The Dayton Jewish Observer, October 2022

Newdesigns ShabbatGrace dinnerAfter programs 3 p. 22 David Moss Mealsforinyoung comicadults book p. form

THE DAYTON Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton

October 2022 Tishri/Cheshvan 5783 Vol. 27, No. 2

OBSERVER

The Miami Valley’s Jewish Monthly • daytonjewishobserver.org Marshall Weiss

Address Service Requested

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton 525 Versailles Drive Dayton, OH 45459

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Wishing You a Happy New Year

Mia Harvey, 5, daughter of Toria and Jonathan Harvey, learns about the Jewish new year and the letter alef at Chabad Hebrew School's first session of the year

Hillel Academy & PJ Library's Shabbat in the Park dinner at Iron Horse Park on Aug. 26 brought 120 community members together including these kids celebrating Shabbat in the round

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PAGE 2

The JCC's new Boomers Group held its first event, a kosher cookout around the campfire with sing-alongs, at Possum Creek MetroPark on Aug. 28.

Arts & Culture.........................27 Calendar..................................19

Family Education....................26 O b i tu a r i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 0

O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 4 Religion.......................... 21

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

DAYTON

New Shabbat dinner programs for young adults to launch Oct. 1 National nonprofit OneTable and Federation bring project here

By Abigail Klein Leichman, Jewish Standard Young Jewish adults seek out the weekly ritual of Friday night Shabbat dinners to build social connections, mitigate loneliness, and deepen ties to their community and Jewish identity.

That is the conclusion of a study from OneTable, a national nonprofit founded to support people in the 21-to-39 age range who want to find, share, and enjoy Shabbat dinners as a way of slowing down, meeting peers, unplugging from the week, creating intention in their lives, and building meaningful communities.

From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, OneTable will bring its Shabbat dinner project to the Miami Valley, with a 50-percent funding match provided by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.

The nondenominational OneTable doesn’t tell hosts what kind of experience to offer — it can be anything from a traditional dinner to a casual affair or an evening for specific populations, such as LGBTQ Jews.

Potential hosts fill out an application and once they are approved, work with OneTable’s field team to plan and publicize their dinner using OneTable’s social dining platform and step-by-step guide.

Hosts can get “nourishment credits” of $15 per guest (or a maximum of $150 per dinner) to spend on groceries, decor, and more.

"Dayton's Jewish Federation will also provide Shabbat in the Bag, some special items to enOneTable's hance the Shabbat experience Ari Rubin for our OneTable participants, such as kosher challahs, Shabbat candles, Tell & Kvell cards, and a bottle of Kosher wine," said Lidia Zambilovici, the Federation's development To learn more or sign up to host OneTable Shabbat dinners in the Miami Valley for people ages 21 to 39, go to onetable.org.

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director. "It's open to any young adults interested in hosting Shabbat in their homes, parks, or favorite hangout spots."

“I got involved with OneTable in my mid-20s when I stumbled across it at a dinner party in Washington, D.C.,” said Ari Rubin, 30, OneTable’s Cincinnati community ambassador; he is coordinating OneTable's expansion to the Miami Valley. Rubin has hosted OneTable dinners in Charlotte and Philadelphia as well as in Cincinnati.

“OneTable has allowed me to give other young professionals a place to call home on Shabbat,” he said.

He said OneTable provides “awesome financial nourishment, detailed Shabbat guides, and great recommendations to help elevate programming and bring dinners to the next level.”

Rubin said he hopes that guests who attend Continued on Page Four

From the editor’s desk

Yiddishe Llama, what’s with all the coffee rings?

So we can have a three-ring Succos!

Yiddishe Llama

c O Menachem

When James Cameron's Titanic came out in 1997, I remember wondering if kosher food had been served on the ocean liner. I wondered if there would've been enough Eastern European Jews Marshall immigrating to America from England to warrant it. I contacted the known Titanic Weiss experts in North America. Swamped with press inquiries, they didn't get back to me.

About four months before the April 2012 centennial of the Titanic's sinking, I remembered those questions and decided to try again. This time, they got back to me. That's how I began piecing together a true story long forgotten, or barely known: Midway through the great wave of Eastern European Jewish immigration to America, major passenger lines crossing the Atlantic instituted kosher food service for their Jewish passengers in third-class steerage. And that some Eastern European Jews had fled to England first, because they couldn’t afford the full ocean passage; some tried to make lives for themselves there.

Most were required by law to keep moving.

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The Synagogue Forum of Greater Dayton will present its 14-session Introduction to Judaism course on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. beginning Nov. 1 and running through Feb. 28. The annual class is open to anyone interested in Jewish learning, dialogue, and exploration.

The course offers an in-depth look at Judaism from Conservative, Orthodox, Traditional, and Reform perspectives. Instructors are rabbis from Dayton’s synagogues. The registration fee is $36 for a single or couple. For more information or to enroll, email Rabbi Judy Chessin at jchessin@aol.com.

THE DAYTON

Hadassah's Tea for Two, Oct. 23

Beverly Mussari of Gazebo Tea Garden in Blue Ash will be the speaker for Dayton Hadassah's Tea for Two event at 2 p.m., Sun., Oct. 23 at Gleneagles Clubhouse, 560 Eagle Circle in Kettering.

Participants at the afternoon tea will create a teacup planter with mint. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase to win gift baskets.

As per national Hadassah guidelines, Covid waivers may be required and will be available at the event.

The cost, $18, includes a raffle ticket.

RSVP by Oct. 19 to Hindy Gruber, hgruber@ameritech.net or 937-6813433.

Young adult Shabbat dinners

Continued from Page Three his dinners will want to become hosts themselves. “Hosts mention that Friday night Shabbats with OneTable have reincorporated Friday night Shabbat back into their practice,” he said. “Many hosts would never or rarely celebrate Shabbat and now they make an effort to do it at least once or twice a month.

“Additionally, hosts tell me they’ve met many friends through OneTable dinners or met friends through work, sports leagues, and so on, and those friends have mentioned they’re interested in getting more involved with their Judaism and finding a community to celebrate Shabbat.”

The research study, Craving Connection: Researching OneTable’s Impact, conducted by Benenson Strategy Group, provided data and insights about why young adults host and engage in Shabbat dinners and what keeps them coming back.

In November and December 2021, BSG fielded a quantitative study on attitudes and behaviors. It gathered 1,938 responses from three cohorts of OneTable participants — active hosts, active guests, and respondents who hadn’t been to a dinner in more than a year — and a comparison group of 814 Jewish young adults who never participated in OneTable. Among the key findings of the report: • People come for the connections and stay for the intention.

Participants are looking for social connections within Jewish experiences, regardless of whether they grew up with such experiences.

• Big issues of the day bring young people to Shabbat dinner.

While OneTable Shabbat participants and other young adults express concern over antisemitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they consider climate change, racism, and Covid as more pressing issues for them, and these concerns increase their desire to attend a social Friday night dinner.

• Young adults experiencing Shabbat dinners with peers feel less lonely.

Most OneTable hosts (86 percent) and guests (79 percent) say that they’ve become closer with people and “felt less lonely” at their OneTable dinner. About one in three guests met up again with someone they met at a OneTable dinner.

OneTable participants also report feeling less lonely than the comparison group and are much less likely to hold feelings and attitudes associated with social loneliness than are other Jewish young adults.

• Shabbat dinners can lead to more Jewish engagement.

About one in four participants said they’ve adopted new Jewish rituals or practices since their first dinner.

Nearly one in three have sought out new Jewish organizations or communities in which to be involved.

• 75 percent of OneTable participants are celebrating Shabbat when they wouldn’t have otherwise.

That’s especially true of participants who did not have a regular Shabbat practice growing up.

Aliza Kline, a co-founder and the CEO of OneTable, said that while the pandemic exacerbated mental health challenges and feelings of loneliness, “the ancient Jewish ritual of Shabbat dinner is as relevant as ever."

“Young adults in particular want the powerful social and emotional components of a peer Shabbat dinner and the Jewish experiences. To many participants, they are intrinsically tied together.”

David Siegel, founder and CEO of Meetup — the largest platform for finding and building local communities – commented on the findings in the report.

“By leveraging technology to help build connections, OneTable is tackling the crises of loneliness and dissociation from Judaism head-on,” he said. “It’s exciting to see the impact of OneTable’s strategy.”

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

Cathy Gardner CEO The Dayton Jewish Observer, Vol. 27, No. 2. The Dayton Jewish Observer is published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, a nonprofit corporation, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459.

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

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

Goals • To encourage affiliation, involvement and communication.

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

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

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

• To provide an historic record of Dayton Jewish life.

The Dayton Jewish Observer

Please recycle this newspaper.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

DAYTON

Late cantor's memoir published by daughter 'I want people to know her story'

that her grandparents — Joyce's parents — could see it the temple’s volunteer choir director. In 1988, it became in print. a paid position. A decade later, she was invested as a

By Marshall Weiss, The Observer Joyce originally gave the manuscript to local author cantor by the American Conference of Cantors and the Two days before Cantor Joyce Ury Dumtschin died Martha Moody Jacobs, a friend of the family, who Cantors Assembly. from pneumonia as a result of myelodysplastic synhandled the first round of editing. Rachel took over the As reported in The Observer at the time, two months drome in 2013, she finished writing book project in 2017. before Joyce's bone marrow transplant, her memoir, My Trip to Cancer-land.

"It was emotional for me Temple Beth Or's board eliminated her poHer intention was to have it published. to get through the process," sition as full-time cantor, citing "fiduciary This August, her daughter, Rachel Rachel says. "And every time responsibilities to the congregation." She Dumtschin Evans, was able to honor you're reading it and just editwas offered and accepted the part-time job her mother's wishes with its publicaing for spaces and commas, of music specialist, which initially allowed tion via Amazon. you get pulled back into what her to continue to receive health insurance.

"It's her story," Rachel tells The happened, where I was when In her memoir, Joyce included some articles Observer. "It tells what happened when all of this was happening." from The Observer's coverage of her story. she got diagnosed with cancer, what From Joyce's memoir, RaWith the August publication of My Trip she went through with her whole canchel learned there was much to Cancer-land, Temple Beth Or issued a cer diagnosis — she ended up losing her mother didn't share with statement to The Observer: Rachel Dumtschin Evans Cantor Joyce Ury Dumtschin her insurance — and then also what her or her brother, Nate, who "Cantor Dumtschin was a gifted musishe did to try to get resources to help is five years her senior. cian and educator who provided invaluable pay for treatment, for different medications."

"She was always very strong for us. We never saw contributions to Temple Beth Or over the course of 24 Joyce, who served as cantor at Temple Beth Or from her cry. She was so resilient. And reading how much years of service. She pioneered the congregation's choir 1998 to 2011, received her diagnosis in 2009, when her she wanted to live. The first thing she thought when program and helped guide numerous pupils on their daughter was in her first semester at Loyola University she got diagnosed is, 'Am I going to make it to Rachel's paths to becoming b'nai mitzvah. We are saddened to in Chicago. college graduation?' It's knowing that she wanted that read her firsthand account of the difficulties she faced "She ended up passing away my second semester so, so much." in her fight against cancer. Her memoir demonstrates senior year," Rachel says.

Myelodysplastic syndrome is a form of cancer in the grace and strength she displayed in the face of Publishing her mother's book, Rachel says, is a relief. which bone marrow doesn’t make enough healthy hardship. May her memory be for a blessing."

"It's a weight off of my shoulders not to have it blood cells; it causes infections, anemia, and easy Rachel and her husband, Andy, named their son hanging over me anymore. I'm excited to share it with bleeding. Joyce underwent an unsuccessful bone marJacob in memory of Joyce when he was born in 2020. people who knew her and people who helped support row transplant in September 2011.

Publishing her mother's memoir, Rachel says, "is the her during that time. I want people to know her story.

A Chicago native, Joyce moved to Dayton with her last thing that I can really do for her other than living She wanted this book out there." husband, Irwin, in 1986. Shortly after they joined Tem- my life and raising my family in a way that she would Rachel also wanted to finally publish the book so ple Beth Or’s choir in 1987, she was asked to become have wanted."

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A teacher soothes a student during a theatre show at the Gesher School in London

Josh Aaronson, a Manchester-based JewStory and Photos By Cnaan Liphshiz, ish journalist and activist for people with JTA disabilities who comes from a Haredi LONDON — When her son was diagnosed with autism, Ali Sultman was home and has an autism spectrum disorder. “Maybe at restaurants they’ll be faced with a difficult choice. sitting at separate tables but the children To give him the Jewish education especially don’t mix. So a place like her family believed in, she could either Gesher is very, very rare.” enroll him at a regular day school that A boutique school of about 50 stuwasn’t set up to accommodate his needs, dents ages 4-12 in northwest London, or she could put him in what was then Gesher is in some ways a testament London’s only Jewish school for chilto the shortcomings of London’s Jewdren with special needs. But the latter, ish day schools. Many of them cannot Kisharon, catered mostly to children adequately serve students with autism, with more severe disabilities than her attention disorders, and other learning son faced. disabilities.

