R' Dr. Joshua Stampfer

Rabbi Stampfer was born in Jerusalem, Israel in 1921. At the age of two he and his family moved to the U.S. where his father served as a rabbi in communities throughout the Midwest. He graduated from the University of Chicago, received his M.S. from the University of Akron, his M.H.L. from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and his D.H.L. from the University of Judaism. He received an honorary doctorate from Pacific University in 1987.

In 1983, Rabbi Stampfer was one of the earliest visitors to Kaifeng, China, meeting with members of the ancient Jewish community there. Following his return, he helped to create the Sino-Judaic Institute and became its first vice president. After frequent visits to the community of secret Jews of Belmonte, Portugal, Rabbi Stampfer edited a history of the community, “The Last Crypto Jews of Portugal.”

He has developed major conferences under the auspices of the Institute for Judaic Studies, including Sephardic History and Culture, the Vienna of Freud and Herzl, the Teachings of Abraham Joshua Heschel, Interfaith Conference on Biblical Studies, From Powerlessness to Power – Israel and Japan – 1948-1988, as well as a number of single lectures in Judaica.

Rabbi Stampfer and his wife Goldie have five children and 19 grandchildren.

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