Rabbi David Woznica to Become Inaugural Holder of Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin Rabbinic Chair
The Stephen Wise Temple Board of Directors has established the Isaiah Zeldin Rabbinic Chair in order to honor and continue the legacy of the Wise community’s founding Rabbi, Isaiah Zeldin (Z”L). Receiving unanimous approval from the Executive Committee and Board, Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback has appointed Rabbi David Woznica to become the first holder of the Chair.
The mission of this Chair is to celebrate and promote Rabbi Zeldin’s legacy – ensuring that the Wise community’s commitment to lifelong learning, engagement with Israel, and Jewish community will endure for generations to come. Funds will support Rabbi Woznica’s work with the Center for Jewish Life and Wise Melton School to deliver innovative, meaningful Jewish learning experiences to all in the Wise community and beyond.
“Our congregation was organized under the basic philosophy that Judaism is a way of living for every member of the family,” Rabbi Zeldin once wrote. “Primary in that way of living is that everyone ought to be a student, constantly gaining new insights and constantly striving for new guidelines for the future.”
“The primary purpose of this chair is to honor the memory and legacy of our founding Rabbi, Isaiah Zeldin,” said Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback. “It is a great pleasure to appoint my colleague Rabbi Woznica as the chair’s first occupant. Rabbi Woznica is a wonderful teacher, pastor, and friend and we are grateful to him for his service to our community. He has done so much to build our Melton School program and to develop our Center for Jewish Life into a vibrant learning community. I’m very excited about where we will go together in the future.”
Rabbi David Woznica joined the Stephen Wise Temple clergy team 14 years ago and has served as an inspiring worship leader and speaker, a dedicated teacher, a compassionate pastor, and a valued friend. He created and oversees Wise’s Center for Jewish Life and has brought brilliant scholars, thinkers, and dignitaries to our campus. He has conducted public dialogues with Elie Wiesel, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Alan Dershowtiz, Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, Natan Sharansky, David Brooks, Ambassador Dennis Ross, Ambassador John Bolton, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and dozens of others. Alan Dershowitz (with whom he has been in dialogue six times) has been quoted as saying that no one is a better interviewer than Rabbi Woznica. Since beginning his rabbinate Rabbi Woznica has conducted some 70 dialogues with over 45,000 attending. Rabbi Woznica, like Rabbi Zeldin, is a strong supporter and lover of Israel.
Rabbi Woznica launched Wise’s Learning in Your Neighborhood program, which brings Wise clergy to homes around Los Angeles; he is a speaker for the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and has taught for the Wexner Heritage Foundation. Rabbi Woznica created the Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning at Wise. Working with Rabbi Karen Strok, Rabbi Woznica has seen the Melton program receive international acclaim: in 2016 Wise’s program received the prestigious Melton Award for being among the top Melton schools in the world. Yet, what is of the greatest meaning to Rabbi Woznica and to the Wise community are the relationships he holds dear with so many congregants.
The Board of Directors and his fellow clergy wish to congratulate Rabbi Woznica on this well-deserved honored and express their deepest gratitude for his incredible continuing work on behalf of the Wise community and the Jews of greater Los Angeles.
Please join the Wise community on Friday, June 8, at 6:15 p.m. for a Shabbat Service and grand oneg at which we will honor Rabbi David Woznica as he assumes the Rabbi Zeldin Rabbinic Chair. On this very special evening we will also honor and show gratitude to the outgoing members of our Board of Directors, including outgoing President Steven J. Fishman. We will also install and welcome the new members of our Board and our incoming President Janine Kolodny.