“Like many others, we needed a But the school also adds to an increasmiddle option that just didn’t exist at ing number of programs that suggest the the time,” said Sultman, a 45-year-old Jewish education sector is mother of three and fortaking special education It has emerged mer insurance executive. more seriously. Like Shefa, So she and another as a rare hub of a Jewish school founded Modern Orthodox mom interaction among in 2014 in New York City whom she had met on a that serves children with playground in 2013 set Jewish families language disorders, Gesher about opening a new Jewof vastly different aims to ensure that chilish school called Gesher, dren don’t have to give up Hebrew for bridge. Since religious Jewish education to have its opening in 2017, the observance. their disabilities addressed. school has filled a gap in Housed on the grounds London’s otherwise robust array of Jewish education options — and of the recently closed Moriah Jewish Day in doing so, it has emerged as a rare hub School, Gesher has inherited a spacious location complete with play rooms and a of interaction among Jewish families of large auditorium, as well as a formidable vastly different religious observance. security arrangement that is characterGesher has students from insular istic of Jewish schools in much of the Haredi Orthodox communities who normally never consider non-Haredi ye- world amid rising reports of antisemitic crimes. shivas, and it also enrolls children from The new building to which the school secular homes. The school aims to make everyone comfortable by committing to a moved in 2020 is a major upgrade to the small, one-story building where the Modern Orthodox approach.

“Haredi communities are very protec- school first opened.

“It’s roomy but it looks like a normal tive of outside influences. You wouldn’t school, which helps create a feeling of find Haredi Jews with other Jews,” said

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

THE WORLD normalcy that many of our students need,” said Tamaryn Yartu, the school’s South African-born principal who, like many of the educators on staff, is not Jewish. One of her students, she recalled, recently said proudly that Gesher “looks just like my brother’s school” after the move into the new building.

But there are some special adaptations at Gesher’s classrooms. Wobble cushions, for example, are never too far away, and chairs have rubber bands on their legs — a setup developed at the school to accommodate fidgeting and to help children with ADHD and similar issues sit through classes. There is also often some animal at Gesher — usually a dog — that volunteers and staff bring for the children to interact with as a form of therapy. The school’s website lists one canine staffer: a trainee therapy cockapoo named Puplinda Gurney.

During a recent show, The Emperor’s New Clothes, a production that’s part of the Spoek Ivrit theatre festival for British Jewish school organized the United Kingdom branch of the Jewish National Fund, children who found it difficult to sit through a play were allowed to “chill out,” as one teacher termed it, in a seating area until they were ready to return.

When a child was being too disruptive, a teacher escorted the student out to one of the school’s multiple play corners. One girl was wearing “ear defenders,” or muting headphones meant to alleviate her sensitivity to noises.

The Israeli actors in the show were made aware that Gesher is a special needs school and adapted the show so that children in the audience would be engaged — they were encouraged to shout out answers to the question raised by the actors — but not put on the spot.

Shows and other special class events are an opportunity to find middle ground “between children of different

member of society.” backgrounds, like the ones at They experienced almost Gesher,” Samuel Hayek, the instant relief. “From the first chairman of JNF-UK, said. week at Gesher, he’s sudden“These events are inclusive, empowering, and having ly become happy. He’s blosGesher take part was a must somed like I’ve never seen for us,” Hayek said. before. He’s so confident, The school has made a difhe’s in the classroom, he’s got friends for the first time. ference in the life of many of Finally he’s in an environits students and their parents, including Ali Durban, the ment that understands him,” cofounder whose chance Feldman said. encounter with Sultman on a Now, for the first time in London playground resulted their lives, the Feldmans have in Gesher’s creation. made friends who are not Students at the Gesher School in London watch a theatre show Durban’s son was “miserHaredi — a Modern Orthoable” at the Jewish school that he had at- work and preparation.” dox couple whose child also goes to Gesher’s approach, small classes and Gesher who live near them. “It’s kind of tended before Gesher’s creation in 2017, abundance of staff — there are almost as inevitable because it’s a small school and she said. “He was isolated socially” in there’s a community of parents around it his class, where there was only one other many staff as there are students — are appealing to parents beyond the Modern that we belong to now,“ she said. child with special needs.

Orthodox community.

On the other end of the observance “He was bullied because he was difOne such couple is the Feldmans, spectrum, Pamela Sneader, a Glasgowferent and the experience left a mark on born Jewish mother of two, said her him,” Durban added. She calls her son’s Haredi parents from northern London whose 8-year-old son enrolled at Gesher daughter, Daisy, is going to Gesher time in school before Gesher “the dark last January. The child was unhappy “because it’s an excellent special needs years.” school, not because it’s Jewish. That’s Gesher is a private school and charges at his Haredi school, said the mother, who agreed to be identified only by her just a bonus.” about $45,000 a year in tuition. But last name, citing privacy concerns. The Sneader arrived at Gesher after many of the parents have arranged for couple was paying thousands of dollars multiple schools told her they were not the tuition to be reimbursed or to be for therapy sessions that seemed to only equipped to teach her daughter, who is paid directly by their slightly help, she added. autistic. local council, which in But the couple was still reluctant “I came to Gesher and it was like, the United Kingdom about sending the boy to Gesher, which ‘no problem, we can totally handle it,’ provides subsidies for they felt fell short of meeting their comwhich was a huge relief. My daughter special education to munity’s religious standards. has blossomed there, mostly in terms those eligible.

“It’s less strictly Orthodox. It wasn’t of confidence and having friends and The school’s proplaydates for the first time in her life,” gram combines a curriculum required by like how I was brought up, and it was overwhelming for us,” she said. The Sneader said. the English education ministry, known After visiting Gesher for the first time as Ofsted; Jewish and Hebrew-language Haredi school where the Feldmans initially enrolled their son recommended this year, Aronson, 36, came away wishstudies; and therapy sessions designed moving him to Gesher and the couple’s to help the children develop their own ing such a school had existed when he techniques for overcoming learning and rabbi approved the switch, she said. But was growing up. leaving the Haredi education system other disabilities, Yartu said.

“I was bullied by teachers and stutook some getting used to, she added.

“Many of the parents are very interdents at the regular Haredi school I went “Once we got over that, we realized, to,” said Aronson, who has 13 siblings ested in preparing the children to be able like it’s not for us, it’s for our child,” the and whose father is a rabbi. “Nobody to come to synagogue without being disruptive,” she said. “But being spoken mother said. “This is what we need to do knew what I had and I desperately needed the kind of support you see at at for an hour is asking a lot from a child for the school to be right for him to be happy and confident and you know, be a Gesher.” with attention issues. It takes a lot of

'Finally he's in an environment that understands him.'

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THE WORLD

In Bucha & other decimated towns near Kyiv, Jewish group distributes sorelyneeded supplies Zhanetta Butenko's house was partially destroyed when a rocket crashed through its roof in March, in Hostemel, Ukraine

Story and Photos By Jacob Judah, JTA HOSTOMEL, Ukraine — Bustling around with grandmotherly anxiety, Zhanetta Butenko apologized for the mess in her home — a rocket strike had partially destroyed it in early March.

“What on earth will you think of your host,” she said as she walked past walls pockmarked by machine gun fire. She picked up a mangled picture frame in what was once her bedroom.

“They were firing over the house, through the

windows, they destroyed everything,” she said with a sigh, “but that’s life.” Her neighbors’ homes were flattened, and a burned-out car sits down the road.

Hours after Ukraine was peppered with missile strikes in the opening salvo of the Russian invasion Feb. 24, Russian paratroopers made a brazen attempt to capture a nearby airfield in the western Kyiv suburb of Hostomel. The Russians were initially beaten back but they occupied the town in early March.

Butenko is one of the 100 or so Jews that lived in

Hostomel and the nearby towns of Irpin and Bucha, both of which were the sites of bitter fighting as Russian troops tried to punch their way down from Belarus towards the Ukrainian capital.

“There were so many explosions, I can’t even begin to describe it,” said Butenko, who is 83.

Along the nearby main road toward Kyiv, which had been the target of the initial overly-ambitious Russian plan, a destroyed Ukrainian tank with its turret popped off peeked out of an alleyway, symbolizing the ferocity of the fighting that raged around Butenko’s one-story home.

“I am already worried just thinking about it,” she said, touching her hand to her cheek.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, a group linked to the Chabad-Lubavitch movement that is Ukraine’s largest Jewish umbrella network, has been supporting Jews around Kyiv through monthly deliveries of food and supplies since the Russians completed a humiliating withdrawal from northern Ukraine in April.

As Butenko spoke, two men from the Federation of Jewish Communities carried four large boxes of supplies into her living room. Each box contained supplies worth up to $150 and the set of four can keep a small family going for up to a month. The federation says it is supporting some 37,000 Jewish households across Ukraine with such packages, at a cost of some $3 million a month.

The Federation, with its network of mainly Chabad rabbis across Ukraine, has played an important role in supporting Jewish Ukrainians across the country since the war started. It has also helped by organizing buses to evacuate Jews abroad and by facilitating temporary shelter for refugees in safe areas of Ukraine.

As the winter approaches, many Jewish households

Angelina is a Dayton native, a mother, and a Montgomery County Public Defender with 17 years of legal experience. She has an extensive background in civil rights, civil, and criminal litigation.

Angelina has centered the majority of her career around serving poor and disenfranchised members of our community. She is deeply committed to justice, accountability, and the equitable application of the law.

PAID FOR BY COMMITTEE TO ELECT ANGELINA JACKSON

PAGE 8

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TREASURER MICHAEL DAILEY

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

THE WORLD

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Visit our Gift Shop for your Judaic, Holiday & Gift needs.

Please call the synagogue office to schedule your appointment to visit our beautiful shop.

7020 N. Main Street Dayton, OH 937-274-2149

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Rabbis Raphael Rotman (L) and Meir Stambler, both from the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, deliver boxes to an elderly non-Jewish Ukrainian woman in Bucha who has been receiving their aid for months

— especially the mainly elderly Jews supported by the Federation — are becoming increasingly nervous about how to cover basic costs as prices and energy prices rise across Ukraine. Butenko still lacks heating and busies herself by collecting documents that would allow her to claim support from the Ukrainian government before the frost arrives.

The initial rush of private donations has also begun to wane, and the Federation is becoming increasingly concerned about its long-term financial needs.

“The shortfall is already about $20 million that we are missing,” said Rabbi Meir Stambler, who heads the group, which is being supported by the European Union and the American UJA organization.

When the Ukrainians liberated Hostomel and the neighboring towns of Bucha and Irpin, they found bodies littering the streets, buildings, and basements. Many carried signs of execution or of having been killed indiscriminately.

In Bucha, a town where the scale of the killings has etched its name forever into the narratives of the war, Sergei Soloviev clutched his kipah as he remembered the weeks that the town spent under Russian occupation.

He pointed at a group of houses obliterated

Evgenia Yakolevna (R) with her longtime non-Jewish friend, Masha. Each receives aid from the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine at Yakolevna’s request

by a missile strike that blew out his door and windows. Then he gestured off down the road.

“Three houses down, one of my neighbors ran out into the street, and the Russians shot his head off.”

The body lay in the middle of the street, a quiet middle-class drag, for days until the man’s family was able to retrieve his body and bury him in the front yard. Sergei, 48, shuffled uncomfortably. “Dogs came,” he recalled.

These stories are not uncommon, but the fact that even the tiny Jewish population has its horror stories is an indication of how widespread the crimes that took place in the dozens of towns and villages in northern Ukraine were early on in the war.

Over 1,300 bodies have already been recovered from the towns liberated by Ukrainian soldiers in the Kyiv region alone. Figures within the Federation of Jewish Communities said that it is almost certain that Jews were among the civilians killed, but that they have not yet done a full accounting.

“It’s war,” said Rabbi Raphael Rotman, a British-born rabbi who has been in Ukraine since the 1990s, with a shrug. “It is not something far away, it is real, it is people that we have worked with.”

Struggling to heave herself up from her sofa, Sveta Azarkh, 85, wiped away tears as she described how helicopters were shot out the sky above the home where she lived with her sickly husband, Yuri.

“When the Russians started going house to house, they were so aggressive,” she recalled.

When her son opened the gate to a squad that had come to search their home, “they put a machine gun to his back and marched him back inside. They forced him to strip down completely to check for tattoos and bruises from wearing armor.”

As the fighting in Kyiv began to drag on longer than the Russians had expected and Ukrainian resistance picked up steam, Russian soldiers became increasingly paranoid that local civilians were sharing their locations with the Ukrainian military.

“They looked through every door, every cupboard,” Sveta explains. Other households in Bucha and Irpin said that Russian soldiers had searched their homes looking for mobile Continued on Page 30

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

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PAGE 9

ANALYSIS

We investigated New York City’s Chasidic yeshivas in 2015. The real story now is about inaction.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

‘We owe it to our families to take care of them.’

— Gayle & Irvin Moscowitz with their parents, Milton & Harriet Moscowitz & Edward & Frieda Weisbrod

B

efore a vacation to New Orleans, Irvin Moscowitz researched Ancestry.com to find the cemetery where his great-grandparents were buried. “I have pictures and heard stories about my family, but standing by their graves from 1840 made me feel like I was right there with them. That’s when I knew we needed to maintain our cemeteries for future generations.”

Closer to home, Irvin and his wife, Gayle, visit their parents and his grandparents at Beth Jacob’s cemetery in Dayton. They contributed to the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Dayton campaign to “guarantee that we can take care of the people who took care of us.”

As a Kohen, Irvin kept clear of cemeteries for a long time. “I’ve made peace with the ways in which I could get close to the people that mean the most to me,” he said. “I figured out a way not to trample on my heritage but to fulfill my need to be respectful and honor my family. When I walk through a well-kept cemetery, I get a feeling that I’m actually close to someone who’s no longer here. I’ll put a stone on the headstone to let them know I’m there. It always brings back a lot of warm memories.”

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 10

By Amy Sara Clark and Hella Winston New York Jewish Week On Sept. 11, the New York Times reported on the dismal state of secular education at many Chasidic yeshivas.

For us, to quote a famous New York Yankee, it felt like déjà vu all over again. The Times’ investigation found that despite being subject to regulations mandating an education “substantially equivalent” to that offered by public schools and over $1 billion dollars in government funding in the past four years alone, these boys’ schools were teaching hardly any English or math, and no other socalled “secular” subjects.

