The Dorothee and Lewis Ryterband Lectures Series, sponsored by the Temple Israel Brotherhood, occurs most Sunday mornings during religious school year. Admission is $10 for a session, or a subscription to all talks may be purchased for $85. There is no charge for new members of Temple Israel or post-confirmation students. All fees include the talk and a brunch of bagels, coffee and other delicacies. The brunch begins at 9:45 a.m. and the talk begins at 10:15 a.m. The brunch concludes no later than 11:45 a.m. Talks include an extensive question and answer session. Non-members and non-Jews are welcome. No prior knowledge is required or expected.
Schedule of Speakers for 2025 -2026 Schedule
October 12, 2025
Rabbi David Sofian
Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Israel
The Elephants in the Room - Anti-Semitism and the Gaza War
Rabbi Sofian once again kicks off our Ryterband Brunch Series with an eye witness account of the happenings in Israel. He will focus on how the Gaza War has impacted anti-semitism. Please join us for a thought-provoking discussion with the opportunity to ask David your specific questions about current life in Israel.
October 26, 2025
Jason Kalman
Gottschalk-Slade Chair in Jewish Intellectual History; Co-Director, HUC Press
One Book at a Time: Building the Hebrew Union College Library
In a well-known quip, Isaac Mayer Wise explained that in its earliest years Hebrew Union College kept its library in a locked crate, not out of a concern for thieves but for rats that might gnaw on the few volumes. What was in the crate? Which books did the students and faculty use and where did they come from? In its first decade, the Library was built by a dedicated network of donors, many of whom had a relationship with Wise or family ties to Cincinnati. At the same time, a loyal board member along with rabbinic student helpers and the janitor slowly built the infrastructure that allowed the library to operate all before librarianship was professionalized in the United States. While competitors built their libraries by acquiring large personal collections, HUC's was built by amassing handfuls of books at a time from hundreds of committed Jews who wanted to sustain Judaism in America.
November 2, 2025
Brian Hays
Acting Director, Dayton VA Medical Center
Past, Present, and Future of the Dayton VA
Brian will speak about the history of the Dayton VA, current innovations and future campus upgrades including Electronic Health Record Modernization. He will also discuss how the Dayton VA has supported the Dayton Jewish community.
November 9, 2025
Fred Krome
Professor of History, University of Cincinnati Clermont College
’The past is never dead. It is not even past:’ The Contemporary Relevance of the Dreyfus Affair.
The facts of the Dreyfus Affair can be easily summarized: In late 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Captain on the General Staff of the French Army, was accused of spying for Germany. Because of a lack of evidence normal jurisprudence was dispensed with at his first trial and Dreyfus was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil’s Island. The Dreyfus Affair roiled French politics for more than a generation after 1894 and had international repercussions. The case not only unleased waves of Antisemitic violence in France, along with inspiring the development of Antisemitic political parties throughout the western world, but it also helped propel the nascent Zionist movement into world prominence. My presentation will provide an overview of the salient details of “the Affair” as it was called and demonstrate how it can provide lessons for how we deal with Antisemitic rhetoric and violence today.
November 23, 2025
Dr. Sam Dorf
Alumni Endowed Chair in the Humanities and Professor of Music at the University of Dayton
Stepping Down to Stand Up: Fighting Antisemitism and Hate on College Campuses, at the ADL, and Beyond
Dr. Dorf shares lessons he has learned fighting antisemitism and hate in his role as faculty liaison to the Jewish student and faculty communities at the University of Dayton as well as his time serving on the Anti-Defamation League's Cleveland regional board. He shares examples of what has worked, what hasn't worked, obstacles and threats that keep him up at night, and most importantly, how we can fight antisemitism and hate together.
December 7, 2025
Dr. Kelly Fishman
Regional Director ADL Ohio River Valley
Youth Radicalization: How it Happens and How to Help
This concise, solutions-focused session unpacks how seemingly “virtual” extremist spaces can fuel very real violence among vulnerable teenagers. Using the December 2024 Abundant Life Christian School shooting by Natalie Rupnow (aka “Samantha”) in Madison, WI, and the January 2025 Antioch High School shooting by Solomon Henderson in Nashville, TN, we trace their online journeys—from gaming chats and fringe forums to the extremist content catalogued by the ADL Center on Extremism. Participants will leave with a practical checklist for spotting early warning signs, deploying trauma-informed support, and collaborating across sectors to steer young people away from radical pathways and toward healthy, resilient futures.
January 4, 2026
Temple Israel Congregational Panel
Our Journey With Temple Israel
Please join us as four long-time Temple members share their thoughts and experiences regarding what Temple Israel has meant to them: Carol Finley, Rick Goldberg, Meredith Levinson, and Rita Dushman Rich..
