THIS EVENT IS BY ZOOM ONLY: click HERE to join.
Rabbi Daniel Nevins is one of the most compelling thinkers and teachers of our time regarding the intersection of technology and Judaism. Rabbi Nevins, who recently published “Torah and Technology: Circuits, Cells, and the Sacred Path,” is dedicated to exploring the sacred realm of Torah and its intersection with contemporary ethics, culture, and technology. Ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, he also holds a MA in Jewish studies from JTS, and earned his bachelors in history from Harvard College. Jewish education is the centerpiece of his rabbinate, with a focus on training the head, heart and hands to engage with Jewish wisdom, create compassionate communities, and pursue justice.
There is no denying the wonder and excitement surrounding artificial intelligence. The sophistication of its research and outputs, its ability to compose text, video, art, code, music and seemingly every mode of expression other than touch (for now!) is remarkable. Agentic AI promises the ability to interact with the world, making purchases and reservations, for example. More menacingly, AI-powered autonomous weapons systems have the ability to attack human targets with lethal force. All of this appeals to users who wish to extend their power, yet it poses many dangers. The delegation of authority to machines to decide and to act on our behalf can degrade the abilities of humans, and lead to catastrophic consequences for humanity. Judaism is generally a pro-tech religion, but it offers essential restraints such as the laws of liability for damage done by one’s domesticated animals, and the general mandate to desist from requesting labor on Shabbat. In this session we will consider different models of Jewish guidance for the disorientating era of AI, and discuss pathways to limit the dangers that are only now coming into focus.
Rabbi Nevins has led three Jewish organizations: Golda Och Academy as Head of School; the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Division of Religious Leadership as the Pearl Resnick Dean of the Rabbinical School; and Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills, MI, serving first as Associate and then Senor Rabbi.
He has been a member of The Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards since 1999 and has also served on its Executive Council and Joint Placement Commission. He writes responsa on topics of contemporary halakhah, essay, prayers, and Torah commentaries, many of which can be viewed online. Rabbi Nevins has been elected as Senior Rabbi of the New North London Synagogue, a flagship congregation of the Masorti Movement in the United Kingdom, starting in July, 2026.
The lecture series is in memory of Lucy S. Dawidowicz, z”l, noted author and early member of Or Zarua.