We found the same thing, back in A yeshiva school bus drives through Borough Park, Brooklyn, Sept. 12 2015, when we undertook a six-month investigation into the issue, which ran concurrently in amounts of government funding. the New York Jewish Week and on WNYC as a four-part We made multiple requests for interviews to de Blaseries. sio’s office, as well as city and state education regulaApparently, nothing has changed in the interventors; Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state Attorney General ing seven years. It’s hardly surprising. This has been Eric Schneiderman and New York City’s then Public going on for decades. In fact, one of us (Winston), Advocate Letitia James. began doing Ph.D. research in 2003 on people leaving We also sought interviews from relevant City CounChasidic communities, and learned then how little incil members Chaim Deutsch (Midwood), chair of the struction Chasidic boys received in basic English and education subcommittee on non-public schools; Mark math — and none at all in history, civics or science — Levine (Upper West Side), chair of the Jewish Caucus; and what that meant in particular for those seeking to Daniel Dromm (Jackson Heights), the education commake lives outside the Chasidic community. mittee chair; Stephen Levin (representing WilliamsShe also learned that most relevant government burg) and Brad Lander (representing Borough Park). officials and bureaucrats knew this to be the case but At the time, de Blasio sent the New York Jewish Week had no interest in acknowledging it publicly, let alone a statement vowing “zero tolerance” for subpar secuadvocating for change. lar education at Chasidic yeshivas. Levin defended The media were similarly quiet on the issue, with the schools, saying he’s “seen secular education taking editors and producers privately citing fears that replace firsthand” at yeshivas in his district. porting on it would draw accusations of antisemitism.

The rest either declined to comment or did not Also, back then it was harder to find insiders who return repeated messages. would go on the record about their experiences.

Except for Daniel Dromm. A longtime educator, That changed in 2012, when a formerly Chasidic the Queens councilman called for a more stringent man named Naftuli Moster began yeshiva investigation and appeared with making some noise, founding Moster at Yaffed news conferences.

Yaffed, a nonprofit that advocates “We can’t have students leaving schools in for improved secular education in New York City that can’t speak English, that Chasidic and Haredi yeshivas. have no idea of science or history or social Moster’s work both educated studies,” Dromm told us. “That is not aland gave the media a way to cover lowed by the state and we cannot continue to the issue: He filed Freedom of Inallow that to happen.” formation Act requests and gathSeven years later, we are seeing the same ered statistics; badgered public mix of silence and lip service. In New York officials in person and in writing; spoke out at public magazine, Ross Barkan inventories political leaders’ hearings; filed lawsuits and generated reports. responses to the New York Times investigation, with He made himself a thorn in the side of Mayor Bill most either ignoring or obfuscating the article and a de Blasio and ultimately forced the city to do its own few calling for change. investigation into these schools, launched in July 2015.

Gov. Kathy Hochul went with passing the buck, For our story, we interviewed dozens of people saying: “We believe that every child in the state of who had been through Chasidic schools or had taught New York deserves to have a very high quality of in them, experts in the field of education, and lawyers education. People understand that this is outside the whose work focuses on civil rights and the separation purview of the governor. There is a regulatory process of church and state. in place, but the governor’s office has nothing to do We spoke with community activists and regular with this.”

Chasidic people who believed in the Chasidic educaRep. Jerry Nadler, whose Manhattan-Brooklyn distion system and felt that the government should butt trict includes most of Borough Park, told the New York out.

Times, “It is a paramount duty of government to make We also reached out to numerous public officials, sure that all children — whether it’s those educated in hoping to get their views on what we believed was parochial, private or public schools — are provided a an important local story: a private school system that quality education. It is our duty to all New York stuseemed to flout regulations while receiving large Continued on Page 14

Seven years later, we are seeing the same mix of silence and lip service.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

Titanic Museums' tribute

to Jewish passengers & crew draws direct line to immigration restrictions & the Holocaust

Touring exhibits planned for Jewish/Holocaust museums across America The facade of the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. replicates the front half of Titanic's exterior at 50 percent of the actual size, as does the Titanic Museum in Branson, Mo.

the museums' galleries; each Jewish element includes a that time period.

Story and Photos By Marshall Weiss, The Observer Two years later, Israeli Eli Moskowitz asked me if he blue Star of David on its title card.

Below the Smoky Mountains, not far from DolNear the beginning of the exhibit is a reproduction could incorporate my findings into a book he was writlywood and neighboring Gatlinburg, drivers on the ing about Jewish connections to the Titanic. I gave him of a White Star Line third-class menu from the Titanic Parkway in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. see outsized, bizarre my blessing. Published in English in 2018, Moskowitz's era with a notation at the bottom, "Kosher Meat suparchitecture luring them and their kids to the attracThe Jews of Titanic is the definitive, comprehensive, and plied and Cooked for Jewish Passengers as desired," tions inside. along with an image from the White Star Line ledger only book on the subject.

A few blocks from a life-size King Kong on top of a that Titanic crew signed to work on the ship. The page Paul Burns, curator of Titanic Museum Attractions truncated Empire State Building, across a parking lot includes the signature of Charles Kennel, who signed from the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show is a replica of and the Titanic Jewish Experience, consulted Moson as Titanic's "Hebrew Cook." kowitz and me about artifacts he might include in the the front half of the Titanic at the moment it struck an A few steps away is a display of White Star Line iceberg on April 14, 1912. Built at 50 percent of the size Jewish exhibits. Because of Covid, the exhibits' planned kosher utensils: a dish marked "meat" (and "kosher fleiopenings in Pigeon Forge and Branson were delayed of the original ship, it's still colossal. shik" in Yiddish) and forks and knives stamped "milk" from early 2020 until July 2021. I toured the Pigeon While it's designed to appeal to visitors of all ages, ("kosher milchik").

Forge museum in August. the Titanic Museum is a serious, carefully curated These give a sense of how Titanic kosher food The Titanic Jewish Experience is integrated across experience, a tribute to the 1,512 passengers and crew service might have looked. No kosher who perished and the 713 who survived kitchenware has yet been found from its only voyage. With 400 Titanic artithe Titanic or its sister ship, Olympic, facts, it's also an educational resource to which was scrapped in 1935. The White school districts in 18 counties across the Star Line kosher dishes and utensils here region. date to 1919-20.

Through mid-February, visitors to "The earliest piece we have (of White the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge Star Line kosher utensils) is 1913," Burns — and its sister Titanic Museum in says. "The 1913 piece is in our storage Branson, Mo. — will also see the Titanic vaults. I just acquired it recently. I'm in Jewish Experience, a tribute to the ship's total search now (for kosher utensils). estimated 67 Jewish passengers and two We've got collectors across the world, Jewish crew members. the historians, we've got a couple of auc"Did you know Titanic had a kosher tion houses looking for us to find it." kitchen and a kosher chef on board?" a No kosher dishes or utensils have sign announces at the entrance to the been salvaged from Titanic or its debris Titanic Museum. field to date, Burns says, because the I did. I brought that to the world's kosher kitchen, located down on F deck, attention in April 2012, the centennial was in the back half of the ship, which of the ocean liner's sinking. The clues split from the front during the sinking were hiding in plain sight. I connected and fully collapsed when it hit the ocean the dots, wrote, and distributed a series floor. of articles about Jewish connections to "One of our collectors suggested the the Titanic. Kosher food service in third A kosher plate used for meat, and forks and knives used for dairy on the White Star Line dating class on the Titanic shed light on Jewish to 1919-20 are on display at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge. Kosher kitchen utensils from the reason we don't see a lot of third class Continued on Page 12 immigration from Eastern Europe at Titanic, which sank in 1912, have not been found to date.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

PAGE 11

Continued from Page 11 (artifacts) from the Titanic era is these folks in this time period were not focused on taking souvenirs," Burns says.

"These people were focused on transferring their lives. These were immigration ships. A third-class passenger would not have taken a saucer or spoon or anything to put in their pocket for fear that they would get caught. The things we have from Titanic that are actual dishes and those kinds of things were carried off in second and first class."

According to the Titanic Museum's count, 69 known Jews were aboard the Titanic. Of those, 39 died in the sinking (14 first class, 10 second class, 13 third class, two crew), and 30 survived (17 first class, three second class, 10 third class, no crew).

Burns and Moskowitz agree that no one knows for certain how many Jews were aboard the Titanic. The museum used two factors to identify who was Titanic Museum Attractions Curator Paul Burns with Sinai Kantor's pocket watch Detail of Sinai Kantor's pocket watch Jewish: if a person's mother was Jewish were doing, our Jewish tribute, he really State Department and its ever-changing, 12 years ago when we started working (the standard of Halacha, Jewish law), and for those who survived, if the person wanted to do this. His son brought it out. ever-tightening obstacles to immigration. with the schools."

We had a ceremony."

When the Jewish exhibit opened, The scenario forms a core narrative in practiced Judaism after the sinking.

Isidor Straus' wedding band, also with Covid still at its height, she wrote Ken Burns' new PBS documentary, The On prominent display in a gallery found when his body was recovered, a tagline for its panels: "Intolerance is a U.S. and the Holocaust. focused on second class is the pocket is on display at the Branson Titanic virus too."

"Nothing could go right for them: the watch of Titanic victim Sinai Kantor, Museum.

"I don't do anything in a vacuum. timing and what it took to get govern34, who was traveling to America from When asked how he decides which With intolerance is a virus, I went to ment consulates to move on the issue," Vitebsk, Russia with his wife, Miriam. artifacts to display in the two museums, Curator Paul Burns says of attempts to teachers. And they debated. There was a The pocket watch, recovered from his Burns says some decisions are geared big debate whether it should be on show rescue the Frank family. body and returned to his wife, features toward the visitor bases at the sites, but In the museum's music room — where cards and part of the promotion camHebrew letters on its face and an emalso to staff at each museum. paign. I only had one teacher who said, Yiddish sheet music from 1912, The Tibossed image of Moses and the Ten "Certain staff members gravitate to tanic's Disaster, is displayed with Titanic 'I'm not sure you should do that.' Out of Commandments on its back. Its expocertain things," he says. "We study this the 12 teachers, 11 agreed." violinist Wallace Hartley's music portsure to seawater rusted its movement intently because Because the Pigeon Forge and Branson folio case — a wall-sized display points and is visible on 'Immigration is what caused we want people museums attract much repeat business, out the Straus-Frank/Titanic-Holocaust the watch face. to have the best they change out items each year, and connections.

In an area the Titanic. And the lack experience they also present special exhibits such as the Next to it, in a darkened area behind dedicated to the of immigration is one of can. We play with glass, is the rear of a Violin of Hope, Titanic Jewish Experience. first class is a it a little bit."

"We have always paid tribute to differhung between concentration camp replica of a Titanic the things that made the The Straus uniforms: one from a woman in Ravens- ent passengers on the ship: the Irish, the first-class parlor Holocaust what it was.' family story is the brück, the other from a man in Auschildren, the musicians," Kellogg-Joslyn suite, dedicated bridge to an unsays. "There have been at least 12 differchwitz. for this special expected direction for the Titanic Jewish ent categories that we've acknowledged."

Since 1996, Israeli Amnon Weinstein exhibit to the memory of Ida and Isidor Experience: Titanic's connections to the Burns says they haven't marketed or has restored violins played by Jewish Straus, who both went down with the Holocaust. promoted the Jewish Experience to Jews musicians during the Holocaust. Fourship. On display here is the gold and Isidor Straus' nephew, Nathan Straus specifically. hundred members of his own family onyx monogrammed pocket watch fob "We picked these markets (Pigeon recovered from the body of Isidor Straus. Jr., was roommates and best friends with perished in the Holocaust.

Otto Frank (later the father of Margot In addition to a wall with This marks the first time Straus' greatand Anne Frank) when they both atthe names and available grandson, Paul Kurzman, has allowed tended the University of Heidelberg, images of Jewish Titanic pasthe artifact to be exhibited.

Germany in 1908. Otto Frank even went sengers and crew, the remain"He's brought it to us one other time to work in New York for the Straus fam- ing galleries teach about the and allowed the press to take a photo when he's done talks for us here, but he's ily at Macy's in 1909 to get a better sense Holocaust and Anne Frank's of international commerce. Years later, story. never allowed it out of his possession," The Holocaust artifacts Burns said. "When we told him what we Nathan Straus Jr. would encourage his friend, Eleanor Roosevelt, to write the come from collector Steven introduction to The Diary of Anne Frank Cassidy, formerly of Cincinwhen it was published in America in nati, now of north Florida.

1952.

Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, But what historians didn't know until who with her husband, John 2007 — when a cache of letters between Joslyn, owns Titanic Museum Otto Frank and NaAttractions, said the StrausLOC than Straus Jr. from Frank connection convinced 1941 was discovered her to include Holocaust edu— was how urgently cation in the Titanic Jewish Frank tried to get Experience. his family out of the "You've got to know your Netherlands and to history before you can move the United States, forward," Kellogg-Joslyn how he turned to says. "We always say our Nathan Straus Jr. theme is courage, hope, and for help, and how resilience: those who didn't both were thwarted survive as well as those who Pocket watch fob belonging to Isidor at every turn by the did. And we established that Anne Frank display at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge Isidor Straus Straus, found on his body

PAGE 12

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

Forge and Branson) for a reason, obviously, because they're visitor-based markets," he says. "But we are seeing Jewish people come in, individual families, couples. When we were installing this, we had several folks come up and identify themselves as Jewish and say, 'Thank you for telling the story.'"

"But they would always do it in a whisper," Mary adds.

