Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa, will be giving a pre-Rosh Hashanah lecture via Zoom on Sunday, August 30, at 11:30 a.m. The program is being sponsored by Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford. His topic will be “The Journey of Personal Transformation.”

Rabbi Goldstein became the youngest person ever to be appointed as the chief rabbi when he assumed that position in 2005. In addition to his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Azriel Chaim Godfein, he qualified as a dayan (rabbinic judge) through the Eretz Chemda Institute in Israel and received his PhD in human rights and constitutional law.

Rabbi Goldstein is well known for being an advocate for those who are most vulnerable in the community, and he has championed civil rights throughout his rabbinic career.

South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki said the following at Rabbi Goldstein’s induction ceremony:

“We salute Rabbi Goldstein as a true South African patriot… he champions the very values which government would like to instill in our society. By their personal example, and through the wisdom of their teachings, religious leaders such as Chief Rabbi Goldstein can imbue our country with values of honesty, compassion and self-discipline that are so vital in establishing a truly just and moral society. Indeed, we are blessed to have a Chief Rabbi who is a formidable Torah scholar and whose doctorate is in human rights and constitutional law.”

Sitting on the executive board of the National Religious Leaders Forum, Rabbi Goldstein engages with leaders of all faith communities on a regular basis. The forum hopes to achieve “poverty alleviation” and bring about “moral regeneration” in South Africa.

Rabbi Daniel Cohen, spiritual leader of Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford, Connecticut, said: “It’s rare that we have the opportunity to hear words of Torah from someone as distinguished as Rabbi Goldstein. I’m sure his talk will be very inspiring as we approach the High Holidays. I urge everyone to attend.”

To sign up and receive information on how to log in via Zoom, please visit the Congregation Agudath Sholom website at www.agudathsholom.org.