Broadway's very Jewish year

Continued from Page 15 puts todays’ scientific breakthroughs and faith right up against each other; Marshall Botvinick’s poetic To Reach Across a River gives us an Orthodox woman refusing to leave her faith when she adopts a biracial daughter; and Cindy Cooper’s I Was a Stranger Too directly advocates for immigrants through a Jewish lens. Stage Jewish diversity. Ali Viterbi’s In Every Generation, Molly Olis-Krost’s What We Found and EllaRose Chary’s The Wrong Question show us parts of the Jewish world — Jews of color and queer Jews, among other mixed and modern identities — that haven’t made it to the stage much.

Talk about Israel/Palestine without blowing the roof of the joint. Seth Rozin’s Settlements is nuanced and compelling and real. Alexa Derman’s hilarious and satirical cri-de-coeur Zionista Rising — which just won the JPP’s National Playwriting Contest — brings sharp, contemporary humor to a difficult conversation.

And if you feel you have to talk about the Holocaust and Shylock — and sometimes you do — do it with a new and vital eye. Jenny Berman Eng’s A Moving Picture features a cast of three Jews of color, one Black doctoral candidate and a White student working out how to make a 100-percent true Holocaust film.

It’s a big Jewish world out there. If we can see that life show up at theatres all over the country, we might see a Tony Awards that celebrates brilliant work and moves the Jewish conversation forward — not by being anti-antisemitism, but by being truly pro-Jewish.

By David Winitsky is artistic director of the Jewish Plays Project.

required to accommodate the religious practices of their employees, but only if providing such an accommodation does not present an “undue hardship” to their business.

In this way, federal law balances the religious needs of the employee against the business necessities of the employer. And the words “undue hardship,” at least on their face, imply that the employers are expected to endure some hardship in order to accommodate religious employees, but that obligation ends once the hardship to the employer’s business becomes “undue.”

While the text of the law appears to impose modest, but important obligations on employers, the Supreme Court — back in a 1977 case, TWA v. Hardison — provided a contorted interpretation of Title VII that required far less of employers.

Somewhat counterintuitively, the Court appeared to hold that providing a religious accommodation imposed an “undue hardship” on the employer any time it required the employer to “bear more than a de minimis cost” — that is, a trivial or minor cost.

As a result, if an employer could demonstrate a religious accommodation entailed even a trivial cost, she was off the hook. The court’s decision in Hardison rejected an employee’s claim to have his Sabbath accommodated.

Hardison’s stingy standard, and its significant consequences for American Jews in the workplace, is precisely why so many Jewish organizations with varying political outlooks – including the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs, National Council of Young Israel, Orthodox Union (full disclosure: I co-authored the Orthodox Union’s amicus brief), and the Zionist Organization of America — all filed amicus briefs before the Court in Groff.

As these briefs emphasized, the lack of meaningful protections for religious employees had, over the years, repeatedly forced American Jews to choose between their faith and their livelihood, most notably when it came to observing the Sabbath and Jewish holidays.

But in Groff, the Supreme Court overhauled the standard for employers: According to the decision, an employer must accommodate a religious employee unless doing so imposes “a burden (that) is substantial in the overall context of an employer’s business.”

So what does this all mean for the future of religious accommodation in the workplace?

As the solicitor general noted during oral arguments, there are three broad categories where employees typically seek religious accommodations: scheduling changes such as those required to facilitate Sabbath observance; dress and grooming policies such as kipahs and hijabs in the workplace; and religious expression in the workplace, which might include an employee’s desire to display (or avoid) some sort of religious symbol or message.

Under the new standard, employers who seek to reject such requests will have to demonstrate that granting these religious accommodations would impose substantial costs.

Considerations like administrative costs and modest financial expenditures will be insufficient justification for denying such requests. This impact will likely be felt most directly when it comes to requests to accommodate Sabbath observances.

The Court’s opinion indicates that employers will have to consider voluntary shift swaps and modest incentives — such as overtime payments — in order to accommodate a Sabbath-observing employee.

Importantly, this will vary significantly by occupation. For example, while a postal worker might reasonably request time off for the Sunday Sabbath, a coach in the NFL, where games are mostly played on Sundays, cannot.

Similarly, determining whether the financial burdens of accommodation are truly significant will also depend on context.

Costs that might be significant for a local grocery store may not be significant for a corporate behemoth like Amazon.

Those differences will matter when deciding how much an employer will have to expend when accommodating a particular religious practice.

Finally, the court emphasized that accommodations that trigger deep dissatisfaction from employees — and thereby significantly affect the employer’s business — can qualify as a substantial cost and justify an employer’s decision to deny an accommodation.