"From the Jewish community, they would say, 'You're so brave to do this.' I was kind of taken TMA back. I said, 'I'm not afraid.' And I did get pushback from some people who said, 'I came to here to see the Titanic, not the Holocaust.' When that happens, I know the crew didn't talk to that person. Because we're very clear how each relates to the other."

Immigration was the first function of the great ocean liners of Titanic's era, Burns says. "We do tell the story of immigration. Because people come to us believing, they think of it (TiTitanic Museum tanic) in terms of a cruise ship."

Attractions co-owner "Immigration is what caused the Mary Kellogg-Joslyn Titanic," says Jews of the Titanic author Eli Moskowitz, who made the trip from Nir Galim, Israel to Pigeon Forge in July. "And the lack of immigration is one of the things that made the Holocaust what it was."

Burns was shocked to learn from talking to teens in the exhibit that they thought Anne Frank survived the Holocaust. "We have a docent tell the story of the diary in the music room."

Despite setbacks during Covid, including closure of the museum for three months, tourism in Pigeon Forge bounced back this summer. Approximately 100,000 people a month visited the Titanic Museum in June, July, and August, according to Kellogg-Joslyn. Branson has recovered, too.

She brought members of Knoxville's Jewish community — at 30 miles away, the nearest Jewish community to Pigeon Forge — to the museum for a kosher dinner and tour.

She also brought Straus Historical Society Executive Director Joan Adler to give a talk at Knoxville's JCC. Moskowitz Display at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. that connects the Titanic and the Holocaust gave a talk there too.

Kellogg-Joslyn and Burns say they're now preparing to bring the Titanic Jewish Experience to Jewish and Holocaust museums across America. It will be the Titanic Museum Attractions' first touring exhibit.

"We're very comfortable knowing that this may be even '23-'24 or '24'25," Burns says. "We could make it as small as 500 square feet but could go to 2,000 to 3,000 square feet."

A few museums have already contacted them, Kellogg-Joslyn adds.

Moskowitz says his visit to the museum was overwhelming. "It was very emotional for me when I was Author Eli Moskowitz there. I was walking around with my yarmulke. There might be Jews in Pigeon Forge, but there's no Jewish community."

Every Titanic Museum visitor first receives a boarding pass with the profile of a passenger. There are boarding passes of each passenger. At the end of tour, visitors can look at the names to find out if their passenger died or survived. For the run of the Titanic Jewish Experience, Jewish passengers' boarding passes were printed with a blue Star of David at the top.

"A lot of the visitors got Jewish passengers," Moskowitz notes. "They have no connections to Judaism, and there they are, walking around with a Jewish name, and they're learning about the person and finding out that they survived or not. Maybe it can contribute to less hatred between groups of people. At least people get to learn a little bit about the Jews."

The Titanic Jewish Experience at the Titanic Museum Attractions in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. and Branson, Mo. is on display through mid-February. For information, go to titanicpigeonforge. com or titanicbranson.com.

Display of known Jewish passengers and crew of the Titanic at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge. Titanic Museum Attractions used two factors to identify who was Jewish: if a person's mother was Jewish (the standard of Halacha, Jewish law), and for survivors, if the person practiced Judaism after the sinking.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

PAGE 13

Yeshivas

million monthly visitors to its website.)

Continued from Page 10 Despite increased visibility for the problem, our guess is dents to ensure that the law is that after elected officials’ procenforced.” He didn’t, however, lamations and hand-wringing go into any specifics. dies down, they and education Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, whose officials will continue on their Brooklyn district is near Chawell-worn path of doing nothsidic Crown Heights, called for ing. “a rigorous inquiry in order to Meanwhile, another generamake sure that the health and tion of Chasidic men will likely well-being of all children is graduate high school with fragprotected.” mented English and fourthHe didn’t address the fact grade math, with essentially that an inquiry has already no knowledge of science and been done, with little effect. an understanding of history Long Island congressman acquired primarily through and Republican gubernatorial religious texts, while another candidate Lee Zeldin defended generation of politicians conChasidic schools, tweeting: tinues to choose campaign “Yeshiva education teaches contributions and voting blocs values that have their students over education oversight and living law-abiding, productive a person’s ability to support lives.” themselves.

Other New York Democratic Another more hopeful officials either did not respond scenario may be possible, to New York Times inquiries or however. Our reporting has led declined to comment on about us to believe that there are not the Chasidic schools, including insignificant numbers of averSen. Chuck Schumer, senate age Chasidic people who both majority leader; Sen. Kirsten love their way of life and also Gillibrand and Rep. Sean agree with Moster about the Patrick Maloney, chief of the need for better secular educaHouse Democratic campaign tion for their children. committee.

These folks see no conflict As for New York’s current between the practice of Chamayor, Eric Adams, a spokessidic Judaism and learning man told the New York Times English, math and “that he believed other subjects that can schools should be Another lead to better employculturally sensitive and meet high stan- more hopeful ment opportunities dards.” scenario may and fuller participain civic life.

He also said the be possible, tionMost remain quiet, administration fearing ostracism or would complete the however. worse for appearing investigation that to be aligned with stalled under de someone like Moster, who is Blasio. To us, this sounds like routinely demonized by commore stalling. munity activists as anti-Haredi.

In 2015 the Jewish Week/ But there is an albeit small WNYC investigation moved forward what resulted in an in- possibility that the New York Times story may give such complete investigation into the people courage to come out of schools by the New York City the shadows and band together Department of Education that to demand more from their essentially changed nothing. yeshivas.

Will the investigation by And that kind of grassroots the New York Times, with its effort could do more to effect exponentially higher outlay of change than any politician or resources and readership, be new government regulation able to spur an earnest push ever could. by lawmakers for oversight of these schools?

Amy Sara Clark is a freelance The New York Times has journalist living in Brooklyn. She roughly 100 million registered is a former investigative reporter users and 10 million paid and deputy managing editor at subscribers, according to the The Jewish Week. paper.

By comparison, in 2015 the Hella Winston is a sociologist and Jewish Week had roughly 50,000 investigative journalist. She is the print subscribers and 25,000 author of Unchosen: The Hidemail newsletter subscribers; den Lives of Hasidic Rebels and WNYC has roughly 1.6 million lives in New York City. weekly radio listeners and 1.3

So, what do you think?

PAGE 14

OPINION

Queen Elizabeth mattered.

Civil religion explains why.

Andrew Parsons/WPA ROTA/PA

By Andrew Silow-Carroll as such also personiI am one of those fied everything Britain people who gobble up was and became in the films and television ensuing eight decades. shows about the royal If indeed she embodied family almost as soon the nation’s values, she as they come out. And also deserved scrutiny for yet, watching The Crown, how she confronted its my thoughts would run failings. In a Washington like this: “This is great Post essay, foreign affairs television,” I would columnist Ishaan Tharoor say after nearly every concedes that “Elizabeth episode. “But remind me was perhaps not privy to again why I should care Queen Elizabeth II greets Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan all the sordid details of Sacks at St James's Palace in London to mark the what happens to these the operations carried out 350th anniversary of the reestablishment of Britain's to preserve her empire afpeople?”

I’ve heard that befud- Jewish community in 2006 ter the end of World War dlement from a lot of friends II and through the 1960s.” And her meetings with faith leaders in the wake of the outpouring yet, he suggests, “Elizabeth cast led the U.K.’s transformation of love and sadness that folherself as the happy steward into “a multi-ethnic, multifaith lowed Queen Elizabeth’s death society.” of the Commonwealth” whose at 96 after a 70-year reign. A “history was hardly benign.”

Sacks, Foreman, and Mirvis monarch with no power, a Wiesel too faced criticism suggest a few ways of thinking matriarch of a family with no that despite his devotion to huabout Elizabeth beyond Mik’s real claim to fame other than man rights and dignity, he did dichotomy — as neither “certheir birthrights, she occupied not grapple publicly with the emonial figure” nor culpable a strange and unique position. costs of Israel’s control of the head of a colonial empire. As The media strategist Mik West Bank and Gaza.

Sacks explained, Elizabeth Moore captured that perplexity wielded a kind of soft power There is, however, another in a Facebook post. way to think about the queen’s by dint of her example, lever“There seems to be a dissignificance: as a sort of reliaging her ambiguous status connect (between) those who gious figure. Not a religious to become “Defender of all see the queen as a ceremonial leader, and not a god exactly, Britain’s Faiths.” figure with no real power and but as an intermediary between Foreman and Mirvis, meanthose who see the queen as the profane humans and divine while, remind us that public head of a colonial empire who aspirations. figures can embody and perwas complicit in oppression In a prayer in memory of the sonify values even when they and genocide,” he wrote. “If queen, Mirvis wrote: “In an aren’t elected or hold any real she’s the latter she deserves age of profound change, she power. to be held accountable and if signified order and justice; and Elie Wiesel comes to mind. she’s the former she (is) just a in times of tension, she offered Although he was a gifted celebrity with a crown. generosity of spirit.” That’s as writer, his most important role “If she’s just a celebrity... good a definition as any for the was as an articulate survivor her death isn’t that important,” and witness to the Holocaust. function of religion. he continued. “If she had real Americans don’t have monWhen Wiesel died in 2016, at power, her death IS important archs, but we do have what age 87, the grief was not just ...but also it means the anger at Robert Bellah calls the Ameriover the loss of one man, but her is justified.” can civil religion, with “its own of a living connection to a A number of pundits and prophets and its own martyrs, monumental and devastating historians took a stab at exits own sacred events and historical event. plaining why Elizabeth, and sacred places, its own solemn With Wiesel’s death, Jewry the British monarchy, matter. rituals and symbols.” also lost a unifying figure: Historian Amanda Foreman Such rituals and symbols When he died, JTA published Elizabeth said she “embodied represent the purposes and the an article asking if anyone what you might call the spirit meaning of a nation. could replace Wiesel as a “conof the nation” and “personified sensus leader” among AmeriIn our case, those symbols the essence and values of Great can Jews, or was the “American include the Stars and Stripes, Britain.” the Statue of Liberty, the naJewish community too divided Similarly, the current chief tional parks, late leaders who to unite under any one perrabbi of the United Kingdom, stood for something bigger son’s moral voice?”

Ephraim Mirvis, eulogized the Wiesel also wielded a degree than themselves. We put bald queen by saying she “embodeagles and dead presidents on of soft power, seen when he ied the most noble values of our coins; in England, they put rebuked U.S. President RonBritish society.” their queens and kings. ald Reagan for a planned visit Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Mirto an SS cemetery at Bitburg, vis’ predecessor, had at one Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor Germany. point praised Elizabeth as an in chief of the New York Jewish Elizabeth, too, was a livinterfaith champion, saying Week and senior editor of JTA. ing link to World War II, and

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 • OCTOBER 2022

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

October 2, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m — Down on the Farm with Camp Shalom and PJ Library October 19, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. — JCC Youth Theatre Auditions October 20, 7:00 p.m. — CABS Opening Night: Rita Rudner October 21, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. — OSHIIP Free Medicare Check Up Day

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October 23, 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. — JCC Youth Theatre Auditions October 24, 7:00 p.m. — CABS: Wayne Hoffman

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October 27, 7:00 p.m. — CABS: Brad Graber October 30, 2:45 p.m. — CABS: Sharona Hoffman & Resource Fair

2:45 p.m.

Jewish Family Services Aging Resource Fair Join JFS to learn about local area resources that can support your aging plan for you and your loved ones. Resources will include providers from a multitude of support systems – housing, social, medical, legal, financial and more!

RESOURCE FAIR & AUTHOR TALK SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30

Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education 525 Versailles Drive, Centerville

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

4:00 p.m.

Jewish Community Center Cultural Arts and Books Series The JCC welcomes author Sharon Hoffman to discuss her book, Aging With a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow. The book is a concise and comprehensive resource for people who are middle-aged and beyond and are facing the prospects of their own aging and of caring for elderly relatives — an often overwhelming task. Using an interdisciplinary approach and many personal anecdotes, Sharona Hoffman develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, financial, and other support systems for aging and caregiving.

PAGE 15

October JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

2022

Register for Zoom events and purchase tickets for in person events at Jewishdayton.org.

Contact Helen Jones at 937-610-5513 or hjones@jfgd.net for more information.

Thursday, October 20, 7:00 p.m.

Opening Night

Sunday, November 13, 7:00 p.m.

Livestream @ The Funny Bone, 88 Plum St., The Greene

Evening begins with a short jazz concert.

Comedy show with special guest Karen Jaffe

Cost: $12

Cost: $18 person, includes drink ticket

Debby Applegate

Rita Rudner “My Life In Dog Years”

“Madame: The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age”

Monday, October 24, 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 16, 6:30 p.m.

Via Zoom

The Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education

Special Guest: Holly Elkins-Lopez, Education Programs

525 Versailles Dr., Centerville

Manager, Alzheimer’s Association, Miami Valley Chapter.

Enjoy an appetizing bagel nosh during this food-based

Wayne Hoffman “The End of Her: Racing Against

presentation.

Alzheimer’s to Solve a Murder”

Cost: $18 person, includes a bagel supper

The Dayton Woman’s Club, 225 N. Ludlow St., Dayton

Cathy Barrow “Bagels, Schmears, and a Nice Piece of Fish”

Thursday, October 27, 7:00 p.m.

Via Zoom

Tuesday, November 29, 7:00 p.m.

Brad Graber “Boca By Moonlight”

Via Zoom Liz Scheier “Never Simple”

Sunday, October 30, 4:00 p.m.

Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education

Thursday, December 1, 7:00 p.m.

