 Stern's background includes surfing, plus a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, a graduate course at the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University), and a Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University.He taught the first course in 'Judaism and Christianity' at Fuller Theological Seminary and at UCLA he was a professor.Stern lives in Jerusalem and, although a wheelchair user, is active in Israel's Messianic Jewish community.