Clergy

RABBI ALAN BERLIN

Rabbi Alan Berlin began serving Congregation B’nai Harim in July, 2024. In addition to his role as our congregation’s rabbi, he is also the Director of Search services for the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He joined the CCAR staff in 2022 following 25 years of working in three URJ congregations. He served as Executive Director of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio (2009–2022). Before moving to Texas, he served at Temple Solel in Paradise Valley, AZ (1997–2008). He joined the Phoenix area congregation first as Assistant Rabbi, then Associate Rabbi, and was ultimately named Senior Rabbi of that synagogue upon his predecessor’s retirement. He also served for a year as the interim rabbi of Northshore Jewish Congregation in Mandeville, LA (2008–2009).

Rabbi Berlin earned a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Illinois, where he also minored in Hebrew. He also studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He was ordained at the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 1997. He lives in Bucks County where his wife, Cantor Julie Berlin, serves as the cantor at Shir Ami in Newtown.

Rabbi Emeriti Peg Kershenbaum 

From 2008-2024, Rabbi Peg embodied the very essence of spiritual leadership. Leading us in Shabbat, festivals and holidays, celebrating our simchas.

At B’nai Harim she conducted interactive, multi-access religious services, provides spiritual guidance and celebrates lifecycle rituals for the congregation and the community. She has officiated at weddings, baby-namings, b’nai mitzvah, funerals and unveilings.

Rabbi Peg will continue monthly Women’s Torah Study classes (no Hebrew needed), and Biblical Hebrew.