525 Versailles Dr., Centerville

Livestream at Wright Memorial Library,

2:45 p.m. JFS Aging Resource Fair

1776 Far Hills Ave., Dayton

Learn about local area resources that can support your

Jen Maxfield “More After the Break; A Reporter Returns to Ten

aging plan for you and your loved ones. Resources will

Unforgettable News Stories”

include providers from a multitude of support systems – housing, social, medical, legal, financial and more!

Sharona Hoffman “Aging With a Plan: How a Little Thought

Sunday, December 4, 7:00 p.m.

Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow”

Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton Cost: $10 adults; $5 students

Monday, November 7, 7:00 p.m.

Tom Dugan “Wiesenthal”

Via Zoom Ellen Frankel “The Deadly Scrolls: Book One in the Jerusalem Mysteries”

Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 7:00 p.m.

Livestream at Woodbourne Library, 6060 Far Hills Ave., Centerville

Wednesday, November 9, 7:00 p.m.

Ronald Balson “An Affair of Spies: A Novel”

Livestream at The Torch Lounge, The Kennedy Union, University of Dayton Special guest Dr. Dorian Borbonus, Associate Professor of History, will present background on archeology.

Sunday, March 5, 2023, 7:00 p.m.

Cost: $6 person; free with a student ID

Carillon Brewing Company, 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton

Andrew Lawler “Under Jerusalem: The Buried History of the

Cost: $10 person

World’s Most Contested City”

Dan Grunfeld “By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream”

PAGE 16

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

October JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

Alliance Programs

Enrollment is open for the 2022-2023 school year in the JCC Early Childhood Program.

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. via Zoom

Come join pianist Ian Scarfe and special guest cellist James Jaffe, who will perform and discuss Beethoven's Cello Sonata. The first composer to bring the cello into a solo voice, Beethoven was one of the most dramatic and influential composers of chamber music. The duo will perform Beethoven's 3rd Cello Sonata in A Major, from the composer’s "heroic" period, and discuss details in the music, share stories of their own performances, and tell more history of the music and of Beethoven himself.

Grab a warm beverage and enjoy a lovely fall afternoon concert! Contact Helen Jones at hjones@jfgd.net or 937-610-5513 for more details.

SAVE THE DATE!

JCC YOUTH THEATRE AUDITIONS CJCE, 525 Versailles Drive, Centerville 45459 Wednesday, October 19, 5:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Or Sunday, October 23, 1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

This year’s performance is Newsies Jr. Performances are Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26, 2023 For audition sign-up, please go to our website jewishdayton.org/events.

Please prepare to sing a one-minute segment of a song of your choice and bring accompanying soundtrack. Wear clothes that are comfortable for dancing.

Questions? Contact JCC Program Manager Meryl Hattenbach at mhattenbach@jfgd.net or 937-401-1550.

We would love to have your child join our Early Childhood Family!

Contact us at 937-610-1555 for information and registration. Limited spaces available.

Join us over the holiday break for camp fun including indoor and outdoor games, field trips, cooking and talent shows!

GRADES K-10

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Camp hours OPTIONAL ADD ONS: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Rise & Shine 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Stay & Play

December 22 - January 3 (closed Dec. 26 and Jan. 2) January 16 - MLK Day and February 20 - President's Day Session and daily rates are available Temple Beth Or, 5275 Marshall Rd. 45429 For more information contact Meryl Hattenbach at mhattenbach@jfgd.net or 937-401-1550

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

PAGE 17

October JEWISH FEDERATION of GREATER DAYTON & ITS AGENCIES

Legacies, Tributes, & Memorials FEDERATION

JFS

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES IN HONOR OF › Ruthe Meadow for receiving the Moss Creativity Award Beverly and Jeff Kantor

UNITED JEWISH CAMPAIGN IN MEMORY OF › Ray Must Ellen and Alvin Stein IN MEMORY OF › Fred Weber Susan and Joe Gruenberg FOUNDATION

LINDA RUCHMAN MEMORIAL FUND IN MEMORY OF › Robert Borns Marshall Ruchman

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES DISCRETIONARY FUND IN MEMORY OF › Nicole Monique Frilot Cathy Gardner JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES ENDOWMENT FUND IN MEMORY OF › Debra Saidel › Richard Levinson Susan and Joe Gruenberg IN MEMORY OF › Debra Saidel › Joell Alter Margy and Otis Hurst

JCC

CAROLE RABINOWITZ CAMP FUND IN MEMORY OF › Kelly Louis’ father, Donald Bernard Rabinowitz JANE HOCHSTEIN FILM FUND IN HONOR OF › Ruthe Meadow for receiving the Moss Creativity Award Judy Schwartzman and Mike Jaffe EARLY CHILDHOOD FUND IN MEMORY OF › Sarah Pauline Hochman Cathy Gardner RESILIENCE SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN MEMORY OF › Dan Weckstein Sherry McKenney › Our son, Daniel K. Weckstein Donald and Caryl Weckstein

MEDICARE CHECK UP DAYS Learn ways to: Stay Informed. Stay Healthy. Save Money.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Free Medicare Check Up Day with the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) in partnership with Jewish Family Services at the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education.

Schedule an appointment by calling 937-610-1555. Medicare counselors from the Ohio Department of Insurance will be on hand to sit down with you individually.

The Annual Medicare Enrollment Period is October 15, – December 7, 2022. Get tips on how to enroll for 2023 coverage in a Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D) and/or a Medicare health plan. See if you qualify to SAVE an average of $5,100 on your prescription drug costs.

Can’t make it to the Boonshoft CJCE on October 21, 2022? See the ad on page 28 for information about all the Medicare Check Up Days in Montgomery County.

PAGE 18

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

CALENDAR Classes

Beth Abraham Synagogue: Sundays, beginning Oct. 23, 9 a.m.: Beginners Hebrew. Register by Oct. 7. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood. 937-293-9520.

Beth Jacob Congregation: Sundays, 2 p.m.: Conversions w. Rabbi Agar. Tuesdays, 7 p.m.: Weekly Parsha w. Rabbi Agar. Thursdays, 7 p.m.: Jewish Law w. Rabbi Agar. 7020 N. Main St., Harrison Twp. 937-2742149.

Temple Beth Or: Sundays, noon: Adult Hebrew. Mon., Oct. 3, 10 a.m.: Apocryphal Study via Zoom. Thurs., Oct. 6, 7 p.m.: Chai Mitzvah via Zoom. 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937435-3400.

Temple Israel: Saturdays, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 9:15 a.m.: Online Torah Study. Thurs., Oct. 13, 20, 27, 6 p.m.: Issues & Conflicts in Jewish Texts w. Rabbi Sofian.

Tuesdays, Oct. 11, 18, 25, noon: Talmud Study in person. Sat., Oct. 29, 9:15 a.m.: Torah Study in person & online. RSVP to 937-496-0050 or info@tidayton. org. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

Children & Teens

JCC Youth Theatre Auditions: Wed., Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m. & Sun., Oct. 23, 1:15 p.m. Grades 3-12. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. Register at jewishdayton.org/events.

Family

Camp Shalom & PJ Library Down on the Farm: Sun., Oct. 2, 6 p.m. Free. Lucas Brothers Farm, 3229 Ferry Rd., Bellbrook.

Register at jewishdayton.org/ events.

Temple Israel Prayer & Play: Fri., Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 937-4960050.

Temple Beth Or S’More Fun: Sat., Oct. 22, 5:30 p.m. 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937435-3400.

Seniors

Ohio Senior Health Insurance Info. Prog. Medicare Checkup: Fri., Oct. 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. Register w. 937610-1555.

JFS Resource Fair: Sun., Oct. 30, 2:45 p.m. Followed by Aging with a Plan. Boonshoft

CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. Register at jewishdayton.org/events or 937-610-1555.

Women

Hadassah Tea for Two: Sun., Oct. 23, 2 p.m. Gleneagles Clubhouse, 560 Eagle Cir., Kettering. $18. RSVP to Hindy Gruber, hgruber@ameritech.net

by Oct. 19.

Performances

Fiddler on the Roof National Tour: Fri., Oct 7, 8 p.m. Clark State Performing Arts Ctr., 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield.

Etix.com or 937-328-3874.

Itzhak Perlman w. Springfield Symphony: Sat., Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. Clark State Performing Arts Ctr., 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. Springfieldsym.org or 937-328-3874.

Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin: Sun., Oct. 23, 6 p.m.

Cincinnati Museum Ctr., 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati. Defiantrequiem.brownpapertickets. com and at the door.

Handel's Israel in Egypt: Sun., Oct. 30, 4 p.m. Bach Soc. of Dayton. Kettering Adventist Church, 3939 Stonebridge Rd.,

Kettering. Bachsocietyofdayton. org/buy-tickets/oct.

wood. RSVP to chabaddayton. com/rsvp.

Film

Beth Abraham Sushi in the Sukkah for Teens: Thurs., Oct. 13, 6:30 p.m. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood. 937-293-9520.

Dayton LGBT Film Festival, Nelly & Nadine: Sun., Oct. 16, 1 p.m. The Neon, 130 E. 5th St., Dayton. $9. neonmovies.com.

JCC Cultural Arts & Book Series

See Page 16 for schedule.

Sukkot

Temple Beth Or Feast in the Sukkah: Fri., Oct. 14, 6:30 p.m. Followed by service. 5725 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937496-0050.

Temple Israel Sukkot & Pizza in the Hut: Sun., Oct. 9, 6 p.m. $5 adults, $3 children 4-12. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. RSVP by Oct. 4. tidayton.org.

Chabad Women’s Circle Havdalah in the Sukkah: Sat., Oct. 15, 7:45 p.m. $36. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. RSVP to dlmdayton@gmail.com.

Chabad Young Professionals Sukkah Social: Sun., Oct. 9, 7 p.m. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. Email chabad@chabaddayton.com.

Beth Jacob Schmoozing in the Sukkah: Sun., Oct. 16, 11 a.m.

Arts & crafts. 7020 N. Main St., Harrison Twp. RSVP by Oct. 2.

937-274-2149.

Chabad Men’s Night Out in the Sukkah: Wed., Oct. 12, 6:15 p.m. $59. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. RSVP at chabaddayyton.com/rsvp.

Simchat Torah

Chabad Soup & Salads in the Sukkah for the Family: Thurs., Oct. 13, 5:30 p.m. $18 adults, $7 children. Petting zoo, pony rides. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oak-

Temple Israel Simchat Torah Service & Dinner: Sun., Oct. 16, 6 p.m. $5 adults, $3 children 4-12. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

RSVP by Oct. 11. tidayton.org Chabad Simchat Torah: Mon., Oct. 17, 7 p.m. Free. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. RSVP to rabbilevi@chabaddayton.org.

SUNBELT® Business Advisors of Southwest Ohio

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MAZEL TOV!

Rabbi Leibel Agar

Rabbi Leibel Agar and Cantor Jonathan Cohen will be leading us in prayers for the High Holidays.

LIFECYCLE

Tabatha Wharton has been named development coordinator for Dayton Live. She was promoted from the position of senior ticket agent in August.

Cantor Jonathan Cohen

Beth Jacob Congregation invites and encourages the community to join us for Inspirational High Holiday Traditional services.

Aliza Lambert has received her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the Virginia Commonwealth Universi-

Marshall Weiss

See our full holiday schedule at www.bethjacobcong.org

7020 North Main Street—Dayton, Ohio 45415 937-274-2149—www.bethjacobcong.org

R&C Firearms Training Ron Wynne, Instructor

Curtis Estep, Instructor

Learn to properly and safely handle firearms.

Bring this ad and save $15 per lesson, $60 each (reg. $75)

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ty. She begins her new career at Rutgers University this fall and will teach graduate students for the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. Her dissertation focused on Jewish youths with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Aliza is the daughter of Ira and Karen Weiss of Solon, and the granddaughter of Robert Kahn of Kettering.

Jonah Elliott Halasz will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Temple Israel. He is the son of Scott Halasz and Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, and the brother of Ethan Halasz. He is the grandson of Jerry and Maxine Halasz of Centerville, Martin and Lynn Pollman of Overland Park, Kan., and Howard and Beatrice Bodney of Overland

Let us know what's going on by you and yours. Send your Mazel Tov announcements to mweiss@ jfgd.net.

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Jonah is on the Centerville 13U select baseball team and has also played soccer. He enjoys spending his summers at Goldman Union Camp Institute of Zionsville, Ind., where he spends every summer. For his mitzvah project, Jonah has been volunteering at 4 Paws for Ability in Xenia, a nonprofit that enriches the lives of children and adults with disabilities by the training and placement of quality, task-trained service dogs. He is also collecting baseball and softball equipment for Pitch in for Baseball and Softball, which provides equipment to under-resourced children in every state and 110 countries worldwide, including Israel.

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RELIGION

CONGREGATIONS Beth Abraham Synagogue

Conservative Rabbi Aubrey Glazer Cantor/Dir. of Ed. & Programming Andrea Raizen Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

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

Beth Jacob Congregation

Traditional Rabbi Leibel Agar Sundays & Wednesdays, 7:15 p.m.

Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

7020 N. Main St., Dayton.

937-274-2149. bethjacobcong.org

Temple Anshe Emeth

Reform Fri., Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. w. Rabbinic Intern Anna Burke 320 Caldwell St., Piqua.

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

Temple Beth Or

Reform Fridays, 6:30 p.m.

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

Temple Beth Sholom

Reform Rabbi Haviva Horvitz 610 Gladys Dr., Middletown.

513-422-8313. templebethsholom.net

Temple Israel

Reform Senior Rabbi Karen BodneyHalasz. Rabbi/Educator Tina Sobo Fri., Oct. 7, 6 p.m. Fridays, Oct. 14, 21 & 28, 6:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 29, 10 a.m.

