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David Lerner

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Jun 2, 2026, 12:31 AM

Talking to One’s Self – Naso 5786

So, it smashed everywhere. My beautiful blue bowl, my favorite bowl filled with warm oatmeal, fell off the table, spraying clay pottery and oatmeal all over the floor, the table, and my suit. I was a mess, and I was in...

May 11, 2026, 6:54 PM

What Does Shemittah Have to Do with Smartphones? – B’har-B’hukkotai 5786

So this past week, I was in a supermarket, and I went to the front desk because I could not find the Cape Cod chips in the 100-calorie bag. I am trying to eat healthily. ;-) The woman behind the...

May 4, 2026, 9:34 PM

Shares of Time – Emor 5786

A couple of months ago, I became a shareholder. Now, before anyone gets too excited, I should clarify: I bought one share. One share of Citizens Bank. It cost me $68.04. I am now a proud owner of Citizens Bank — or...

Mar 23, 2026, 6:04 PM

A Gentle Call in a Time of Division – Vayikra 5786

Last week, an article called Covid-19 Six Years Later by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist, was shared with me. She writes: “When researchers compared countries that fared well during COVID-19 to those that didn’t, they looked at health care infrastructure,...

Feb 24, 2026, 2:25 AM

It’s all the Community – T’rumah 5786

A few weeks ago, I got sick and decided to do all the tests — RSV, flu, COVID — nothing special… just enough to flatten me for days. I had my annual Institute for Jewish Spirituality retreat on my calendar,...

Jan 27, 2026, 1:17 AM

Let Redemption Grow: Let’s Pray on That — Bo 5786

Over the last year, I’ve spent a lot of time building an interfaith coalition and forming deep connections with Christian clergy. I’ve noticed a fascinating difference between Jewish clergy and my Christian colleagues. When some of my Christian friends are...

Jan 12, 2026, 10:36 PM

A Good Name — Sh’mot 5786

Last week, I was stopped on the street by a woman who smiled and said hello. I smiled back and said hello. Then she said, “You don’t remember who I am, doooo you? “Of course I do.” I didn’t. She continued, “I...

Dec 23, 2025, 12:24 AM

Light up these Dark Days – Hanukkah 5786

It was late in Kislev of 1196, in the Rhineland city of Worms, today in Germany. Rabbi Eleazar ben Judah — known as the Rokeah — was at his desk, learning quietly by lamplight. From his diary, we know exactly where...

Dec 9, 2025, 1:02 AM

Reconnecting – Parashat Va-yishlah 5786

So, as many of you know, Sharon and I are getting ready to celebrate, with God’s help, an incredible moment in our family’s life – our daughter’s wedding. We feel deeply blessed. Another blessing is that we’re not just gaining a...

Nov 19, 2025, 12:28 AM

From Marrakesh to Be’er Lahai Ro’i – Parashat Hayyei Sarah 5786

Photo credit: Temple Emunah

I just returned from an amazing 18-day trip with 42 members of our Emunah family to Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. We ate incredible food, visited extraordinary sites, learned together, and had great fun — including a flamenco dance workshop. And learned...

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About Me

For twenty-two years, Rabbi David Lerner has served as Senior Rabbi of Temple Emunah in Lexington, Massachusetts, leading one of New England’s most vibrant Masorti/Conservative communities with warmth, creativity, intellectual rigor, and deep pastoral presence. A graduate of Columbia College, he was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, which also awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa. A past president of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, he founded the Community Hevra Kadisha of Greater Boston, PrayersForLiberty.org, Emunat HaLev - Temple Emunah’s Jewish meditation and mindfulness center, and ClergyAgainstBullets. Rabbi Lerner is widely admired for his energy, compassion, and dedication to a Judaism that is intellectually serious, spiritually rich, and profoundly welcoming.