Community at Temple Israel
Rabbi’s Message – May 15, 2025
In a world that often focuses on divisions, there is something deeply healing about simply sitting together, sharing a meal, and talking openly about what matters most.
On Saturday, May 17, we will have the opportunity to do just that.
We invite you to be a part of this exciting evening at our Dayton Area Interfaith Dialogue. We will begin gathering at 6:30 p.m., and we hope you will come early to greet our guests and show them around our beautiful building.
If you have previously served as a docent for Temple Israel’s festival events, we would especially love for you to help welcome visitors — your experience and warm hospitality will help set the tone for a wonderful evening.
We are also looking for volunteers to assist with setup and decorating.
The evening will begin with Havdalah, marking the end of Shabbat and the beginning of a new week — a fitting way to start building new relationships.
We will then have the opportunity to sit with members of other faith communities and share a vegetarian potluck dinner.
Following dinner, we will enjoy conversation starters at our tables before beginning our featured program:
“Views on Our Faith Traditions.”
Our panelists, moderated by Jennifer Holman, will offer brief reflections on how their religious traditions shape their relationships with God. Afterward, we will have time to explore the evening’s themes in small group discussions, before coming back together for a Q&A session with the speakers.
Families and children are warmly welcome!
We encourage families to attend together, sharing conversations across generations and teaching the importance of building bridges with other communities.
For the vegetarian potluck dinner, please bring a dish that will feed your family plus 8–10 others.
We ask that you register in advance to help ensure we have a balanced and plentiful table for all — though walk-ins will also be welcome.
Our panelists include:
- David Bright, President, Dayton Ohio Stake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Jonathon Cobb, Executive and Young Adult Pastor, Kettering Seventh-Day Adventist Church
- Usama Rehman, Imam and Missionary, The Fazl-i-Umar Mosque
- Karen Bodney-Halasz, Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel
Our hope for the evening is simple: to build bridges of understanding, deepen community ties, and celebrate the rich tapestry of faith traditions in Dayton.
Please join us for an evening of food, conversation, and connection.
Event Details:
- Cost: Free
- Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
- Time: 6:30 p.m- 8:30 p.m.
- Location: Temple Israel
- RSVP: Call 937-496-0050
We look forward to welcoming you — and your whole family!