130 Riverside Dr., Dayton.

937-496-0050. tidayton.org

Temple Sholom

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

ADDITIONAL SERVICES Chabad of Greater Dayton

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

Yellow Springs Havurah

Independent Antioch College Rockford Chapel.

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

Recognize the good

For Every Act of Goodness: Let us affirm the good we have done; let us acknowledge our portant that we temper our selfBy Rabbi Karen Bodneyacts of healing and repair... effacement so that we remember For the good we have done by Halasz, Temple Israel we condemn the behavior and As we move through the acting with self-restraint and choices, not ourselves.

High Holy Days, we approach self-control; To avoid shame, we cannot Yom Kippur with a sense of For the good we have done through dread. We anticipate feelings of only focus on our failures or acts of generosity and compaswe’ll lose the confidence that we guilt and regret, in addition to sion; can do better. Positive reinforce- For the good we have done by hunger, because we know the time is upon us to look critically ment is important. There is a offering children our love and at ourselves. The task is painJewish value known as hakarat support; hatov, recognizing the ful, but appropriately so. We For the good we have done good. It helps keep should expect to feel badly for by honoring our parents shame at bay during the many times we missed the with care and respect; the High Holy Days, mark, having done something For the good we have done that we knew was wrong. These reminding us that through acts of friendship we are more than the feelings of remorse are a part and hospitality; mistakes we have of our teshuva, repentance, in For the good we have done made. It reminds us through acts of forgiveness that the souls within and reconciliation; us are pure and long For the good we have done to do good in the which we must acknowledge by keeping promises and our bad behavior, seek forgive- world. This resonates Rabbi Karen honoring commitments; Bodney-Halasz ness, correct wrongs, and hope- with the lesson of For the good we have done Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. He fully reach a place of healing. through the work of our hands, This is guilt at its best. It focuses taught that we can be led forth and by serving others; from darkness by looking for on our bad behavior and proFor the good we have done by carthe good in ourselves. pels us to do better. ing for the earth and sustaining Despite how it may sound, It is a starting block. Once we its creatures; recognizing our strengths can experience it, we move toward For the good we have done by also be an important part of teshuva, which not only brings housing the homeless, feeding healing to our relationships but our High Holy Days. When we the hungry, and welcoming the allow ourselves to acknowledge helps to build our confidence stranger; the love and goodness we have that we can do better.

For the good we have done by actgiven and received, we open A healthy dose of guilt and ing with integrity and honesty; ourselves up to the idea that we For the good we have done through humility is appropriate for this time of year. Through our vidui, can change the direction of our thoughtful and encouraging lives. We know positive reinconfession, we put ourselves words; out there, baring it all. But forcement is a strong motivaFor the good we have done by carsometimes it can be too much. tor. It can help us to strengthen ing for our health and that of Some of us surpass feeling ourselves and our character. our loved ones; guilty to a point where it is no On Yom Kippur, when we For the good we have done by longer healthy. Rather, we feel come baring our souls, we pray strengthening our Jewish comashamed. that God will move from the munity; According to Dr. Brene throne of judgment, holding us For the good we have done through Brown, an expert in shame and accountable, to the throne of acts of civic engagement and vulnerability, so long as we mercy, granting us pardon. Is tikun olam; have the capacity for connection it too much to ask that we offer All these have brought light and and empathy, we experience ourselves the same? healing into the world. May shame. Shame is feeling bad Can we hold ourselves acthese acts inspire us to renew about who we are, not what countable for our failings while our efforts in the year to come. we have done. It comes from also balancing being accounta belief that we, ourselves, are able for our strengths? I believe May we continue to move flawed and unworthy. This is we can, and we should. This from strength to strength in this not helpful, but destructive. too, is part of our teshuva. new year.

Shame does not help us in With this in mind, I offer a May we all be spurred on by our teshuva. It is highly corprayer of hakarat hatov from both judgement and mercy to Mishkan HaNefesh, the Reform related with self-destructive make this world a better place, thoughts and behaviors. It is im- High Holy Days prayer book. filled with shalom.

Perspectives

Candle Lightings

Erev Sukkot, Oct. 9: 6:48 p.m.

First Eve Sukkot, Oct. 10: 7:45 p.m.

Torah Portions

Erev Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 25: 7:11 p.m.

Shabbat, Oct. 14: 6:41 p.m.

First Eve Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 26: 8:07 p.m.

Erev Shemini Atzeret, Oct. 16: 6:38 p.m.

Oct. 1, Vayelech (Deut. 31:1-30)

Shabbat, Sept. 30: 7:03 p.m.

Oct. 8, Haazinu (Deut. 32:1-52)

Erev Yom Kippur, Oct. 4: 6:56 p.m.

Erev Simchat Torah, Oct. 17: 7:35 p.m.

Shabbat, Oct. 21: 6:31 p.m.

Oct. 22, Bereshit (Gen. 1:1-6:8)

Shabbat, Oct. 7: 6:51 p.m.

Shabbat, Oct. 28: 6:21 p.m.

Oct. 29, Noach (Gen. 6:9-11:32)

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

Tishri & Cheshvan

Rosh Hashanah Jewish New Year

Sept. 26-27/1-2 Tishri Celebration of the beginning of the Jewish calendar year.

Begins the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of repentance and prayer that ends on Yom Kippur. Celebrated with festive meals, including apples dipped in honey.

Yom Kippur

Day of Atonement

Oct. 5/10 Tishri The holiest day on the Jewish calendar, marking the end of the Days of Awe, spent fasting and in prayer.

The sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, signals the end of the holiday.

Sukkot

Festival of Booths

Oct. 10-16 15-21 Tishri Named after the huts the Jews lived in while wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Marked by building sukkot to eat meals in during the festival, and in the synagogue by processions with the lulav (palm branches with myrtle and willow) and etrog (citron fruit).

Shemini Atzeret

Eighth Day of Assembly

Oct. 17/22 Tishri Historically, it allowed an extra day in Jerusalem for Jewish pilgrims on their journey to the Temple.

Tefillat Geshem (the prayer for rain), Hallel (Psalms of thanksgiving and joy), and Yizkor (memorial prayers) are recited.

Simchat Torah

Rejoicing of the Torah

Oct. 18/23 Tishri Annual cycle of reading the Torah is concluded and a new cycle begun. Celebrated in the synagogue with singing, dancing, and Torah processionals.

PAGE 21

RELIGION

Learning Together Opportunities for Everyone

Issues & Conflicts in Jewish Texts Thursdays, September 29, October 13, 20, and 27

6:00PM with Rabbi Emeritus David Sofian Join us on an exploration through four different texts including the story of David and Bathsheva, Jepthah’s daughter, the rules of war, and hierarchy of helping others. All text studies will also include rabbinic commentaries and each class will last 90 minutes. RSVP to the Temple office.

Diving Deep into the Jonah Story Wednesday, October 5

1:30PM with Rabbi Bodney-Halasz Our Yom Kippur afternoon educational session takes an in-depth look at the story of Jonah.

Simchat Torah with Consecration Sunday, October 16

6:00PM Service followed by potluck dinner Even our youngest congregants are getting in on the fun and joy of studying Torah. Join us for a Simchat Torah service that will also honor our young learners, and will be followed by a special potluck dinner.

RSVP by Wednesday, Oct. 12.

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 22

Twitter ‘Repentance Bot’ wants to teach how to apologize

Jewish confessional booth, AtoneNet,

By Jackie Hajdenberg, JTA that offered an early intersection of Move over, tashlich: Twitter is the ancient Jewish practices and contemponew place to atone, thanks to a bot prorary digital tools. grammed by Jewish coders who want “In the same way that on Chanuusers to apologize better. kah people will innovate menorahs or While the tradition of symbolically on Pesach people will innovate Seder throwing bread, representing sins, into plates, on Yom Kippur, they want to a body of water may be a more familiar innovate liturgies,” Kalman said. “What High Holiday custom, a new Twitter else are you going to innovate? You bot aims to address “fauxpologies” on literally can’t eat anything. So it’s this.” social media.

Reboot, the Jewish arts nonprofit, “Repentance Bot” allows users to tag offers 10Q, an annual online questionthe account when they see an apology naire that stores responses securely for that they believe falls short. The bot then replies to the apology with encour- a year, then returns them by email the following year to facilitate respondents’ agement to do better and a comic strip reflection on their personal growth. laying out five steps to take to do so.

And the Yom Kippur-themed eScapeThe steps are those laid out in Rabbi Goat (also known as @Apologybot) Danya Ruttenberg’s new book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in appeared on Twitter in 2013 and would “collect” users’ sins an Unapologetic World. It when tagged. uses the traditional JewThat bot was creish concepts taught by ated by Russel Neiss, a the 12th-century Jewish Jewish technologist and philosopher Maimonides educator who coded to discuss contempoRepentance Bot and rary issues of surviving worked with the Jewish violence and lays out a digital consulting comframework for making pany Tiny Windows to amends in a meaningful produce it on Ruttenway. berg’s behalf.

Repentance Bot is Repentance Bot, as meant to distill some of with many similar bots, the lessons from the book has a sense of humor. It and make them visible, The Repentance Bot is inspired Ruttenberg said.

by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg's new is meant to be “fun and “We live in a culture book, On Repentance and Repair funny,” while also serving as an educational where people do not have a roadmap when harm is caused,” tool, said Ruttenberg, who has anshe said. “This is basically an experinounced she will donate to the National ment in public education, to try to see if Survivor Network to begin to make we can move the culture towards show- amends for personally benefiting from a Jewish foundation tied to sex offender ing people what taking responsibility Jeffrey Epstein. and making change looks like.”

“People will engage with it to have In one example, Repentance Bot was tagged underneath a video of the athlet- a little fun with it as well as trying to ic director of Brigham Young University do meaningful public education,” she addressing fans after a Duke University added.

Repentance Bot had published a volleyball player and her other Black tweet in a robotic font that was not teammates were attacked with racial compatible with ALT text, an HTML slurs during a game against BYU. attribute that allows for verbal image “You’re a 10, but you need some descriptions. Visually impaired readhelp doing the work of repentance and ers may rely on a program that reads accountability,” reads the tweet, which ALT text aloud, and if there’s no ALT references a recent meme and is foltext, they may not be able to interact lowed by the cartoon.

Unlike some Twitter bots that call out with the text or image at all. Repentance Bot learned of the incompatibility and bad behavior on social media, includwrote an apology note, along with an ing @RacismDog and its now-defunct cousin, @AntisemitismCow, Repentance updated version of the previous tweet and a promise to “teach other bots this Bot aims to do more than name and important human factoid.” shame. It launched on the first day of Those vows reflect the to-do list in the Jewish month of Elul — the last month of the Jewish year and the begin- the bot’s comic strip, which begins with taking responsibility without making ning of a period of reflection ahead of excuses and ends with making a differthe High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah ent choice in the future. and Yom Kippur, the Jewish New Year Repentance Bot is about “distilling and Day of Atonement — and is meant (apologies) down to really oversimplito help people improve themselves.

The ideas and prayers of Yom Kippur fied, easy steps,” Ruttenberg said. “And lend themselves to innovation, said Da- they’re not easy. None of those steps in real life are easy.” vid Zvi Kalman, who created an online

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

RELIGION

B"H

For Jews with eating disorders, new traditions aim to make Yom Kippur safer

By Ella Rockart, JTA Shonna Levin is an Orthodox Jew, but she didn’t spend last Yom Kippur in a synagogue.

The Brooklyn activist had planned to set up camp in Prospect Park, where she was going to host an all-day gathering for Jews with eating disorders for whom the holiday centered around fasting can be especially difficult.

Levin, who herself has struggled with disordered eating in the past, was forced to cancel, however, due to an injury.

Her event was to follow rules typical of recovery-focused spaces: no weight, calories or numbers talk. She also intended to bring along something that’s not typically part of Yom Kippur observances: the materials required for a seudah, or festive meal.

“I’d love to do it in future years,” she said. “Too many people feel so isolated in this experience.”

Levin’s idea reflected an increasing number of efforts to craft new rituals and offer new modes of observance for Jews with eating disorders.

Recognizing that the holiday’s traditional demand of a 25-hour fast could cause people with eating disorders to undertake dangerous behaviors, advocates across the Jewish world are developing alternatives and working to normalize Yom Kippur observances that do not preclude eating.

The Blue Dove Foundation, an organization that seeks to change how Jewish communities handle mental health issues, has created a framework for reflecting on repentance that does not depend on fasting. Rather than asking for confessions of wrongdoing, which can be part of the pathology of eating disorders, the framework asks users to consider what they are already doing and want to do more of.

Many college Hillels are making food available in private spaces, so that students with eating disorders or other needs can eat while remaining set apart during the holiday from the rest of the student body.

Meanwhile, the National Council on Jewish Women is encouraging Jews to turn a ritual around smelling fragrant scents on Yom Kippur into an opportunity to set new intentions for the coming year — a move that the group’s promotional materials emphasize is ideal for people who are and are not fasting.

“And in terms of eating disorders, since that comes up every year, again: HEALTH COMES FIRST, ALWAYS,” the group’s rabbi in residence, Danya Ruttenberg, wrote last year on Twitter before promoting the scent ritual. “Take care of yourself, and if that means not fasting, do not fast.”

Efforts to support Jews with eating disorders have only grown more resonant since the Covid pandemic, which heightened the isolation and loneliness that those who struggle with the disorders are already prone to experiencing.

A study from the first 12 months of lockdowns and social distancing showed that a children’s hospital in Michigan admitted more than twice as many adolescents with eating disorders as it does in an average year.

The findings are no surprise to Temimah Zucker, an Orthodox therapist and social worker in New York who treats many Jews and has seen a rise in both new and relapsed patients.

