David Wolfe-Blank, an innovative brilliant Jewish Renewal rabbi with a national following, was born Dec. 12, 1950, in Montreal, Canada. His mother, a follower of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, influenced his teenage search for mentors and an understanding of spirituality.  At age 16, he traveled to Israel for a trip supposed to only last a year, and ended up staying for six, actively engaging in the Lubavitcher movement of Judaism.  The mysticism and sophistication of this spiritual path persuaded him to move to the Lubavitch headquarters in Crown Heights, New York City, where he was ordained as a rabbi in the early 1970s.  There he taught and inspired many young Jews entering the Yeshiva.  Due to his patience and spiritual aptitude, it became his mission to return Jews who had strayed from the religion, back to Judaism. As part of that mission, David was sent to a Zen center in upstate New York to bring a Jewish Zen practitioner back to Judaism.  Instead, after long discussions, and impressed by the love, insight, and magic exhibited by the Zen practitioner, David moved into the Zen center in Ithaca, NY, and started meditating.  He learned to look for guidance by looking inside himself.

From there, David set out on a new path in his life-long spiritual quest, including hitchhiking around the country without any money, and later participating in EST training.  By the late 1970’s, David wound up in Berkeley, CA, where, at the suggestion of Rabbi Zalmon Schachter-Shalomi, he quickly checked out and became involved in the Aquarian Minyan Jewish Renewal community. His interest in psychology and bodywork led him to obtain a B.A. and then Masters Degree in psychology from Antioch University in San Francisco.  Eventually, he became Rabbi-Haver of the Aquarian Minyan, and started his well-known work in innovative Jewish liturgy, ritual practice, and Torah commentary, as well as in leading light-hearted, inclusive, and egalitarian.

David’s worldwide reputation as a Rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement was established with his publication of brilliant newsletters and teachings, including his Metasiddur and Metaparshiot, synthesizing Torah, Chassidus, Kabbalah, psychology, and other science, as well as recording of tapes on his teachings. In 1995, he moved to Seattle, WA to become Rabbi at Congregation Eitz Or, where he led joyous services, using spiritual healing, percussion and dancing.

David passed away on August 29^th 1998, at the age of 47, following a car accident on Vancouver Island.   His wife and son, Elaine and Uriel Wolfe-Blank were also in the car, but received minor injuries.  Hundreds of friends, colleagues, and followers from all over the country celebrated David’s well-lived and appreciated life at his funeral.  The memory of his creative joyous leadership and the legacy of his innovative liturgy and teachings continue to inspire.