Privacy Policy
Effective date: September 23, 2026
This policy covers the Rabbi Stein halacha hotline (325-HALACHA / +1 325-425-2242, by SMS and WhatsApp), the website rabbistein.com, and The Rabbi Stein App for iPhone and Android. We keep things simple: we collect the minimum needed to answer your questions and to run the app, and we never sell or share your information for marketing.
1. The Rabbi Stein App
What the app collects
- A push-notification token (an anonymous device identifier issued by Apple or Google) and your device type (iPhone or Android) and app version, only if you turn on the daily halacha notification. This is used solely to deliver that notification.
- Your notification preference (on or off).
What the app does not collect
- No account, sign-in, name, email, or phone number. The app does not ask for any of these.
- No location, contacts, photos, or advertising identifiers.
- No analytics or tracking of what you read in the app.
Content you read in the app
The questions and answers, halacha sheets, and book pages shown in the app are general reference material prepared by Rabbi Stein. Reading them does not send us any information about you. Downloaded pages are stored on your device so they can be read offline; you can clear them from the app's About screen.
Messaging the rabbi from the app
The "Ask the Rabbi" button opens your phone's own Messages or WhatsApp app to text the hotline. Those messages are covered by the hotline section below, and by Apple's, Google's, or WhatsApp's own privacy policies for the messaging app you use.
Service providers used by the app
- Expo (Expo.dev) — delivers push notifications to your device.
- Cloudinary — hosts the images of sheets and book pages.
- YouTube — the Shiurim section plays videos from YouTube; YouTube's privacy policy applies while you watch.
- Neon and Twilio — host the app's content and the hotline's systems.
These providers process data only to operate the service and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.
Stopping notifications and deleting app data
Turn off the daily notification in the app, or in your phone's notification settings; your device token is then no longer used, and tokens that stop working are deleted automatically. Deleting the app removes all locally stored content. To have any remaining server-side device record deleted, email info@rabbistein.com.
2. The halacha hotline (SMS and WhatsApp)
Information we collect
- Your phone number and the messages you send, so a rabbi can answer you.
- Any photos you choose to send with a question.
How we use it
- To answer your questions and follow up when needed.
- To improve the hotline's automated responses. Some questions and their approved answers may be kept, with all identifying details removed, as general reference material.
SMS terms
By texting the hotline you consent to receive replies by SMS or WhatsApp. Message frequency varies; message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out at any time and HELP for assistance.
Sensitive questions
Questions on personal or family matters are handled by a rabbi and are not used as reference material. Please do not include other people's personal information in your questions.
3. Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or share personal information with third parties for marketing or advertising. Information is shared only with the service providers named above, strictly to operate the service, or where required by law.
4. Children
The app and hotline are intended for adults and for families; they are not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
5. Security and retention
We use reasonable technical safeguards to protect information. Hotline conversations are retained to allow follow-up and to improve answers; you may ask us to delete yours at any time.
6. Your choices and rights
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by emailing info@rabbistein.com. We will respond within a reasonable time.
7. Changes
If this policy changes, the new version will be posted at this address with an updated effective date.
8. Contact
Rabbi Stein Halacha Hotline
Email: info@rabbistein.com
Text: +1 325-425-2242