David E. Stern

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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 one of the 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] 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.[4]

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.[5] He has been a fierce advocate in leading Temple Emanu-El and the Jewish community on issues such as Darfur[6] including the creation of the Dolls for Darfur program and visiting Sudanese Refugees in Chad.[7][8] 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,[9] and the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas. Rabbi Stern serves on the boards of both CHAI (Community Homes for Adults, Inc.)[10] and the Dallas Jewish Coalition for the Homeless.[11]

Rabbi Stern is also widely regarded for his sermons and adult education. He led at $17.5 million dollar Endowment Campaign in 2002-2003.[12] 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.[5]

Rabbi Stern is on the editorial board for the CCAR Journal, the journal for the Central Conference of American Rabbis,[13] and also chairs the Governance Task Force of the CCAR. He is on the prestigious HUC-JIR's President's Rabbinic Council.[11]

Rabbi Stern is the son of Rabbi Jack Stern, the longtime rabbi of Westchester Reform Temple[14] and the poet Priscilla Rudin Stern[15] (who is the daughter of Rabbi Jacob Philip Rudin, the longtime Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Great Neck, New York[16]). He is married to Rabbi Nancy Kasten and has three children.[11]

[edit] 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. ^ Rabbi David E. Stern Endowed Scholarship Established at HUC-JIR Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion
  5. ^ a b [3] HUC-JIR Article on Rabbi Stern
  6. ^ [4] Stern column on Darfur
  7. ^ [5] On the Edge of Life
  8. ^ [6] Velveteen Rabbi's Blog
  9. ^ [7] Dallas Children's Advocacy Center Advisory Board
  10. ^ [8] CHAI Board
  11. ^ a b c [9] Temple Emanu-El Biography
  12. ^ [10] URJ Inside Leadership article
  13. ^ [11] CCAR Journal masthead
  14. ^ [12] Rabbi Jack Stern Bio at Westchester Reform Temple
  15. ^ [13] New York Times paid obituary for Priscilla Rudin Stern
  16. ^ [14] Temple Beth El website biography

[edit] References

[edit] See also