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January 17, 2017
Remarks Delivered at the 2017 Contra Costa County Interfaith Council Celebration of Dr. King's Life and Message. With gratitude to Ruth Messenger and American Jewish World Service for both inspiring these remarks and reminding me of the values that called me to the rab...
January 10, 2017
I usually would not include a disclaimer, but I think some is in order here. I will be trying to update these thoughts regularly, primarily to allow my community in Walnut Creek, CA insight into my journey to the Dominican Republic. I generally try to share polished...
October 27, 2016
I was fortunate to right this week's Torah commentary for Matan-The National Voice for Jewish Special Needs Education. Here's the beginning; you can read the rest on Matan's blog:
As a father of young children, I try to avoid using profanity in our home. Occasionally t...
October 2, 2016
L'shanah Tovah! Hazzan Wallach helped me with a beautiful performance of Avinu Malkeinu—we wish you a sweet, happy, and healthy new year!
September 20, 2016
Since the onset of the primary season about a year ago, I’ve noticed many of my rabbinic colleagues taking strong stances in favor or against particular candidates, especially in their online conversation. I’ve been troubled by these posts, but have also struggled to u...
September 14, 2016
In my remarks about the 9th of Av, I mentioned that my philosophy about Jewish memory was inspired by Yaffa Eliach--an original member of The President's Commission on the Holocaust. Dr. Eliach's approach to Holocaust memory focuses on the life--it is her belief that b...
June 16, 2016
I was an undergraduate student at the University of Cincinnati when I learned the Heimlich maneuver from its creator. Then Hillel director Rabbi Abie Ingber ran a remarkable program called Vintage Wines, where students were afforded the opportunity to interact with co...
November 4, 2015
I was fortunate to share some of the lessons I learned from teaching young Jews at Lafayette Collegeon eJewishPhilnathropy! Here's the beginning; click over to eJewishPhilanthropy to read more!
One of the most fun parts of my job as a rabbi in Easton, Pennsylvania is th...
December 9, 2014
One of my fondest memories as an undergrad at the University of Cincinnati is the Biblica Hebrew class I audited at Hebrew Union College, the seminary of Judaism’s Reform Movement. The instructor was the hacham (sage) Professor Isaac Jerusalmi, a Turksih Jew who had g...
August 1, 2014
The other night, while working on some format issues for this blog, I put the term “headshot” into my Gmail. I was hoping to find a particular publicity photo. Instead, what popped up were the rules from the New York Social Sport Club’s dodgeball league: “No hea...
Rabbi Daniel Stein is the spiritual leader of Congregation B'nai Shalom in Walnut Creek, California. In addition to his wife and children, he loves banjos, yiddish, and occassionally lifting heavy objects. Click here to contact me!