David Fishback's Blog: On Rabbi David Saperstein's 50th Anniversary with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

Friday, November 8, 2024

On Rabbi David Saperstein's 50th Anniversary with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

On October 30, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism held a Zoom tribute to Rabbi David Saperstein on the 50th Anniversary with the RAC. It was a moving and informative experience. I thought it would be use to share the recording for those interested in the scope and history of the RAC's activities, which are needed now more than ever. Rabbi Saperstein's remarks begin at 49:02.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6BoiUOyQLE

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

David S. Fishback, a retired attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, is Advocacy Chair for the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). His involvement in social justice efforts began as a college student in the 1960s, when he ran a tutoring program in Washington, DC. Following a year as a VISTA volunteer at a prison in Memphis, TN, he went to Harvard Law School and worked on Democratic Party reform issues.

After graduation, he joined the Office of General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board. In 1983, David went to the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, where he litigated environmental tort matters, most notably the government's successful defense against lawsuits brought by asbestos product and Agent Orange manufacturers, who were seeking to shift their tort liability to the federal taxpayers.

In 1984, David became co-president of the PTA at a magnet integration primary school in Silver Spring, MD, beginning his efforts as an education activist in Montgomery County. He began advocating for LGBTQ youth in 2002 when he was appointed to the County Board of Education's Citizens Advisory Committee on sexuality education issues. During his time as chair of that committee and later through PFLAG, he was integrally involved in the ultimately successful effort to bring intelligent discussion of LGBTQ topics into the secondary school health curriculum and guidance offices.

A past member of the Temple Emanuel of Kensington MD Board of Trustees, David and his wife Bobbi co-founded and co-chaired (from 2002 to 2019) the Temple's Kulanu Committee for LGBTQ outreach. He is also a long-time member of the Temple's Social Action Council. In 2020, David was appointed to the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism.