Steve Bayar
Steven Bayar received his BA in religious studies and an MA in Biblical Studies and Medieval Jewish Philosophy from the University of Virginia. He was ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and served in congregations in Greenbelt, Maryland and Chestnut Ridge, New York before coming to Congregation Bnai Israel, Millburn, New Jersey in 1989. He is the author (with Francine Hirschman) of Teens & Trust: Building Bridges in Jewish Education (Torah Aura), Rachel & Mischa (Kar-Ben Copies, with Ilene Strauss), And You Shall Teach Them Diligently to Your Children: Transmitting Jewish Values from Generation to Generation (Town House Press, with Naomi Eisenberger). He authored the Ziv/Giraffe Values Curriculum (Righteous Persons Foundation) and as Co founder of Ikkar Publishing has written over 50 curricula in use in over 800 schools and educational institutions throughout the world. A hospice chaplain, He currently serves as Chair of the Rabbinic Advisory Committee of the Golda Ochs Hebrew Academy, President of the Millburn Clergy Association and is a Chaplain for the Millburn Police Department.
Articles by Steve Bayar
What Does It Mean To Be A Teacher?
Picture yourself as an Educational Director or Educator search committee. There is a position open, and you have narrowed the ...
The Beginning of the End
The summer months usher in vacations from school and shul. We tend to lose the weekly Torah portions from Shavuot ...
Forget Me Not
One of the more troubling aspects of Tzedakah (charitable giving) is its tendency to be coercive. I often hear people ...
Things Are Not Always As They Seem
Each of us is the main character in the story of our lives. We share ourselves with others by telling ...
Human Beings are God’s Menorah
As the month of Kislev has begun our thoughts turn to the upcoming holiday of Hanukkah. If there was ever ...
Making a Football Stadium Holy
It’s football season once again. I was once a more rabid football fan (my team of choice was the Washington ...
What Should Rabbis Be Speaking About on Rosh Hashanah?
The High Holy Days are three weeks away. Phone conversations with colleagues nearly always begin with, “Are you ready?” and ...
Robert E. Lee is not Moses
What does the rebellion of Korach against Moses have to do with the Confederate flag? Korach is a close relative ...
Meeting the Shoe Lady of Denver
Meeting Ranya Kelly for the first time you would never guess that this quiet petite woman once brought a major ...
Is the Messiah Coming?
Several years ago I went to visit one of my daughters in Israel. She was attending a summer program and ...