David E. Stern

Who is David E. Stern?

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 Sudanese 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 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.