Daniel Sayani

Rabbi Daniel Sayani was not raised Jewish. As an adult, he found his way to Judaism because he liked the learning, the community, and the sense of purpose it gave him. He is now the rabbi of Clearview Jewish Center in Whitestone, Queens, thirteen years after he converted. He is known for taking Jewish law seriously and caring deeply about people and their daily lives.

Rabbi Sayani was ordained as a rabbi in April 2018 by Yeshivas Ohr Kedoshim d'Biala in Boro Park. This yeshiva is part of the friendly and welcoming Biala Hasidic community. Their emphasis on recognizing the positive attributes in every individual has profoundly influenced his teaching, leadership, and interactions with diverse populations.

He went to Jerusalem to keep studying. He got his degree in Judaic Studies from Yeshivas Bircas haTorah in 2023, after many years of hard work and testing in Talmud and Jewish thought. That same year, he got more rabbinical training from Machon Smicha, where he learned more about Jewish law, especially the laws about keeping kosher and Shabbat. Leading rabbis, like HaRav Chaim Finkelstein of Yeshiva L'Rabbonus in Pretoria, South Africa, gave him permission to be ordained.

Rabbi Sayani has been in charge of Clearview Jewish Center since August 2021. The shul was started by Holocaust survivors in 1952. Queens has seen big changes in its population, and the community is dealing with the problems that come with having older members. With his help, the synagogue became fully Orthodox, putting in a mechitza and taking down the microphone, but still making sure that people felt welcome and supported. He has also used tools like Zoom to help more people learn and stay in touch, especially seniors and busy families who can't always come in person.

He teaches regular classes, like Torah Studies through the Jewish Learning Institute, and people say he makes old texts feel real and important. He combines classic Jewish texts with literature, news stories, and real-life questions to make learning feel both deep and down-to-earth.