Clergy
RABBI PEG KERSHENBAUM
Rabbi Peg’s road to the rabbinate took some detours as that path was not originally open to women. Always interested in religion and ancient languages, she had a career as a teacher of Classical Greek and Latin at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of NY before entering rabbinical school. She joined B’nai Harim in 2008 after ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion, a seminary that embraces all Jewish denominations. There she has served as a board member and continues to teach.
At B’nai Harim she conducts 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. She is happy to work with conversion candidates or any who are interested in learning more about Judaism. When there is a need for support during any lifecycle event, she is open to creating new rituals to help you through joys and sorrows.
Rabbi Peg enjoys teaching and building relationships among participants. She has offered courses on Israel, holds monthly Women’s Torah Study classes (no Hebrew needed), teaches a beginning Biblical Hebrew class weekly and arranges joint programs with other synagogues via Zoom. She has presented programs on Judaism for interfaith groups in the local and wider Poconos communities and has a close relationship with many of the area’s Christian clergy and the Muslim community.
She is often joined at services and events by her husband Aaron, fondly known as “the RebbitSIR”. You will find Aaron at the sanctuary door with a ready smile to hand you a siddur, on the bimah as gabbai (assistant) and especially at the kiddush!
Cantor Lois Kittner
Cantor Lois Kittner(www.TorahLady.com) is a former New York City cabaret performer, who brings her passion for singing, and interpretation of song, to her davening (praying). For over twenty years, “Cantor Lois” has been writing poetry and composing songs for Jewish prayer. Cantor Lois is a proud graduate of The Academy for Jewish Religion, in Yonkers, NY, a pluralistic seminary ordaining Rabbis and Cantors, and she is a board member of The Association of Rabbis and Cantors, and of The Women Cantors’ Network.
Cantor Lois loves coming out to B’nai Harim and loves working with Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum! This year, besides co-leading Shabbat and other services, Cantor Lois is teaching an online class in How to Chant from the Torah, and she has begun working with our developing choir!