Steven Blane

Steven Blane is an American rabbi, cantor and recording singer-songwriter.

Rabbi Blane, a Universalist rabbi and cantor, conducts his teaching and pastoral work online. He is the founder and dean of the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute, an online, one-year rabbinical school, and founder and spiritual leader of Sim Shalom Synagogue, an interactive Universalist cyber-synagogue that offers live weeknight and Shabbat synagogue services to an international community via computer hookup.

In addition to his work as a rabbi and cantor, Blane is a recording artist singer-songwriter. He writes and performs in the Americana/Folk/Rock genres. He sings, plays guitar, piano and ukulele.

Biography

Blane was raised in an Orthodox family in Jersey City, New Jersey. He attended elementary and junior high school at the Yeshiva of Hudson County and had an Orthodox bar mitzvah. He attended the Rogosin Yeshiva High School run by the Lubavitch movement in Jersey City. He earned a B.A. in music education from Jersey City State College.

After graduation he worked as an actor and singer on and off-Broadway. He wrote and produced Benjamin Poe, a 1981 off-off-Broadway musical thriller. He also co-founded Blane & DeRosa Productions and also produced children's book recordings and audiobooks for the Scholastic Corporation, Random House and other publishers.

Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute

Blane founded the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute in New York City in 2010. The rabbinical program for Jewish Professionals is student-driven, with Blane serving as moderator for student online chats. Students meet each other in person for the first time at their ordination. as well as a former Catholic from Brazil.

As of November 2016, Blane has ordained a total of 112 rabbis, including 2 cantors. The platform offers an interactive chat feature that allows participants from around the globe to converse in real time with the rabbi(s) and each other during services. The Synagogue's siddurim (prayerbooks) and prayers are transliterated into English.

The UJUC Union of Jewish Universalist Communities adheres and promotes the understanding to live one's faith guided by a love of Jewish tradition.

Positions

Blane supports the traditional brit milah (ritual circumcision) ceremony, but advocates the brit shalom, as an acceptable non-invasive naming ceremony for Jewish male infants.

Blane is listed as the officiating rabbi at various types of wedding ceremonies, including interfaith weddings between Jews and Christians.

Personal life

Blane had previously lived in Haworth, New Jersey and lives with his wife and children in Manhattan. He plays piano and guitar.