[1] A native of southern California, Shifren grew up in the San Fernando Valley, where he learned to surf as a youth.
He began his path to religiosity when he met an Australian rabbi who liked to bodysurf and performed sacraments at the beach.
[citation needed] Shifren received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California of Santa Barbara in Spanish and German Literature.
He attended Toras Chayim Yeshiva in Jerusalem and Yeshivat Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar Chabad, Israel, where in 1990 he was ordained to the rabbinate.
[3] Rabbi Shifren has been described as a counter-jihadist,[4] and has links with similar groups in Europe, notably the English Defence League (EDL).
"[8] In November 2017, following an incident in which right-wing protesters were blocked from entering Chicano Park by community activists, Shifren spoke at a San Diego City Council meeting, accusing the city council of ignoring the protesters' statements because they were white.
He has written two books, Surfing Rabbi: A Kabbalistic Quest for Soul and Kill Your Teacher: Corruption And Racism in Los Angeles City Schools.