helen) and many ed to four times before retiring nieces, nephews, sister-in-law in 2011, just short of 16 years in and friends that loved her dear- the position. During his tenure ly. Karyl was preceded in death he oversaw rebuilds of the $6 by her parents, Louise and Jacob million Rip Rap Road Bridge

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • SEPTEMBER 2024

and the $5.6 million Siebenthaler Avenue Bridge, which took four years to complete. He was a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, a past president of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers, a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a past president of the Dayton Section of ASCE. He was a dedicated member of the Engineers Club of Dayton where he enjoyed the weekly Barn Gang luncheon presentations, was a devoted member of Beth Jacob Congregation in Dayton, where he served for one year as president, and was a longtime member of the Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO) group that met for lunch every Friday at the Legacy Pancake House. He especially loved traveling to visit his extended family for their special occasions and his many trips to Costa Rica with Sis for Passover. He also relished telling stories, especially about his father. On Sunday, Sept. 1, there will be a special memorial service to talk and share stories about Joe. It will be held at Beth Jacob Congregation at 1 p.m. Donations may be made to Ohio Society of Professional Engineers Scholarship Fund, the Navy Seal Foundation, Beth Jacob Congregation, Dayton Chapter of Hadassah, or the charity of your choice.

ing the importance of computShirley R. Wahrman, age 84, of ers, he then took a position at Milwaukee, formerly of Dayton, IBM as a systems engineer and passed away July 26 at Ovation helped install and develop soft- Jewish Home. Shirley was born ware for mainframe computer and raised in Dayton to the late systems until his retirement in Joseph and Charlotte Zusman.

1991. He was active as a volun- She was a member of Beth Abrateer tutor for math in the public ham Synagogue in Dayton and schools in Montgomery County, Congregation Beth Israel Ner helped establish a computer Tamid in Milwaukee. Shirley science curriculum at Sinclair was preceded in death by her College, and was a member of beloved husband, Wolf, in 1997. the Engineers Club of Dayton.

She is survived by her three A great lover of travel, Harvey children, Lorene Wahrman, Aarand Sonna visited many places on Wahrman, and Harlan (Joan) in the U.S. and across the world, Wahrman; her two beloved including Israel, Japan, Europe, grandchildren, Connor WahRussia, and the Caribbean. He rman and Zachary Wahrman; especially loved St. Maarten and and her brother Howard (Lynn) visited there regularly in his Zusman. Interment was at Beth retirement. Until his most recent Abraham Cemetery. Donations illness, Harvey remained active in memory of Shirley Wahrman and independent, living in the can be made to Ovation Jewish home he loved. Harvey was Home, ovation.org/foundation/ widely beloved and admired. donate.

He enjoyed meeting new people and learning about their lives.

He was as kind and loving of a soul as you could ever hope to meet. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Harvey was preceded in death Our Family by his loving wife, Sonna, and Serving her brother, Carl Cohen. He is Your survived by his sister, Audrey; Family For More daughters, Cindy Pulliam (Ron) Than and Victoria Buford (John), and 90 Years their sons, his grandchildren Ryan Pulliam (Crystin Stoll), Daniel Buford (Sarah), Sam Buford (Ashley Van Doren), and Harvey Ronald Tuck, age 96, Carl Buford; sister-in-law, Judy Funeral Homes, Inc. of Dayton, passed away peace- Cohen (Clay Blackwell); and Pre-need Arrangements fully in his sleep after a brief nieces, Debbie Roberston (Tim) Pre-paid Funeral Trusts illness on July 15. Harvey was and Robin Shaw; and grandCremation Services • Transfers born May 30, 1928 in Boston nephews, Andrew DiSalvo North Main Chapel and grew up in Chelsea, Mass.

(Liz), Adam DiSalvo, Zach1706 N. Main Street A brilliant student, Harvey ary Shaw (Anna), and Jeremy Huber Heights Chapel 5844 Old Troy Pike taught himself to repair radios Shaw. Donations may be made in his father's appliance shop at in Harvey's memory to Camp For Both Locations the age of 14. He was admitted Sunshine (campsunshine.org) in Call 937-275-7434 to the Massachusetts Institute of Maine.

Technology, where he completed a combined Bachelor and Master of Science Degree program in mechanical engineering, with a concentration From Generation To Generation. in thermodynamics. He then entered the Air Force and was stationed at Wright-Patterson LICKLER AFB, where he conducted reUNERAL search on advanced propulsion technologies. He met his wife, OME Sonna Cohen Tuck, while he & was a lieutenant there and they REMATION were married June 14, 1953, enjoying 64 years of marriage until ERVICE Sonna's passing in 2017. After Larry S. Glickler, Director the Air Force, he worked as an Dayton’s ONLY Jewish Funeral Director industrial engineer at Frigidaire, developing improved technolo1849 Salem Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45406-4927 gies for refrigeration. Recogniz(937) 278-4287 lgfuneralhome@gmail.com

L’dor V’dor.

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