“People did not know what to do with their time, and there was so much emphasis around ‘this is the time to change your body’ and not at all focused on whether you’re taking care Continued on Page 24

Jewish tradition is clear that people whose health would be jeopardized by fasting need not abstain from eating.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

PAGE 23

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

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

All are welcome to attend Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur services with us Youth Services & Babysitting available, RSVP

All services are livestreamed

Rosh Hashanah Sun., Sept. 25, Ma’ariv: 6 p.m.

Mon., Sept. 26, Morning Service, 9 a.m. Youth Service, 10 a.m.

Tashlich, Mincha/Ma’ariv at Island Park, 5:30 p.m.

Tues., Sept. 27, Morning Service, 9 a.m. Youth Service, 10 a.m.

Yom Kippur Tues., Oct. 4, Mincha, 6:30 p.m. Musical Interlude & Kol Nidre, 6:40 p.m.

Wed., Oct. 5, Morning Service, 9 a.m. Youth Service, 10 a.m.

Yizkor, 11 a.m. Mincha, 5 p.m. Neilah, 6:30 p.m.

Concluding Shofar, 7:58 p.m. followed by Break-the-Fast

Sukkah Decorating & Dinner: Sun., Oct. 9, 5 p.m.

Make and hang decorations for the sukkah Enjoy a Sephardic Sukkot Supper.

RSVP by Sept. 30

Sisterhood's Sunset in the Sukkah: Wed., Oct. 12, 6 p.m.

An evening of socializing & learning, with hors d'oeuvres & dessert.

RSVP by Oct. 3

Simchat Torah: Mon., Oct. 17

5:30 p.m.: Pasta dinner & Make a Sundae 6:30 p.m.: Singing & dancing with Torahs

RELIGION

New traditions Continued from Page 23 of yourself and your mental health,” Zucker said.

Yom Kippur serves up its own array of unhealthy messages, she said.

“There’s the theme of repenting where individuals who already experience high cognitive distortions around themselves and wrongness,” Zucker said. “Plus the pressure to connect to the day and whether that means fasting or not fasting.”

Jewish tradition is clear that people whose health would be jeopardized by fasting need not abstain from eating.

That includes those who are ill, are pregnant or nursing and, many religious leaders have said, people with eating disorders.

Still, many of those in recovery struggle when they attend services, where they are surrounded by hungry people and triggering associations between fasting and discipline or morality. Others, driven by their disorder, ignore spiritual and medical advice.

“Expect the patient to come up with all sorts of ways to try to get out of eating,” said Levin.

“I knew a young man who told his psychiatrist that his rabbi is insisting he not eat for religious reasons, then told the rabbi the psychiatrist OK’d him fasting,” she added — but neither case was true.

Hannah Davidson, a 23-year-old Brooklyn college student, said her family’s rabbi had advised them that she should not fast because of her eating disorder. Davidson said that she, like many others with eating disorders, had embraced fasting because it dovetailed with her disorder.

“That’s why we don’t fast — because we shouldn’t look forward to it,” Davidson said. “That defeats the purpose.”

Esti Jacobs is the coordinator and co-founder of Ayelet Hashacher, a nonprofit organization in the Orthodox community to help people access informed eating disorder treatment. She said that even with a rabbi’s instructions to eat on Yom Kippur, those with eating disorders can still struggle to

prioritize recovery.

“It’s like how in Covid people found it very hard to not go to synagogue.

You’re raised to do anything to be in synagogue, to miss a flight or leave the house with a high fever,” she said. “So even though God wants us to stay home because of Covid’s risk to life, it just doesn’t feel right.”

Jacobs added, “It’s hard to realize that what God wants from you is different from what God wants from others, that you’re keeping Yom Kippur by doing what appears to be wrong.”

Many Jews with eating disorders do structure their lives to insulate themselves from the challenges presented by Yom Kippur. Davidson, for example, said she rarely travels home from college for the holiday.

But avoiding the holidays shouldn’t be the only option.

Yocheved Gourarie was a 24-year-old Orthodox woman who documented her struggles with anorexia and depression on Instagram until her death by suicide.

Now her father has his own account honoring her memory and documenting her experiences, especially around special events such as holidays.

“She didn’t fast for nine years, and she didn’t attend services completely,” Avremi Gourarie said. “We made very certain that any time religion could have been a factor (in harming her recovery), it was taken out of the equation.”

Levin’s group had aimed to offer a middle ground: a space for those who do attend services and need a place to eat throughout the day. Her goal was to allow people with eating disorders to have a meaningful Yom Kippur, without having to choose between isolation and risk of relapse, in an unstructured, supportive space.

That kind of setting — and other initiatives like Levin’s — is exactly what observant Jews with eating disorders need more of, Zucker said.

“It’s so beautiful that there are so many opportunities for more support like that,” she said. “I think that part of it, too, is greater community awareness so that there’s less judgment, so that it’s normalized to what is best for you in the effort of upholding Jewish law.”

Even with a rabbi's instructions to eat on Yom Kippur, those with eating disorders can still struggle to prioritize recovery

Weekly podcast

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305 Sugar Camp Circle Dayton, Ohio 45409 937•293•9520 www.bethabrahamdayton.org PAGE 24

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The best foods to eat before fasting on Yom Kippur

By Shannon Sarna The Nosher Fasting on Yom Kippur is not easy, nor is it for everyone — some people cannot fast because they have a medical condition. But for those who do choose to fast as a meaningful way to engage in Yom Kippur, there are actually foods to eat beforehand that can set you up for a more successful, less onerous fast.

Most people stick to a menu that is classic and delicious but not too crazy or spicy: chicken soup, chicken, rice or pasta, a vegetable, some challah, and water.

1. Avoid foods that are hard to digest. This might be different for everyone, but in general, stay away from heavy meat dishes, fried foods or lots of dairy.

2. Eat foods that have fiber and water. Foods with lots of fiber will keep you fuller longer, and foods with water, like fruits and vegetables, will keep you hydrated.

Chickpeas or lentils are a great vegetarian protein source to eat. A hearty chicken soup with noodles or rice and lots of veggies is another safe bet.

3. Avoid salt. Olives, pickles, chips, canned soup or dishes made with those bouillon cubes will bloat you and make you even more thirsty. So stick to something a little more bland for that pre-fast meal.

4. Avoid sugar. Too much dessert before fasting may cause your blood sugar to spike up and then come crashing down, which can be unpleasant at its least and cause a headache or moodiness at its worst. Too much sugar will also make you thirsty, like salt, and will have you craving more sweets during your fast.

5. Drink water. Not only at the meal right before the fast begins, but during the days preceding as well.

6. Avoid eating too much.

Eat a moderate-sized meal that leaves you satisfied, but not unbuttoning your pants.

You will feel uncomfortable and it will be more difficult to digest a monstrous-sized meal.

Zimtsterne: German star cookies for the Yom Kippur break-fast

By Ronnie Fein, The Nosher When people deny themselves food for an extended period of time, they’re usually ravenously hungry and find themselves thinking about consuming huge amounts of food.

But it’s not a good idea to pack it in too quickly. It’s too hard on your digestive system.

So when Yom Kippur comes to a close, I offer my guests a light nibble as they come into my home after synagogue. I serve sliced apples and honey, hummus and pita wedges and, for those who prefer something sweet, zimtsterne cookies.

Zimtsterne translates as cinnamon stars. These cut-out cookies are actually a German Christmas specialty. But for observant Jews, they are also traditional for Yom Kippur, known as erste sternen or first stars, because they are a reminder that before you can break the fast, you must see the first evening stars that appear in the sky after sundown.

They are compellingly crispy at first bite, then ever-so-slightly chewy; the cinnamon-clove fragrance is spellbinding. And they're gluten-free.

You can make these cookies as much as a week ahead. Keep them tightly sealed so they’ll

stay crispy.

21/2 cups finely ground almonds, approximately (or almond meal, see below) 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. grated fresh lemon peel 2 large egg whites 1 tsp. lemon juice 11/2 cups confectioners’ sugar granulated sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the almonds, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and lemon peel in a bowl, whisk to blend the ingredients and set aside.

3. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer starting at low, then increasing the speed to medium-high for one to two minutes or until bubbly. Pour in the lemon juice and beat at medium-high for another two minutes or until soft peaks form. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat at high speed for four to five minutes or until stiff and glossy.

4. Remove about a third of this mixture to a bowl and set aside.

5. Add the almond mixture to the remaining two-thirds mixture and stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least one hour.

6. Remove the dough. If it is still soft and sticky, work in some additional ground almonds. Sprinkle a pastry board with some granulated sugar.

Place the dough on the board and top the dough with some parchment paper or waxed paper. Roll or press the almond dough to a quarter-inch thickness.

7. Cut the dough with star-

shaped cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the parchmentlined cookie sheet. Spread the remaining one-third egg white mixture on top of the dough.

(You can use a small spoon or a pastry brush.) Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes.

Note: if you use prepackaged almond meal, start with two cups; add more as needed to create dough that isn’t overly sticky. Makes about 15 large cookies.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

PAGE 25

JEWISH FAMILY EDUCATION

Marshmallows and muscles

His students were thrilled at rather than thoughtful. their teacher’s unexpected good Generations later came the fortune, but ben Shetach told Exodus. Not just a physical them to return it: “You purliberation from slavery under Pharaoh, Exodus symbolized chased a donkey, not a pearl.” the repudiation of enslavement His students disagreed. of any kind: peer pressure, “According to the law we don’t expectations, impulses, feelings. need to return it since the pearl The best choices would rely on was attached to the animal A boy asked his mother for a proven self-control is a learnfree-will decision-making. when we bought it.” third slice of cake. “No,” she an- able skill, not an inborn trait.

Shortly thereafter came the Ben Shetach countered, “Of swered. “Please, Mom, just one Brain science concurs. Behavwhat use is my learning if I more piece.” Again, his mother ior patterns are shaped primar- Revelation at Sinai. There, the said no. The boy didn’t give up: ily by neural pathways connect- Jewish people received the mitz- don’t act in the right way?” The rabbi located the merchant and vot (commandments), a frame“Please? Just one, I promise.” ing competing brain centers returned the pearl. The Arab work for making choices. for learning, memory, instinct, was so shocked Mitzvot are emotions, and reasoning.

Mitzvot are tacit all he could say The more repetitive a behav- essentially a “Blessed system of daily ior, the more its specific pathCandace R. acknowledgements was, be the God of training exercisway becomes myelinated, and Kwiatek that self-control Shimon ben es designed to the more rapid and automatic Shetach.” forge the neural is learned and the behavior. By definition, Commitpathways for self-control neural pathways therefore self-control. ment. For Louis Finally, the mother gave in. connect brain centers in ways Mitzvot Brandeis, life at “OK, but that’s it. No more!” that foster thoughtful free-will achievable by are also tacit Harvard Law The boy grinned. “Honestly, decision-making unrestricted everyone. acknowledgeSchool was chalMom! You have no self-conby other forces, inner or exterments that selflenging. Daily he trol.” nal. control is learned and therefore was pestered by fellow students In the famous 1972 Stanford The more those pathways achievable by everyone. encouraging him to discard his marshmallow experiment, are used, the more self-control Self-control has been deJudaism. He could have an exindividual children were seated becomes natural. Ultimately, scribed as rational choice for traordinary legal career, they’d in front of a single marshmalself-control is about freedom. transcendent values, an insight say, even become a Supreme low and told they could eat it Millennia before the revelaevident in the following stories. Court justice if not for his Judawhenever they chose. tions of marshmallows and Integrity. The talmudic sage ism. Brandeis listened but said Or, they could get two if myelin, the notion of self-conShimon ben Shetach made his nothing. they waited until the researcher trol was already evident in the By his final year of law returned. As expected, most of Torah. In Genesis, humans were living working with linen. To make his life easier, his students school, Brandeis’ preeminence the children tried to wait but created with free will, the abilwas undisputable. He was ineventually ate the treat. ity to make choices and thereby purchased a donkey from an Arab in the marketplace. As vited — the first Jew ever — to While one follow-up study determine personal character he thanked his students, ben join the school’s honor society. erroneously concluded childand destiny.

Shetach spied a small pouch At his induction, Brandeis aphood self-control is predicBut as the Torah’s early stotied around the animal’s neck. proached the lectern, paused, tive of later life success, every ries reveal, choices were more Inside was a valuable pearl. and said, “I am sorry that I was other related study to date has often reflexive or emotional born a Jew.” The room erupted into applause and cheers. When the

The Power of Stories Series

room quieted, Brandeis began again. “I am sorry that I was born a Jew, but only because I wish I had the privilege of choosing Judaism on my own.”

For a long moment there was stunned silence. And then, awed by Brandeis' conviction and unequivocal choice, the members of the exclusive Harvard honor society gave the honoree a standing ovation.

Empowerment. In danger of being tossed out of yeshiva, a student approached his advisor. “I really want to stay here, but I can’t seem to keep the rules. It’s like there’s someone inside pushing me to do things I know I shouldn’t do.” The advisor responded, “Work on your knuckle-cracking habit.

Even the small act of stopping yourself from doing something you want to do will give your soul the feeling of what it’s like to exercise self-control. And then you’ll experience a different sort of self-empowerment, not the type that says, ‘I can have whatever I want whenever I want it,’ but the empowerment that comes from saying, ‘I am in control, and I won’t let myself constantly fall prey to self-defeating acts that feel good momentarily but that end up destroying me in the long run.’”

“Self-control is like a muscle,” psychology professor Roy Baumeister concludes. “The more you use it, the stronger it gets.” And the greater good you will accomplish for yourself and for others.

