David E. Stern
Encyclopedia
Rabbi David Eli Stern 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
.
He was selected as the 26th most influential rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine in 2008 and the 30th most influential in 2009. 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.
Rabbi Stern is known for his efforts on social justice
. He is the vice-chair of the Reform Movement's
Joint Commission on Social Action and Chair of the Commission's Task Force on Economic Justice. He has been a fierce advocate in leading Temple Emanu-El and the Jewish community on issues such as Darfur
including the creation of the Dolls for Darfur
program and visiting Sudan
ese Refugees in Chad
. 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, and the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas. Rabbi Stern serves on the boards of both CHAI (Community Homes for Adults, Inc.) and the Dallas Jewish Coalition for the Homeless. He is also associated with the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, 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.
Rabbi Stern is also widely regarded for his sermons and adult education. He led at $17.5 million dollar Endowment
Campaign in 2002-2003. 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. (Every letter in Hebrew has a numeric value. The letters of the word chai, "life", add up to 18, so the 18th anniversary is celebrated as the "Chai Anniversary".)
Rabbi Stern is on the editorial board
for the CCAR Journal, the journal for the Central Conference of American Rabbis
, and also chairs the Governance Task Force of the CCAR. He is on the prestigious HUC-JIR's President
's Rabbinic Council.
Rabbi Stern is the son of Rabbi Jack Stern, the longtime former rabbi of Westchester Reform Temple and the poet Priscilla Rudin Stern (who is the daughter of Rabbi Jacob Philip Rudin, the longtime Rabbi at Temple Beth-El
in Great Neck, New York). He is married to Rabbi Nancy Kasten and has three children.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
at Temple Emanu-El of Dallas
Temple Emanu-El of Dallas
Temple Emanu-El of Dallas, Texas was the first Reform Jewish congregation in North Texas, and is the largest synagogue in the South.- History :...
, the largest synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in the South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
/Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the third-largest in the Union for Reform Judaism
Union for Reform Judaism
The Union for Reform Judaism , formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations , is an organization which supports Reform Jewish congregations in North America. The current President is Rabbi Eric H...
.
He was selected as the 26th most influential rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine in 2008 and the 30th most influential in 2009. Rabbi Stern graduated with high honors from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, earned his M. A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Jewish education
Jewish education
Jewish education is the transmission of the tenets, principles and religious laws of Judaism. Due to its emphasis on Torah study, many have commented that Judaism is characterised by "lifelong learning" that extends to adults as much as it does to children.-History:The tradition of Jewish...
from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1988, and was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
from HUC in 1989.
Rabbi Stern is known for his efforts on social justice
Tikkun olam
Tikkun olam is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world." In Judaism, the concept of tikkun olam originated in the early rabbinic period...
. He is the vice-chair of the Reform Movement's
Reform Judaism (North America)
Reform Judaism is the largest denomination of American Jews today. With an estimated 1.5 million members, it also accounts for the largest number of Jews affiliated with Progressive Judaism worldwide.- Reform Jewish theology :Rabbi W...
Joint Commission on Social Action and Chair of the Commission's Task Force on Economic Justice. He has been a fierce advocate in leading Temple Emanu-El and the Jewish community on issues such as Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
including the creation of the Dolls for Darfur
Dolls for Darfur
Dolls for Dafur is a Jewish charity dedicated to making the world take immediate action on the Darfur conflict in Sudan. Dolls for Darfur is facilitated by Rabbi David E. Stern and Temple Emanu-El of Dallas. The organization has made thousands of pins representing the victims of Darfur...
program and visiting Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese Refugees in Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
. 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, and the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas. Rabbi Stern serves on the boards of both CHAI (Community Homes for Adults, Inc.) and the Dallas Jewish Coalition for the Homeless. He is also associated with the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, 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
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Rabbi Stern is also widely regarded for his sermons and adult education. He led at $17.5 million dollar Endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
Campaign in 2002-2003. 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. (Every letter in Hebrew has a numeric value. The letters of the word chai, "life", add up to 18, so the 18th anniversary is celebrated as the "Chai Anniversary".)
Rabbi Stern is on the editorial board
Editorial board
The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take.- Board makeup :...
for the CCAR Journal, the journal for the Central Conference of American Rabbis
Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Central Conference of American Rabbis , founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada, the CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world....
, and also chairs the Governance Task Force of the CCAR. He is on the prestigious HUC-JIR's President
Eric Yoffie
Eric H. Yoffie is a Reform rabbi, and president of the Union for Reform Judaism , the congregational arm of the Reform movement in North America which represents an estimated 1.5 million Reform Jews in more than 900 synagogues across the United States and Canada...
's Rabbinic Council.
Rabbi Stern is the son of Rabbi Jack Stern, the longtime former rabbi of Westchester Reform Temple and the poet Priscilla Rudin Stern (who is the daughter of Rabbi Jacob Philip Rudin, the longtime Rabbi at Temple Beth-El
Temple Beth-El (Great Neck, New York)
Temple Beth-El is a Reform synagogue at 5 Old Mill Road in Great Neck, New York. Founded in 1928, it is the oldest synagogue in Great Neck.The original Temple building was enlarged three times during the past 60 years. It went through drastic renovation due to a fire that burned down much of it...
in Great Neck, New York). He is married to Rabbi Nancy Kasten and has three children.