Meet Rabbi Berman
Rabbi Berman is a beloved leader in our congregation. He leads with a compelling vision for modern Jewish life and he models the values and spirit of Reyim: he is warm, humble, passionate, and compassionate. One benefit of being a more intimate congregation of 200 families is the opportunity for Rabbi Berman to truly know you and your family and for you to be able to say: this is My Rabbi.
We feel fortunate to have Rabbi Berman to guide us with sincerity and joy, wise and accessible teaching, and support for those experiencing illness, grief, or personal and family challenges.
Please reach out to Rabbi Berman for spiritual and emotional guidance and counseling, to ask any questions you are wrestling with, and to learn about Jewish text, history, spirituality, thought and practice. Rabbi Berman can be a critical resource in supporting your and your family’s mental health needs. All conversations are confidential.
In his own words:
I grew up in a small town outside Portland, Maine. My parents moved there in the 1960s to help establish a new residential treatment center for children with significant emotional and behavioral challenges.
As one of a small group of Jewish families in the area, Jewish community was a central part of my identity. My maternal grandparents moved to Palestine in the 1930’s, where they raised my mother and her brother through the founding of the state of Israel. They lost most of their family in the Shoah. My father’s family were Russian immigrants who fled to the U.S. Growing up in a close-knit family meant I absorbed – in all its wonder and sadness – all of these influences.
My approach to Jewish life has been shaped by our ancient textual tradition and the many generations of creative, imaginative and sometimes mischievous interpretation, from classic midrash to early Hasidism. My starting point as rabbi is you – wherever you are at this moment. The privilege of my work is to meet you there.
As a community of friends at Reyim, our central focus is the comfort, love, support and friendship our members offer one another during important moments in their lives. I also believe that modern Jewish life calls on us to see ourselves as one part of a much larger whole; to find connections with the broader community; form mission-aligned, generative partnerships; and actively respond with concern and care when we witness suffering around us.
I received my B.A in Jewish History from Columbia University under the guidance of Professors Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi and Michael Stanislawski. I spent several years in Israel, including at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I received my J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and practiced as a trial attorney for several years at Mintz Levin in Boston, including representing individuals and families seeking asylum.
I received my rabbinic ordination in 2010 from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College and came to Reyim as rabbi in 2013.
My wife Sarah and our children Elie and Mica inspire and humble me with their gifts of wisdom, resilience, artistry and imagination.
Come visit for Shabbat, holidays, programs and events, or just come in for a conversation. You and your family are always welcome here.
