On Shabbat, November 22 (Parshat Toldot), Rabbi David Lazar — Rav Claudia’s mentor, rabbi, and teacher during her rabbinical school years and in the years following her ordination — will join us at TBZ as guest teacher. In his d’var Torah, he will share insights from his experience teaching New Testament texts to a Jewish–Christian group over the past five years, exploring connections to
the Torah portion’s portrayal of Ya’akov (Judaism) and Esav (Rome/Church).
During kiddush, he will continue this theme with a guided text study. Earlier in the morning, he will lead Torah Study comparing the three biblical stories in which a patriarch presents his wife as his sister.
Rabbi David Lazar is a US-born rabbi and educator who has served Jewish communities in Israel, Europe, and the United States. Educated at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, Hebrew University, and the Schechter Institute, he has led congregations in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Stockholm, and worked extensively in Jewish education, including the TALI school system, Camp Ramah, and youth movements. He founded RIKMA: Spiritual Community Leadership Development, supporting Masorti/Conservative and Reform rabbis for over 15 years, and has been active in LGBTQ advocacy, interfaith dialogue, and nonprofit leadership.
He now lives in Palm Springs, California where he serves as the spiritual leader of Or Hamidbar.