Rabbi David Stern to be Named Senior Rabbi Emeritus Upon Retirement
The Temple Emanu-El Board of Trustees has reached an emeritus agreement with Rabbi David Stern that establishes an ongoing relationship with the congregation after his retirement on June 30, 2027. Rabbi Stern, who has served the congregation since 1989 and as senior rabbi since 1996, will, upon his retirement, be Temple’s longest-serving senior rabbi.
“We’re thrilled that Rabbi Stern will continue to have a relationship with Temple Emanu-El,” says President Sara M. Albert. “Although he is stepping away from the active senior rabbi role, Rabbi Stern and his family will forever be beloved members of our community. I know that our congregation will continue to benefit from his many gifts of mentoring and teaching and, even more deeply, from his friendship and support.”
Rabbi Stern offered these thoughts about what his role as Senior Rabbi Emeritus will look like.
What does the title mean to you?
My biggest priority is making room for the new senior rabbi and the clergy team to continue to develop the relationships that make our community strong.
To me, the purpose of the emeritus role is to support the new senior rabbi and the new clergy team in every way possible. One of the most important ways to support that team is to stay out of the way for the first year. Our expectation is that in that year and after that, we’ll be nomadic. We hope to spend five months a year in the Berkshires, and much of the rest of the time traveling—mainly to visit our kids in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, and especially our grandson!
We’re going to keep the house in Dallas for at least another few years, and beyond that we don’t know. But even if we don’t have a house in Dallas, Temple will always feel like home. It’s the only congregation where I’ve ever been a rabbi. It’s the only congregation where Nancy and I have been a married couple. It’s the congregation where we raised our children. It’s the congregation where I’ve been blessed to serve as a rabbi for over half my life.
We’re going to miss you!
This isn’t going to be easy for me either! But I can’t say enough about the supremely high caliber of the existing clergy team, the deep relationships that already exist between our congregants and our clergy, and the amazing sense of community that exists here. That sense of community has sustaining power. And there will be exciting opportunities ahead for new relationships and new vision for all who call Temple home.
Will we see you at Temple?
We are members of this community, and we look forward to continuing to be part of it and to attending events as members of the community when we’re in town. I look forward to being invited as a guest!
After the first year, will you be officiating at life-cycle events?
Generally not—I will be retiring from life-cycle events too! Life-cycle events are one of the most important ways that new clergy establish relationships with members of the congregation. The way this question is handled in my emeritus agreement, which I think is exactly right, is that once a new senior or interim senior rabbi is settled, anything I may do will be at their request to offer support when they need it.
Outside of Temple Emanu-El, do you anticipate accepting invitations to speak or participate in leadership roles in the Jewish or non-Jewish world?
I suppose that’s possible, and I know those opportunities have been sources of fulfillment for my retired colleagues. But there is so much Nancy and I want to do—from travel, to volunteering, to time with family, to our own learning opportunities, to enjoying the peacefulness of a New England autumn—that we have not thought a lot about what work we want to do next. And we feel more than blessed to be able to think of it that way.
As you approach your last High Holy Days season as senior rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, are there any particular emotions?
I think I’m feeling just about every emotion possible, but chief among them is a deep, deep sense of gratitude. What a gift it has been to be able to do this. To have a congregation that’s been so forgiving of my shortcomings and supportive of the vision we developed together for what this place can be.
And Nancy, who is retiring on the same day as I am, feels it too: this incredible sense of thanks to God, to colleagues, to this community, to all who have taught us along the way. Nancy and I like to say that we came to Dallas for three to five years, 38 years ago! How did five years become 38? Because of a community that welcomed us, supported us, challenged us, and allowed us to grow. Five years becomes 38 because our children grew up as part of a values-centered Jewish village marked by laughter and love. Five years becomes 38 because of the friendships that give such depth and meaning to our lives every day. How could you not be grateful for that?