Literature to share

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How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box by Linda Heller. If you’re looking for a picture book that encourages tzedakah (righteous giving) and self-control for primary ages, this one is the perfect choice. After creating her own tzedakah box, Dalia puts the coins she earns for chores into it each day, teaching her little brother all about sharing and caring for others along the way. And then the magic happens! Read this one as a family and make your own tzedakah box.

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

Arts&Culture

Myth & memory in photographer's toy dioramas An interview with David Levinthal fulness in Levinthal’s photos

By Hannah Kasper Levinson masks more complex themes Special To The Observer rooted in adult subject matter.

David Levinthal is a phoHere, David Levinthal talks tographer based in New York whose exhibit, American Myth & about his influences and the connections to Judaism in his Memory: David Levinthal Photographs, opens Oct. 15 at the Day- work. ton Art Institute. The exhibit is How did photography become on tour from the Smithsonian your medium?

American Art Museum.

When I went to college in Levinthal works in series, 1966, my intention was to be inspired by historic events and a poli-sci major and go to law American cultural icons. His school. That lasted pretty much signature style first emerged one class. There was something in graduate school at Yale in at Stanford called The Free the 1970s. He captures familiar miniature toys — dolls and toy University. Anyone could teach soldiers — set up in a diorama, a course on anything. Dwight, a friend who taught there, was with the camera very close the epitome of cool. He had to the subject. This creates a really long hair and narrow depth of Timothy Greenfield-Sanders every time I saw field — like looking him on campus through a peephole there were beautiful — giving the effect women with him of peering into a and I thought, "I realistic environwant to be like that." ment.

Dwight was teachTo unravel ing a photography David Levinthal's class and taught work is to question me how to develop our universal fascifilm and make a nation with miniaprint. I just became tures. The miniaso fascinated by ture takes us back it. Stanford at the to the ancient Egyptime did not offer tians, who buried David Levinthal photography, which their dead with clay I feel was a very positive thing representations of everything for me because it meant that if I they may have needed in the wanted to do it, I had to be selfafterlife: tools, furniture, and motivated. servants all small enough to hold in one’s hand. The earliest evidence of the dollhouse, itself What do you hope the viewer a miniature, was one made for a takes away from your work?

So much of my imagery Bavarian duke in 1558.

The connection between min- draws upon everyone’s own viiature and imagination is based largely in relationship to childhood. To see detail in small things requires such attention that to experience it detaches you from the surrounding world.

The make-believe world of a child is much the same.

Miniatures and childhood also bring associations of fairy tales.

In Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina, the protagonist is so miniscule that she experiences her own world within the real one. Like a fairy tale, the play-

Iwo Jima from the series History by David Levinthal

sual memories, film, television, paintings. When you look at my photographs, there’s often not a lot of detail, but the images in the photograph play off of one’s own visual memory bank. It’s like you’re filling in a lot of the space and creating a story about what had happened and what is about to happen.

The collection of the Dayton Art Institute includes epic paintings depicting battle scenes, landscapes, historical

figures. They make me think of your subject matter. What inspires you?

As a 13-year-old, my parents took my sister and I to Europe and I remember going to the Louvre every day and I loved the history paintings: those magnificent battles, the king on horseback in the foreground.

Painting to this day is still a big influence. When I was doing the cowboys series, I referenced a lot of Remington and Russell, painters who depicted the

American West. If you were making toys in the ‘30s and ‘40s, your reference was probably those painters. Figures on horseback were sculpted from a painting and made into a toy, which I then photographed.

So much of my inspiration comes from film. I loved looking at the John Wayne movie The Searchers to get a sense of the background colors and tried to replicate it in my photograph.

Continued on Page 28

No one does fall better.

American Myth & Memory: David Levinthal Photographs on view Oct. 15-Jan. 15. at the Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton.

For more information, go to daytonartinstitute.org or call 937-223-4278.

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PAGE 27

Levinthal

Untitled from the series Barbie by David Levinthal

Continued from Page 27 That’s a lot of layers. Does being Jewish or your personal identity play into your work?

I think my Jewishness really impacted me when I was doing the Mein Kampf series.

I would say probably most Almost like toys. of the photographs I did in Yeah, which was a really that series were related to the strange feeling to have. I Holocaust, using documenread a book that said at tary photographs as a starting Birkenau there was a pond point. way at the back and that if I was in Graz, Austria for you dip your hand into the a gallery show. I found this water and pull out some store that had military memo- Untitled from the series Wild West mud, you’ll see bone fragrabilia and a Hitler toy figure. by David Levinthal ments. Which turned out I was talking to the owner to be absolutely true. and he proceeded to tell me about someone who had the old toy molds from the '30s and Did you do that?

‘40s who was living in the Black Forest and I did that. Walking along those train tracks still making these figures. I was able to get a and thinking, this is where people were number of the figures. disembarked from the cars. It’s probably the same gravel that was there. It was truly It says a lot that these toys are still being a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was very made. impactful. It gave me a much better sense of I received a Guggenheim grant and a a lot of the Jewish stories of that time. friend of mine who is a Holocaust scholar at When I exhibited the work, I was always UMass Amherst arranged for me to stay at very conscious and hopeful that people the study center outside of Auschwitz. I was would not be hurt or offended by my use of all alone in this large dormitory. I was literalthe toy figures. I had a number of survivors ly right across the dirt road from Auschwitz. come over to tell me how touched they were Auschwitz was set up almost like an exby the work, and that meant so much to me. hibition, but Birkenau was just there, totally I’m using toys, I’m trying to be as passionraw. There were very few people. ate and creative as I can be but, it’s still toys.

I remember walking up the tower under To hear that really made me feel great.

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PAGE 28

which the trains came.

It was about four stories high. I was up there by myself, looking down at the train tracks, and you could see people but they were so miniaturized.

They almost seemed not human.

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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

Arts&Culture

An arts harvest for October

By Marshall Weiss, The Observer This October brings rich arts offerings with Jewish connections to our region, and it begins in Springfield.

Those who missed the national tour of Barlett Sher's production of Fiddler on the Roof in June at the Schuster Center can take it in at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7 for one night at the Clark State Performing Arts Center. This is the production with Israeli Hofesh Shechter's updated choreography based on Jerome Robbins' original.

Now in the role of Tevye is another Israeli, Jonathan Hashmonay, a descendant of Holocaust survivors.

Tickets are available at etix. com or 937-328-3874.

Itzhak Perlman is the soloist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra conducted by Music Director Peter Stafford Wilson at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15, also at the Clark State Performing Arts Center. The beloved violinist will perform Itzhak Perlman

Beethoven's Violin Concerto.

Union Terminal in Cincinnati will be the Perlman requests that audivenue for the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & ence members wear masks Humanity Center's presentation of Defiant Reat the concert. For tickets, go quiem: Verdi at Terezin at 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23. to springfieldsym.org or call This multimedia concert/drama presents the 937-328-3874. story of the Jewish prisoners in the Terezin conThe Dayton LGBT Film centration camp in 1944 who performed Verdi's Festival will screen the 2022 Requiem there 16 times, including for SS officials Holocaust documentary from Berlin and an International Red Cross delNelly & Nadine at 1 p.m., egation. Their conductor, Rafael Schächter, told Sunday, Oct. 16 at The Neon. the choir, "We will sing to the Nazis what we Directed by Magnus Gertten, cannot say to them."

Nelly & Nadine explores the With full orchestral accompaniment and the love story of two prisoners Northern Kentucky University Chamber Choir at Ravensbrück concentraand Northern Kentucky Community Chorus, tion camp in 1944. After Defiant Requiem encompasses a full performance Nelly & Nadine liberation, they reunited and of Verdi's Requiem, video testimony of survivors stayed together for the rest of their lives. Gertten folfrom the original chorus, segments of the Nazi propalows Nelly's granddaughter Sylvie as she learns about ganda film made at Terezin in 1944, and actors who Nelly and Nadine's relationship. move the story forward. Tickets are available at defiJust prior to Nelly & Nadine, the festival will antrequiem.brownpapertickets.com and at the door. present the short subject Monsieur Le Butch, directThe Bach Society of Dayton chorus, orchestra, and ed by Jude Dry, who unexpectedly ends up living soloists will perform Handel's biblical oratorio Israel in back at home with their "lovingly opinionated Egypt conducted by David Crean at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Jewish mother, who doesn't quite get the whole Oct. 30 at Kettering Adventist Church. 'trans thing.'" Tickets are available at daytonlgbt.

With its libretto taken from the Book of Exodus com and at the door. and Psalms 105 and 106, Israel in The JCC Cultural Arts & Book Egypt sets the story of the IsraSeries kicks off its season with vetelites' deliverance in music and eran comedian Rita Rudner talking words that Handel sculpted to about her memoir, My Life in Dog evoke each scene, particularly the Years — virtually — but before a plagues. live audience at 7 p.m., Thursday, University of Dayton Prof. of Oct. 20 at The Funny Bone at The English and Medieval Studies Greene. Opening for Rudner in Miriamne Krummel will give the person will be local comedian Karpre-concert talk, beginning at 6:30 en Jaffe at 6:45 p.m. To purchase p.m. Tickets are available for the tickets and for the complete CABS performance at bachsocietyofdayComedian Rita Rudner lineup, go to jewishdayton.org. ton.org/buy-tickets/oct.

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Today... and for Generations

THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • OCTOBER 2022

PAGE 29

OBITUARIES Martin (Marty) Sampson Robins passed away peacefully in his home on Sept. 2 with his children at his side. He was born on April 11, 1934 in

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Columbus to Sophie and Abe Robins, who preceded him in death. His sister, Claire preceded him in death as well. Marty is survived by his longtime partner, Sheila Sokol; daughter Annie (Craig) Self, Jeffrey (Diana) Robins and Benjamin (Jennifer) Robins. Grandchildren Joshua (Kayleigh), Anna Self, Kristin Robins (Kyle Min); Shannon (Shane) Shafer and their children Beckham and Josie. Richard (Brandy) and Storm Fuller and Noah, Sadie and Stella Robins. Marty attended and graduated South High School in 1952, was an active member of his local AZA

chapter, and proudly served in the Army, where he was stationed in Germany. He attended The Ohio State University and Ohio Northern, where he graduated from the School of Pharmacy and was also a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi. Marty’s career in pharmacy began as an intern at Gray’s in Columbus. He later worked at Sloan’s Drugs in Columbus and was given the opportunity to work at Sloan’s in Fairborn, which later led him to purchasing the business. He was the proprietor and pharmacist for 34 years where he took pride in serving his customers in the

community. Before retiring to Columbus, Marty was a longstanding member at Beth Abraham Synagogue and a member of the Men’s Club. He was an active community member and leader in Fairborn, where he served on the Fairborn Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, and a number of other community committees. He was a member of PACT (Public Assistance Communications Team), where he enjoyed volunteering his time to help keep his community safe. Marty was also a member of the Ohio Pharmacy Association, an executive member of the Fairborn YMCA,

and served a term as vice president of the Miami Valley Pharmaceutical Association. In Columbus, he was a member of Tifereth Israel and enjoyed volunteering with BREAD and the Jewish War Veterans. Marty will be remembered for his generous and kind heart and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Donations may be made to the Jewish Historical Society, columbusjewishhistory.org; Jewish War Veterans, jwv.org; Mt. Carmel Hospice, mountcarmelhealth. com; or Tifereth Israel, tiferethisrael.org.

Supplies

artillery exchanged fire over their heads, Azarkh’s elderly husband began to die.

“Yuri turned to me and told me that he was dying,” she said. “I begged him: ‘Don’t die, Yuri.’ I told him that I would have to bury him in the driveway.”

Yuri was buried in a patch of earth beneath a fruit tree in Azarkh’s front garden, until the Russians withdrew, when he was reburied in the local cemetery.

Two men from the Federation of Jewish Communities carried another set of four large boxes of supplies into Azarkh’s home.

When the Federation dispatches its white van filled with food packages across Ukraine, wherever it goes, its volunteers and workers ask whether people know friends or neighbors — both Jewish and non-Jewish — that need help.

When asked at her home in Irpin, Evgenia Yakolevna, sprightly at 84, began making

frantic phone calls to neighbors. “Are you home?” she shouted on the phone. “The Jewish community has arrived.

We’re coming over.”

As she waited for answers to her phone calls, one of the Federation’s rabbis pointed to a Torah sitting on her side table with an appreciative nod.

“I read it whenever I get the chance,” she said, smiling.

Yakolevna marched up and down the concrete staircases of her Soviet-era apartment complex with great confidence, knocking on doors and ordering the Ukrainian van driver to bring more boxes from the truck downstairs.

The building is home to families who have fallen on hard times and elderly couples whose pensions have shrunk in value as the wartime crisis bites.

In one dimly lit apartment, a sickly elderly woman who can barely move croaked and began to cry in her bed when Yakolevna proudly declared that the “Jews have arrived.” The

bedridden woman’s husband stood cautiously in a corridor.

“Thanks, lads,” he said, trying to turn down the music from a Ukrainian police drama.

“We always ask if people have neighbors or friends who need support,” Rotman said.

“This is an investment to help protect our Jewish brothers and sisters, because whoever their friends or neighbors are, they will be the first ones to help them when they are sick or in need of protection.”

Later, Yakolevna hitched a ride to the house of a friend, who emerged using the remains of a Russian rocket that crashed through her home as a walking stick.

She had spent two months running down to her tiny cellar to shelter from bombings. More boxes are ferried from the waiting van into the yard.

“If this helps her feel better and gives her more protection when she lives as the only Jew in the block, or in the local area,” Rotman said, “then we are happy.”

Continued from Page Nine phones, weapons and anything that might associate residents with Ukrainian security forces.

At Azarkh’s, the Russians stole anything that looked valuable, like watches.

As Ukrainian and Russian

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