DAYTON
Loving dependable care, when you’re not there We know it isn’t easy to invite someone into your home to provide homecare. You’ll interview and select any caregiver we refer you to. At Family Bridges, character matters in caregivers. Up to 24-hour care • Meal preparation Light housework • Companionship Our caregivers are thoroughly screened.
Call 937-299-1600
www.familybridges.com
PRIVATE PARTY AREAS KOSHER CATERING AVAILABLE 619-3200 INFO@SCENE75.COM WWW.SCENE75.COM
CURTIS CADEN Plumbing & Electrical Repairs Phone: 937-559-7440 E-mail: ecg613@gmail.com
Are you reading this? So is the entire Jewish community. Contact Patty Caruso at plhc69@gmail.com to advertise in The Observer.
PAGE 6
Diminished bingo revenue shutters Hadassah office, brings temporary closure of north mikvah facility By Marshall Weiss The Observer In the absence of bingo money, which sustained their fund raising for several years, two longtime Jewish non-profit organizations based on North Main Street will close their doors at the end of January. The Dayton Chapter of Hadassah, which has maintained an office at 5045 N. Main St. since 1995, will now operate out of volunteers’ homes and the home of Dena Briskin, Dayton Hadassah’s administrative assistant. The Dayton Ritualarium Society, which oversees the Rosenberg Dayton Community Mikvah at 7020 N. Main St. — in the rear of Beth Jacob Congregation’s parking lot — will temporarily close the ritual bath facility until it can raise money to fund renovations of its furnace and pipes. “There are some repairs we’ve got to get done and we don’t have the funding for it,” said Dayton Ritualarium Society Treasurer Goldye Kopmar. “We had to end the bingo because we weren’t making enough money. We’ve been so
dependent (on bingo). Bingo at in 2008. A year later, a separate entity, the Miami Valley Mikone time was so big.” Briskin said Hadassah’s larg- vah, opened at Sugar Camp in Oakwood. est source of revenue had also In accordance with halacha been bingo. She said Hadassah (Jewish law), a mikvah is a didn’t renew its bingo license ritual purification bath where application for 2014. observant married women “We didn’t have the (bingo) funding we had earlier,” Briskin immerse themselves following their monthly cycle. Mikvahs said. are also used for conversions to “We knew it was only a matter of time until we too had Judaism and for immersion of new kitchenware products. to close our doors,” Dayton Though not required by Hadassah President Shelly Jewish law, some men immerse Tarsky wrote in the chapter’s themselves in January newsthe mikvah letter. “Bingo as a spiritual was how we exercise. financed our Kopmar office.” said the RitualBriskin, who arium Society has served as had a regular Dayton Hadasclientele of 14 sah’s part-time The Rosenberg Mikvah to 15 women administrauntil the mikvah in Oakwood tive assistant for 101/2 years, opened. Now, the number is will continue to work from her fewer than half. home a few hours each week. When she and Ritualarium She said Hadassah will set up a post office box and cell phone Society President Eva Rosenberg decided to temporarily number as well. close the mikvah, Kopmar con“We want to be sure that tacted the mikvah’s supervisor, people understand that the organization is still going, we’re Rabbi Yirmiyahu Katz of Borough Park, N.Y., for instructions not closing up,” Briskin said. on how to ensure its kosher Hadassah, the Women’s Zistatus when it reopens. onist Organization of America, “He told us what to do, to was founded in 1912. Dayton’s Hadassah chapter dates to 1921 keep it so that it’s not going to according to Briskin. Nearly 400 be contaminated in any way,” Kopmar said. “We’re putting a members are listed on the curseal over the borot (reservoirs). rent chapter roster (including They cannot be opened or conformer Daytonians); approxitaminated. So when we reopen mately 100 of these, Briskin it, it will be considered a kosher said, are active. mikvah immediately.” She said the closing of the For now, Kopmar and local chapter office isn’t conRosenberg are guiding their nected to the financial challenges facing national Hadassah clients to the Oakwood mikand its funding of the Hadassah vah. The Ritualarium Society’s phone number at the Rosenberg Medical Center in Jerusalem. Mikvah is disconnected, but According to the Forward, the hospital faces a $300 million the society has set up an email, daytonmikveh@gmail.com. deficit as a result of the ecoKopmar said the Rosenberg nomic downturn, and national Mikvah is equipped with a Hadassah’s $135 million in security system and that Beth losses from investments with Jacob Congregation, a separate Bernie Madoff. entity from the Ritualarium SoThough national Hadassah ciety, makes a point to keep that has shut down offices across the country, its regional office in area of its parking lot well lit. “It’s very sad,” Kopmar said. Columbus remains open, which “What we’re really hoping is also serves as the office for the Columbus chapter of Hadassah, that the new rabbi, when we the only city office to remain in hire at Beth Jacob, will take it on and help us to raise money for Ohio. it and that can continue it.” Established in 1958, the Beth Jacob has been without Dayton Ritualarium Society a rabbi since the summer. opened the Rosenberg Mikvah THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • FEBRUARY 2014