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Rabbi Dan Ain    

Founder and Spiritual Leader, Because Jewish

Rabbi and revivalist Dan Ain gathers those who are open to being reached. He finds holiness in honest conversation, in the spaces where people can say what they really think and allow others to do the same. His latest project Because Jewish creates opportunities for our religious perspectives to be in genuine dialogue with our artists, our musicians and our everyday lives.

The Times of Israel says: ""Because Jewish represents the zeitgeist of Jewish Brooklyn, circa 2016. Its raison d’être is to offer community and presence amidst the racing speed and technological isolation of the here and now.""

For the past decade, Rabbi Dan has been curating these offerings around New York City at the 92nd St Y (as Director of Tradition and Innovation), Brooklyn Bowl, (le) poisson rouge and as the rabbi of The New Shul. He's hosted Friday night dinners with comedians and cosmologists, klezmer brunches with composers and analysts, and conversations with groups of friends looking for ways to talk about God on their own terms.

The High Holiday services he leads, with blues musician and cantorial singer Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery, is an example of finding meaningful ways to worship in the 21st century – creating experiences that speak to people living in today's world using the language, lessons and music of the past.

A Conservative rabbi, Rabbi Dan is a CLAL Resident and was ordained at The Jewish Theological Seminary in Morningside Heights.

Speech Topics


How Technology is reshaping our experience of religion

Sex, Relationships and Torah

Sports Panel - Inside the Locker Room

Ex-Orthodox Panel - Leaving the Orthodox World

Issues of faith in Election 2012

Fair Play in Sports

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