Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Rabbi David Nathan Saperstein as Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Department of State.

President Obama said, “I am grateful that Rabbi Saperstein has chosen to dedicate his talent to serving the American people at this important time for our country. I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead.”

Saperstein, known by some as “Obama’s rabbi” gave the invocation before Obama’s speech at the Democratic conference and was previously appointed by the president to serve on his Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Initiatives.

Rabbi David Nathan Saperstein is Director and Counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, where he has served since 1974. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches First Amendment Church-State Law and Jewish Law.

Rabbi Saperstein serves on a number of boards, including The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. He was a Member of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships from 2010 to 2011. Rabbi Saperstein was a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom from 1999 to 2001, serving as its first Chair from 1999 to 2000. Rabbi Saperstein received a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.H.L. from Hebrew Union College, and a J.D. from American University.

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