But the court was careful to constrain these sorts of considerations: An employer cannot claim that she can’t accommodate a religious employee because other employees have expressed dissatisfaction that is based upon their “animosity to a particular religion, to religion in general, or to the very notion of accommodating religious practice.”

To countenance such bias or hostility would undermine the very purposes of the law — and, in the words of the court, put Title VII “at war with itself.”

To be sure, the significance of Groff is somewhat blunted given that many states have already adopted heightened standards for when religious employees must be accommodated.

Before Groff, many employees could still leverage state law protections to secure accommodations.

An amicus brief filed by 22 states noted that states with broader protections had not faced significant challenges in administering such legal regimes.

Still, the court’s decision will likely provide long overdue protections to religious employees — fulfilling the long-overdue promise of Title VII. Most notably, the decision likely ensures that religious minorities — whose observances are often out of step with the rhythm of the modern workplace — need not cast aside their religious commitments as the price of employment.

This new standard is mindful of context and careful not to require substantial costs that might undermine a business.

At the same time, the court’s decision is clear that employers cannot hide behind minor inconveniences to ignore the requests of their religious employees.

In sum, the court’s decision in Groff — and unanimously so — asks employers and employees to find workable solutions to conflicts between business objectives and faith commitments.

In that way, it may provide a useful blueprint for navigating a host of recurring social conflicts across the human condition.

Michael A. Helfand is the chair in law and religion and co-director of the Nootbaar Institute for Law and Religion at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, visiting professor and Ruebhausen Distinguished Fellow at Yale Law School, senior legal advisor to the Orthodox Union’s Teach Coalition, and senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute.

Classes

Beth Jacob Classes: Sundays, 10 a.m. & Wednesdays, 6 p.m.: Beginners Hebrew, Sundays in person w. Rabbi Agar. Wednesdays on Zoom w. Rabbi Agar. $100. Tuesdays, 7 p.m.: Torah Tuesdays on Zoom w. Rabbi Agar. Thursdays, 7 p.m.: Thursdays of Thought, Ethics of Our Fathers on Zoom w. Rabbi Agar. Saturdays after services: Book of Joshua w. Rabbi Agar. 7020 N. Main St, Harrison Twp. bethjacobcong. org. Register at 937-274-2149.

Temple Beth Or: Thurs., Aug. 3, 10, 7 p.m.: Chai Mitzvah on Zoom. Sun., Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27, 12:30 p.m.: Adult Hebrew. 5275 Marshall Rd. Wash. Twp. 937-435-3400.

Temple Israel: Tues., Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, noon: Talmud Study in person & Zoom. Wed., Aug. 9, 16, 23, 30, 10 a.m.: Social Justice Commentary w. Rabbi Bodney-Halasz at home of Cathy Lieberman. Fri., Aug.,

Calendar

11, 11 a.m.: Living w. Loss. Sat., Aug. 5, 19, 26, 9:15 a.m.: Virtual Torah Study. Sat., Aug. 12, 9:15 a.m.: Hybrid Virtual Torah Study. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 937-496-0050.

Adults

Mah Jongg Lessons: Tues., Aug. 1, 8, 5 p.m. Free. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. RSVP at jewishdayton.org. 937-610-1555.

JFS Mental Health First Aid

Training: Sun., Aug. 6, 9 a.m. Free. Lunch provided. RSVP by Jul. 31 to jewishdayton.org. Contact Tara Feiner for info., tfeiner@jfgd.net. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. 937-610-1555.

JCC Boomers Cookout: Sun., Aug. 13, noon. Free kosher cookout (vegetarian options available). RSVP by Aug. 4 at jewishdayton.org. Contact Stacy Emoff, semoff@jfgd.net. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. 937-610-1555.

MAZEL TOV!

Guggenheimer-McDonnell

So A Rabbi Walks Into a Bar: Thurs., Aug. 17, 6 p.m. W. Rabbi Bodney-Halasz. Dayton Beer Co., 41 Madison St., Dayton. 1st round on the rabbi. For info. call Temple Israel, 937-496-0050

Temple Beth Or Exploration of the Jewish Short Story: Wed., Aug. 23, 7 p.m. On Zoom. Register at templebethor.com or 937-435-3400.

Temple Beth Or Friends & Family CPR & Stop the Bleed: Sun., Aug. 27, 9 a.m. RSVP at templebethor.com. 5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937435-3400.

Family

PJ Families & Hillel Academy Shabbat in the Park: Fri., Aug. 18, 5:30 p.m. Free. RSVP by Aug. 15 to jewishdayton. org. At Iron Horse Park, 6161 Millshire Dr., Centerville. 937610-1555.

