Rabbi David Eli Stern (born August 1961) is the senior rabbi at Temple Emanu-El of Dallas, the largest synagogue in the South/Southwest United States and the third-largest in the Union for Reform Judaism.[1] [2] He was selected as the 26th most influential rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine in 2008[3] and the 30th most influential in 2009.[4] Rabbi Stern graduated with high honors from Dartmouth College, earned his M. A. in Jewish education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR Los Angeles, California in 1988, and was ordained from HUC in 1989.[5]

Rabbi Stern was the 2017-2019 President of CCAR,[6] the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and is known for his efforts on social justice. He is the vice-chair of the Union for Reform Judaism's Joint Commission on Social Action and Chair of the Commission's Task Force on Economic Justice.[7] He has been a fierce advocate in leading Temple Emanu-El and the Jewish community on issues such as Darfur[8] including the creation of the Dolls for Darfur program and visiting Sudanese Refugees in Chad.[9][10] He is also the past chair of both the Dallas Faith Communities Coalition, the Children's Advisory Board of the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center,[11] and the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas. Rabbi Stern serves on the boards of both CHAI (Community Homes for Adults, Inc.)[12] and the Dallas Jewish Coalition for the Homeless.[13] He is also associated with the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East,[14] and was a signatory on the group's February 28, 2006 National Interreligious Leadership Delegation for Peace in the Middle East Appeal to the President [George W. Bush] to Make Israeli-Palestinian Peace a Priority of U.S. Policy.[15]

Rabbi Stern is also widely regarded for his sermons and adult education. He led at $17.5 million Endowment Campaign in 2002-2003.[16] Temple Emanu-El established the Rabbi David E. Stern Endowed Scholarship in April 2007 in honor of his 18th year as a rabbi and 18th year at Temple Emanu-El.[7] (The number 18 holds significant value in Judaism).

Rabbi Stern is on the editorial board for the CCAR Journal, the journal for the Central Conference of American Rabbis,[17] and also chairs the Governance Task Force of the CCAR. He is on the prestigious HUC-JIR's President's Rabbinic Council.[13]

In March 2017, Rabbi Stern was installed as President of CCAR, the third generation of his family to hold that office.[18]

Rabbi Stern is the son of Rabbi Jack Stern, the longtime former rabbi of Westchester Reform Temple[19] and the poet Priscilla Rudin Stern[20] (who is the daughter of Rabbi Jacob Philip Rudin, the longtime Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Great Neck, New York[21]). He is married to Rabbi Nancy Kasten and has three children.[13]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Temple Emanu-El picks Rabbi Stern, 35, to lead 3rd-largest Reform synagogue in U.S. Dallas Morning News, August 23, 1996
  2. ^ [1] Book Review of A Light in the Prairie
  3. ^ [2] Newsweek Top 50 Influential Rabbis in America, April 11, 2008
  4. ^ [3] Newsweek Top 50 influential Rabbis in America, April 4, 2009
  5. ^ Rabbi David E. Stern Endowed Scholarship Established at HUC-JIR Archived 2007-11-10 at the Wayback Machine Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion
  6. ^ "Past Presidents Council". Central Conference of American Rabbis. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  7. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 10, 2007. Retrieved January 21, 2009.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) HUC-JIR Article on Rabbi Stern
  8. ^ [4] Stern column on Darfur
  9. ^ "Reform Judaism Magazine - on the Edge of Life". Archived from the original on 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2008-01-26. On the Edge of Life
  10. ^ [5] Velveteen Rabbi's Blog
  11. ^ [6] Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine Dallas Children's Advocacy Center Advisory Board
  12. ^ [7] Archived 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine CHAI Board
  13. ^ a b c [8] Archived 2006-11-14 at the Wayback Machine Temple Emanu-El Biography
  14. ^ [9] National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East website contains the Appeal listing Rabbi Stern.
  15. ^ [10] National Interreligious Leadership Delegation for Peace in the Middle East Appeal to the President [George W. Bush] to Make Israeli-Palestinian Peace a Priority of U.S. Policy.
  16. ^ [11][permanent dead link] URJ Inside Leadership article
  17. ^ [12] CCAR Journal masthead
  18. ^ "David Stern becomes third-generation president of Reform rabbinical group". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
  19. ^ [13] Rabbi Jack Stern Bio at Westchester Reform Temple
  20. ^ [14] The New York Times paid obituary for Priscilla Rudin Stern
  21. ^ [15] Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine Temple Beth El website biography

References

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