Rabbi Dr. Daniel Sperber is a professor of Talmud at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and an expert in classical philology, history of Jewish customs, Jewish art history, Jewish education and Talmudic studies.
Sperber was born on November 4, 1940 in Gwrych Castle, Wales. He studied for rabbinical ordination at Yeshivat Kol Torah in Israel, earned a doctorate from University College, London in the departments of Ancient History and Hebrew Studies. He is currently Professor of Talmud at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and serves as Rabbi of The Menachem Zion Synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Sperber's publication record in Jewish studies includes Minhagei Yisrael: Origins and History on the character and evolution of Jewish customs. He won the Israel Prize in 1992. His studies include examination of halakhic and minhagic foundations of the role of women in Judaism. He has been a participant in conferences of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance and written extensively on the topic of inclusion of women in certain ritual services.
He is married to Phyllis (Chana) Magnus, originally of Highland Park, Illinois. The two have ten children and live in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.