January 11, 2026
Dr. Gary Zola
Executive Director Emeritus, The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives & The Edward M. Ackerman Family Distinguished Professor of the American Jewish Experience and Reform Jewish History at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religionl
“Golden Threads” Linking the Generations: American Jews and Their Ethical Wills
For generations, Jews have left their moral legacies in written form often called an ethical will. From their earliest days on this continent, American Jews have written ethical wills which express the values they hold dear. Dr. Zola will bring us a selection of remarkable ethical wills, and he will help us to explore their moving contents. Finally, we will be considering the moral lessons that we ourselves would want to bequeath to the next generation.
January 25, 2026
Marshall Weiss
Editor and Publisher, The Dayton Jewish Observer; Project Director, Miami Valley Jewish Genealogy & History
30 Years of The Dayton Jewish Observer - My Favorite Stories
Marshall Weiss, founding editor and publisher of The Dayton Jewish Observer, will share how it all got started, some of his favorite stories over the years, and what the future may hold for Jewish journalism in the Miami Valley
February 8, 2026
Abraham Rubin
Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of Dayton
Conversion in the Shadow of Catastrophe
The talk focuses on Jewish intellectuals who converted to Christianity after fleeing Nazi Germany. It explores the complicated and contradictory motives behind the radical decision to embrace a new faith in the wake of the Holocaust and examines the controversies such conversions sparked across the Jewish world. Revisiting this challenging historical episode is an opportunity for us to consider the porous boundaries of contemporary Jewish identity and belonging.
February 22, 2026
Mark Verman
Professor of Religion, Larry and Leonore Zusman Professor of Judaic Studies, Wright State University
Zechariah's Intriguing Coronation Narrative
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile, it was a time of great expectations. Haggai, the prophet, encouraged the people to rebuild the Temple. Zechariah also received a Divine directive, namely, to make crowns and prepare for a coronation ceremony. We will puzzle through this fascinating account of a pivotal moment in Jewish history that is filled with ambiguities and missing words.
March 8, 2026
Richard Kreitner
Author & Writer
Fear No Pharaoh: American Jews, the Civil War, and the Fight to End Slavery
The Cultural Arts & Book Series (CABS) is sponsored by the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater Dayton. This CABS presentation will take place at Temple Israel as part of our Ryterband Lecture Series and in partnership with the Miami Valley Jewish Geneology & History organization. Marshall Weiss will serve as moderator for an in-depth discussion with Richard Kreitner, author of the book Fear No Pharaoh: American Jews, the Civil War, and the Fight to End Slavery.
March 15, 2026
Michelle Shapiro Abraham
Executive Director, JBI Library
Creating Belonging: Building a Community Where Everyone Feels at Home
How do you reconnect with the teen who disappeared after their B’nai Mitzvah? Welcome the interfaith family hesitant to join a synagogue? Or reach out to the congregant who is blind and never returned after their first visit? Every congregation faces moments of disconnect—but the key to bringing people back isn’t a separate strategy for each group. It’s cultivating a culture of meaning, personal connection, and belonging in every space.
In this interactive session, we will reflect on what makes community meaningful for each of us and explore concrete strategies to notice, reach out, and build authentic relationships that foster belonging for all. Guided by insights from Michelle Shapiro Abraham—drawing on her extensive work in congregational innovation, inclusion, and Jewish education—participants will explore Jewish wisdom, research-backed strategies, and real-world examples to create welcoming environments where everyone can truly find a home.
March 22, 2026
Sandra Doninger
Independent Patient Advocate and Founder, Your Voice Health Advocacy, LLC
Advanced Directives: How to Make Them Uniquely You
Many families are left trying to figure out their loved one's wishes when making medical decisions on their behalf. Getting a medical passport together that contains a POLST, DNR and medical POA ensures your wishes are carried through. This presentation will outline the difference between each document, how and when they are used, protecting your wishes, and maintaining your peace of mind.
April 12, 2026
Rabbi Tina Sobo
Rabbi and Educator, Temple Israel
From Parchment to Pixels: Midrash in a Visual and Digital Age
What does it mean to make Torah come alive and who gets to be the storyteller? For generations, Jews have studied and interpreted the Bible in their own ways. While written commentary and traditional Midrash are a staple of Biblical exegesis, we have also used art and storytelling as a means of imagining, or perhaps reimagining, our ancient texts and their meaning in our time. From early illustrations in Biblical manuscripts to modern art, visual representation has played a midrashic role in how we understand and tell the story of our past. After a bit of introduction, we'll explore contemporary forms of "visual midrash" that reflect the same creative, interpretive impulse of generations past in ways that Rashi could never have thought possible.
April 26, 2026
Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz
Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel
From My Side of the Bimah
Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz will share her thoughts about a current topic of interest.