Rabbi David Basior is a Seattle-based rabbi, musician, and community organizer. As a Jewish member of the clergy trained in the Reconstructionist tradition, he has long served as the leader of the Kadima Reconstructionist Community in Seattle. His career is dedicated to building a vibrant spiritual home within the framework of Judaism for those who feel marginalized in mainstream religious spaces, including queer, trans, and multiracial Jews.
Basior is renowned for his promotion of “cross-border organizing.” During his leadership at Kadima, he transformed the community into an activist hub centered on anti-racism and economic justice. Beyond his pastoral role, he is an accomplished Jewish liturgical musician who uses the composition and teaching of Hebrew hymns (Nigunim) to turn music into a tool for communal healing and political mobilization. He has helped launch numerous aid projects for the unhoused and successfully fostered deep cooperation within Seattle’s interfaith coalitions regarding labor rights protections.
Rabbi Basior is a steadfast leader in the anti-occupation movement within the American Jewish community, currently serving as a member of the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Rabbinical Council and as one of the core initiators of Rabbis for Ceasefire. He publicly challenges traditional Zionist narratives, advocating for the decoupling of Jewish ethical values from nationalist territorial ambitions. In a highly influential sermon, he noted: “Our faith demands that we do not stand idly by while our neighbor’s blood is shed; when we speak of the ‘oneness of humanity,’ it must include the freedom and dignity of Palestinians.” He has frequently organized prayer-protests in Seattle and Washington D.C. addressing the crisis in Gaza, calling for an end to U.S. weapon shipments to the region.