Temple Israel Prayer & Play at Night: Fri., Aug. 25, 5:30 p.m. Infants-2nd grade. Contact Rabbi Sobo, educator@ tidayton.org. 130 Riverside Dr., Dayton. 937-496-0050.

Children & Teens

Chabad Camp Gan Israel: Through Aug. 11. Register at chabaddayton.com. 2001 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood. 937-6430770.

Community Jewish Federation Annual Meeting: Wed., Aug. 16, 5:30 p.m. RSVP at jewishdayton.org. Boonshoft CJCE, 525 Versailles Dr., Centerville. 937-610-1555.

Beth Jacob Afternoon at the Movies: Sun., Aug. 20, 3 p.m. Free. The Chosen. 937-2742149. 7020 N. Main St. Harrison Twp.

Beth Abraham Synagogue In- stallation Weekend for Rabbi Glazer: W. Joey Weisenberg. Fri., Aug. 25, 5:30 p.m.: Kabalat Shabbat, dinner, nigun circle. $26 adults, $13 children 3-12, $75 family max. RSVP by Aug. 16. Sat., Aug. 26, 9:30 a.m.: Shabbat services followed by kiddush lunch, learning. Sun., Aug. 27, 1 p.m.: Installation concert, reception. 305 Sugar Camp Cir., Oakwood. 937-293-9520.

2313 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood 937-293-1196

Gossett-Eres

Rachael Gossett married Mathew Eres on May 27 in St. Louis. Rosie and Josie Abrams, her identical 8-year-old twins, carried flowers. Matt’s son and teenage daughter were also present. Rachel is the daughter of Judy Rosen Gossett and the late Randy Gossett. She is the granddaughter of the late Israel and Gloria Rosen and great-granddaughter of the late Bill and Mary Zappin. At the wedding were her uncle, Larry Rosen; brothers, Ian Micah Gossett and William Gossett with his beautiful wife, Jessica, and their beautiful girls, Maebry, 9, and Adleigh, 8.

Joel and Judi Guggenheimer are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Marla, to Jack McDonnell, son of Mark and the late Laura McDonnell. Marla has a master's degree in social work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently employed as the food insecurity program director with Gateway Region YMCA. Jack is a certified arborist and is currently employed as the assistant community forester with Beyond Housing in St. Louis. Marla is the granddaughter of Paul and Margaret Maranka and Henry and the late Barbara Guggenheimer. Jack is the grandson of Helen and Wayne Seyer, the late Jerry Howery, the late John McDonnell, and the late Marion McDonnell. A November 2023 wedding is planned.

Bruce Feldman, president of Economy Linen and Towel Service, has been appointed chair of the Sinclair Community College Board of Trustees.

Bruce has served on Sinclair's board in several leadership positions since 2013.

The Ohlmann Group has been named one of the 2023 Best Workplaces in Ohio by Ohio Business Magazine. The marketing and advertising company is owned by Linda Ohlmann Kahn and Lori Ohlmann. Linda, Ohlmann's CEO, has also been named to the board of the Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts. Established in 1965 to "further the quality and scope of professional arts available in the greater Dayton area," the foundation's original donors named it in memory of impresario, fundraiser, and publicist Miriam Rosenthal

Send your Mazel Tov announcements to mweiss@jfgd.net.

Congregations

Beth Abraham Synagogue

Conservative

Rabbi Aubrey L. Glazer

Cantor/Dir. of Ed. & Programming

Andrea Raizen

Fridays, 5 p.m.

Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

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

Beth Jacob Congregation

Traditional

Rabbi Leibel Agar led by Jese Shell

Fri., Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. Evening minyans upon request.

7020 N. Main St., Dayton. 937-274-2149. bethjacobcong.org

Temple Anshe Emeth

Reform

320 Caldwell St., Piqua. Contact Steve Shuchat, 937-7262116, ansheemeth@gmail.com. ansheemeth.org

Temple Beth Or Reform

Rabbi Judy Chessin

Asst. Rabbi/Educator Ben Azriel

Fridays, 6:30 p.m.

5275 Marshall Rd., Wash. Twp. 937-435-3400. templebethor.com

Temple Beth Sholom

Reform

Rabbi Haviva Horvitz

610 Gladys Dr., Middletown. 513-422-8313. templebethsholom.net

Temple Israel

Reform

Senior Rabbi Karen BodneyHalasz. Rabbi/Educator Tina Sobo

Fri., Aug. 4, 6 p.m.

Fridays, Aug. 11, 18, 25, 6:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 12, 10:30 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.