{{short description|American Orthodox Jewish rabbi}} {{Notability|Biographies|date=January 2020}} '''Isaiah Rothstein''' is an American Orthodox Jewish rabbi, author, musician and public speaker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/limmud-conference-tests-limits-of-pluralism/|title=Limmud Conference Tests Limits Of Pluralism|work=Times of Israel|date=22 February 2017 }}</ref> He previously served as the Spiritual and Experiential Educator at Carmel Academy of Greenwich in Greenwich, Connecticut.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishledger.com/2013/07/new-stamford-jewish-youth-director-brings-diversity-to-the-table-%E2%80%A8/|title=New Stamford Jewish youth director brings diversity to the table|work=Connecticut Jewish Ledger}}</ref> Rothstein is best known for his essay "Color Erases, Color Paints" which generated extensive debate within the Jewish community about race and diversity.<ref name="tabletmag.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/189576/color-erases-color-paints|title=Color Erases, Color Paints |work=Tablet Magazine}}</ref>
==Rabbinic career== Rothstein received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University. Rothstein, using Torah based resources, preaches about racial justice in both the Jewish community and in the United States at large.<ref name="nycitylens.com">{{cite web|url=http://nycitylens.com/2017/04/fighting-racial-justice/|title=Fighting for Racial Justice|work=NY City Lens|access-date=2019-10-07|archive-date=2019-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007170519/http://nycitylens.com/2017/04/fighting-racial-justice/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/02/style/a-song-in-his-heart-it-was-for-her.html|title=A Song In His Heart. It was For Her|work=NY Times|date=2 August 2019 |last1=Bromwich |first1=Jonah Engel }}</ref> Rothstein previously served as a community gatherer at the Beis Community of Washington Heights.<ref name="timesofisrael.com">{{cite web|url=http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/millennial-gatherings-bridge-cultural-gaps/|title=Millennial Gatherings Bridge Cultural Gaps|work=Times of Israel|date=6 July 2017 }}</ref> He served as rabbi-in-residence with Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization with 20,000 members, advocated for a faith-based response to climate change.<ref name="outsideonline.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.outsideonline.com/2402494/new-york-city-climate-march|title=Greta Thunberg's Army at New York City's Climate Strike|work=Outside Online|date=20 September 2019 }}</ref> According to the Swedish paper ''Svenska Yle'', Rothstein represented Hazon to greet the international climate activist celebrity Greta Thunberg upon her arrival in the United States.<ref name="svenska.yle.fi">{{cite web|url=https://svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2019/08/29/greta-thunberg-togs-emot-med-entusiasm-och-eufori-i-new-york-hon-ar-ett-globalt|title=Greta Thunberg togs emot med entusiasm och eufori i New York: "Hon är ett globalt fenomen"|work=Svenska Yle}}</ref> Rothstein is an advocate of bible-based environmental conservation.<ref name="outsideonline.com"/> ==Music career== Rothstein is also an accomplished musician and performs at functions throughout the Jewish and non-Jewish world.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alumni.ncsy.org/alumni-spotlight/isaiah-rothstein-music-unites/|title=Music Unites|date=2015-05-28|access-date=2019-10-07|website=alumni.ncsy.edu}}</ref> His music incorporates references from his childhood experiences and diverse musical traditions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myjewishlearning.com/jewish-and/a-lesson-from-moses-to-martin-luther-king-jr/|title=A Lesson from Moses to Martin Luther King Jr.|work=My Jewish Learning|date=14 January 2015 }}</ref> He is the leader of the band Zayah.<ref name="forward.com">{{cite web|url=https://forward.com/life/422820/8-practical-tips-on-how-to-lead-a-progressive-seder-this-year/|title=8 Practical Tips On How To Lead A Progresside Seder This Year|work=The Forward|date=18 April 2019 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Rothstein is originally from Monsey, New York,<ref name="jewishweek.timesofisrael.com">{{cite web|url=https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/new-surveys-shed-light-on-overlooked-segments/|work=Times of Israel|title=Jews Of Color: "We Don't Feel Comfortable In The Synagogue"|first1=Stewart|last1=Ain|date=2019-06-05|access-date=2019-10-07}}</ref> although his family has deep roots in the American past. His mother is an African-American convert to Judaism. Isaiah Rothstein's father was raised in a Jewish home in New York, but became Orthodox through Chabad.<ref name="jweekly.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.jweekly.com/2019/01/20/jews-of-color-on-what-mlk-day-means-to-them-in-2019/|work=Jewish News of Northern California|title=Jews of color on what MLK Day means to them in 2019|author1=JTA|first2=Ben|last2=Sales|first3=Josefin|last3=Dolsten|date=20 January 2019 |access-date=2019-10-07}}</ref> Rothstein is married to the actress and filmmaker Leah Gottfried, known for the successful webseries ''Soon By You''.<ref name="nytimes.com" /><ref name="Jewish Week">{{cite web|url=https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/how-soon-by-you-became-now-by-them/|title=How Soon By You Became Now By Them|work=New York Jewish Week|date=15 February 2019 }}</ref><ref name="OZY">{{cite web|url=https://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/the-filmmaker-creating-friends-for-modern-orthodox-jews/95440|title=The Filmmaker Creating Friends For Modern Orthodox Jews|work=Ozy.com|date=18 July 2019 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rothstein, Isaiah}} Category:African-American rabbis Category:21st-century African-American clergy Category:African-American non-fiction writers Category:Jewish American non-fiction writers Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:American Orthodox rabbis Category:Writers from Englewood, New Jersey Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:People from Monsey, New York Category:Writers from Greenwich, Connecticut Category:20th-century American rabbis Category:21st-century American rabbis Category:20th-century African-American people Category:21st-century American male writers