Rabbi Dr. Samuel Press

Samuel Press Obituary

Press, Rabbi Dr. Samuel B.

PRESS, Rabbi Dr. Samuel B., age 87, of Dayton, passed away Monday, April 29, 2024. Rabbi Press was born in Middleton, CT in 1936 and raised in Springfield, MA. He graduated from Yeshiva College with honors and received the Talmud Prize. After college, Rabbi Press served in the U.S. Air Force and was the Alaska Command Jewish Chaplain of Alaska serving the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Bureau of Indian Affairs. He was also the Chief Rabbi of Alaska. Rabbi Press was the founding Rabbi of the Oyster Bay Jewish Center Synagogue in New York.

In 1978 Rabbi Press came to Dayton and served 25 years as the senior Rabbi at Beth Abraham Synagogue. He began programs with other faith communities and was president of the first joint synagogue programming with classes, & joint services. During his years, he served on numerous Jewish and community committees including several interfaith and interracial committees. He served the Dayton Jewish Community Center, Community Hebrew School, Hillel Academy, Jewish Family Services and was the founder of the Dayton Synagogue Forum. Rabbi Press was respected as a Jewish Scholar having published several articles. He was published in many magazines and journals, and his writings appeared in the media.

The Honorable Tony P. Hall stated: during Rabbi Press's years in Dayton, he made an enormous difference in the lives of the congregants as well as the citizens of Greater Dayton. His service reached far beyond the synagogue serving as the Director of the Dayton Black-White Coalition, was a member of the Board of Directors of Womanline, Dayton Free Clinic, was a member of the Advisory committee at Good Samaritan Hospital, and the Ethics committee at Miami Valley Hospital.

Rabbi Press is survived by devoted son, Adam M. Press; his beloved and devoted sister, Dr. Rosalyn Avigad; and countless members of his congregation whose lives he touched in so many profound ways.

Funeral service 12 Noon Thursday, May 2, 2024 at Beth Abraham Synagogue, 305 Sugar Camp Circle. Interment Beth Abraham Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the AFMDA (American Friends of Magen David Adom) in his memory. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Marker & Heller Funeral Homes.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Dayton Daily News on May 1, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for Samuel Press

8 Entries

Mary Anne

July 18, 2024

I want to share several simple stories. I am an interfaith soul Sandy knew and respected. Sandy knew the importance of interfaith connections. He did reach out in community, as written in his obituary. He shared many practical, funny and heartfelt stories about his experiences in his career and life. I saw how that came from his heart and learned much from listening to his anecdotes.

Once, a few months before he died, we were eating lunch in his care site lunchroom. A gentleman was seated on the other side of the table. Sandy, in his challenges, asked the man a question of compassion, related to how Sandy could help? I literally saw the genuine soul Sandy come forth in that question to the man. Being a witness to this expression was reassuring and comforting to me, as I did visit and see the challenges of his medical condition.

I reviewed his lifetime of photos with him, and asked many questions: Where was this photo taken? Who is in the photo? What time of year? What year? I wrote down what Sandy said on the back, (in pencil as not to damage the photo). I was able to learn more about Sandy and his life through his photos and his sharing, which would not have been available otherwise. It helped both of us.

Sandy was a kind and genuine soul who certainly expressed the meaning of care and community, even to those not in his own faith.

Mary Anne

July 17, 2024

Sandy is a wonderful soul who graced our world. Intelligent, assertive, kind and practical, he was filled with insight into human nature. I was always impressed with the stories and anecdotes he shared about a wide variety of topics, people and situations via letter, email, telephone or in person. It was so easy to say hello, how are you doing? with him. A true North Star of ethics and wisdom in our world, I am very appreciative to have known him and called him a friend who cared. There are many stories I could share, but the one I found most impressive was reflective of his very deep intuition and insight into people. I enjoyed visiting him in weekly and sharing lunch or reading to him, listening to music and reviewing his photos with him in Dayton before I relocated out of state months ago. Sandy is a true good soul who is standing with the angels!

Jason Roden

May 9, 2024

Rabbi Press was probably the first Rabbi I ever encountered as a kid. I remember being consecrated at Beth Abraham just before my family switched over to Beth Jacob since it was closer to where we lived in North Dayton. In my early adult years, after Rabbi Press retired, I used to see him at Beth Jacob and we would have deep conversations about Judaism and philosophy. Rabbi Press was so brilliant and personable and we will miss him dearly.

HARLAN WAHRMAN

May 2, 2024

Rabbi Press will always be my Rabbi. I was a teenager growing up in Dayton, when Rabbi Press became the Rabbi at our synagogue, Beth Abraham. My family came to know him and his kindness so very well, and he and my father, Wolf Wahrman, became very close friends. I will always think of Rabbi Press as the most sincere, genuine, and caring Rabbi. To me, he epitomized the essential Rabbi. Scholarly, a great speaker with a worldly view, and the friendliest person who showed warmth and kindness to all. He officiated at my marriage, and while I moved away from Dayton, Rabbi Press always remained in my thoughts as a most special and unique person. And I will always think of him as my Rabbi.

Judy Rosen Gossett

May 2, 2024

Rabbi Sam (to me) was a wonderful and caring man. He loved my family, especially my Grandparents Bill and Mary Zappin. Grandma Mary would be so delighted whenever he sent a note, be it in memory or congratulations of a family situation. She thought he was wonderful. My Uncle Ray Zappin was seen in high regard by Rabbi Sam. He spoke to me often in the last 10 years about my family. He expressed how he felt my brother, Alan Rosen was a great guy. This made me feel good. We often talked. For months on a daily basis. Time would sometimes get away from us and then we would start right back up. I remember when he was in the VA Hospital he was surprised and very glad I "found" him and our conversations continued. He said nobody was told I was here yet. I told him I just knew. Several weeks ago I got ahold of Adam who told me he could no longer use a phone. I was saddened. I wanted to go to see him but realized it best I did not. Rabbi Sam was a brilliant and wonderful Rabbi. RIP, you deserve it my friend. (He always wanted me to call him Sam but out of respect I had to add the RABBI!)

Sandy Jacobson

Planted Trees

Bert & Wanda Pilder

May 1, 2024

Although we haven´t lived in the Dayton area for over 50 years, Sandy was THE BEST friend I´ve ever had. Every time I would visit my parents, Sandy and I would make arrangements to go to the Waffle House followed by a trip to The Wharf tobacconist where we would sit in the Cigar Lounge and enjoy a cigar. Sandy was always engaged with everyone there and if they had personal problems, he would discretely attempt to console them and provide advice. He loved people and those who really knew and understood him, loved him.
Although it wasn´t in his obituary, Sandy would also visit the local prisons, and provide spiritual advice to Jewish prisoners.
When my youngest son, Adam, was applying for a position with the Jewish Federation of Scottsdale, Sandy provided Adam with a wonderful and beautiful recommendation which initially started his career in Program Management.
Later in life, he was always talking to me about his successful son, Adam, whom he respected and lovingly idolized.
In Yiddish, we would say Sandy was a getta machuma, a good soul.
Rest in peace, my friend. You will always be in our heart.

Steven Meyer

May 1, 2024

I always considered him a special friend. I always enjoyed speaking with him and visiting him at his home and out at the VA.

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