Make It Personal

He was a retired stand-up comic, comedy writer, and sales guru…  why were his sermons putting the kehillah to sleep?

Daniel Steinberg knew he could hold a crowd, given his background as a retired stand-up comic, comedy writer and sales guru. But when he volunteered to become an interim rabbi of his shul until a replacement was found, he couldn’t believe his sermons put the kehillah to sleep. Until he created an approach that would engage and inspire – which he’s happy to share with anyone who doesn’t want to be used for a nap 

Daniel Steinberg first stepped up to the pulpit in the summer of 2022 as the interim rabbi at Congregation Ahavas Shalom in Columbus, Ohio. The shul had already been through two rabbis in the last 15 years since Rabbi Steinberg had been living in Columbus (where he moved from Palo Alto, California), and while a few individuals in town had the skills to hold the fort as the board searched for a new rav, Rabbi Steinberg’s flexible schedule and background in public speaking made him the ideal pinch hitter.

Daniel was eager to help out, and he embraced the challenge even though he had no aspirations of joining the rabbinate permanently. But, with an ongoing commitment as an adult educator, an outreach professional, a kollel rebbi for several years, as well as several decades of stand-up comedy and a dozen years of experience as a digital marketer under his belt, Daniel Steinberg knew how to attract attention, create interest, and inspire people to take action. In short, he was confident that he possessed the skills to fill in until a permanent replacement was found.

Which made it all the more ironic that his first Shabbos derashah flopped.

“All I knew about engaging people and making an impact with my words went out the window,” Rabbi Steinberg remembers.