A supportive community of rabbis in the Greater Philadelphia area
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We represent a diverse community with one ultimate goal…
Contribute to a strong, vibrant, and diverse Jewish community in Philadelphia.
Our Mission
Build meaningful relationships among our diverse community of local rabbis
Inspire local rabbis to be stronger and more effective communal leaders
Infuse rabbinic perspectives into community conversations by collaborating with local organizations
Support Philadelphia’s multi-faith and inter-faith communities by providing insightful Jewish perspectives
Professional Staff
Valarie Hurwitz
Administrator
Valarie Hurwitz held the role of Executive Director of Beth Tikvah B’nai Jeshurun. She has been involved with BTBJ for more than 48 years, starting as the first preschool teacher in 1976. As the preschool and synagogue grew and flourished, so did Valarie’s responsibilities. She became Preschool Director and Synagogue Administrator in 1983 and went on to launch and manage the Extended Care Hours Program, Kindergarten and Camp programs. In 2007, as a result of the synagogue’s growth, she assumed the position of full-time Executive Director. Valarie retired in June 2024 and still maintains her passion for BTBJ and preschool as a mentor, consultant and guest presenter.
Valarie received her BS in Education from Temple University and her MS in Elementary Education from Pennsylvania State University. Val is a proud mother of two sons and a grandmother of four children and young adults.
Valarie is honored to serve as Administrator of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia.
Executive Committee Officers
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David Levin - President
Rabbi David Levin is the director of the Jewish Relationships Initiative, helping seekers of meaning with connections to others and understanding end-of-life challenges.
He is also a community activist, working with the JCRC of the Jewish Federation on several projects, including the New Golden Age, a Black-Jewish Alliance. Rabbi Levin serves on the Regional Council of the New Israel Fund, and the Hillel Board at Temple University.
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Lance Sussman - Vice President
Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, Ph.D., is Rabbi Emeritus of Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel and the immediate past Chair of the Board of Governors of Gratz College. Currently, he also serves as a Vice President of the Board of Rabbis of Philadelphia, Vice President of the North American Board of Rabbis, and Senior Scholar of Roots of Reform Judaism.
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Rabbi Eric Mollo-Treasurer
Eric Mollo is the Associate Rabbi at Main Line Reform Temple Beth Elohim in Wynnewood. He is the co-chair of RAC-PA, the Pennsylvania branch of the Religious Action center of Reform Judaism based in Washington D.C., and serves on the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia. Rabbi Mollo was ordained by HUC-JIR and earned his BAs from Penn State University.
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Erica Steelman - Vice President
Rabbi Erica Steelman is Staff Chaplain at the Horsham Center for Jewish Life in North Wales, PA. She is also the founder and director of the Center’s LGBTQ Initiative and Task Force. She lives in Philadelphia, PA.
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Beth Janus - Ex Officio Past President
Rabbi Beth Janus is a community rabbi working as a chaplain at Lafayette Redeemer. She also teaches and officiates at life cycle events. Rabbi Janus was ordained at Hebrew Union College in NYC. She loves showing people how Judaism is meaningful, relevant, and joyful. She is passionate about bringing Judaism's wisdom to the healing of our fractious world.
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David Ackerman - Ex Officio Past President
Rabbi David Ackerman has served as Beth Am Israel’s rabbi since 2009. He is on the board of the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at Penn and the editorial committee of the Conservative Movement’s prayer book, Siddur Lev Shalem. Rabbi Ackerman is a chair of the Ethics Committee of Jewish Family and Children’s Services. He is motivated by the principles of community organizing and our tradition’s call to repair the world.
Executive Committee Members At-Large
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Rabbi Peter Rigler
Rabbi Peter Rigler has had the privilege of serving the Temple Sholom family for the past 18 years. Ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 2002, he previously served as Associate Rabbi at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel.
Raised in the Reform Movement and deeply shaped by Jewish camp, Rabbi Rigler is passionate about creating a community where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and inspired. He brings warmth, humor, and authenticity to his teaching and leadership and believes Judaism is most meaningful when it helps us build relationships, ask important questions, celebrate life’s joys, and support one another through its challenges.
Rabbi Rigler has completed fellowships with 18Doors, the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and the STAR Peer program, as well as leadership training through Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He serves in leadership roles with several Jewish and interfaith organizations throughout the Philadelphia area.
He and his wife, Rabbi Stacy Rigler, have three children who have grown up as part of the Temple Sholom community. He is grateful every day for the privilege of helping Temple Sholom remain a vibrant and welcoming Jewish home for all generations.
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Dasi Fruchter
Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter is the founder and spiritual leader of the South Philadelphia Shtiebel, a modern orthodox community in South Philadelphia. Rabbanit Fruchter was ordained in 2016 by Yeshivat Maharat.
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Kevin Kleinman
Rabbi Kleinman was ordained by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2009 and served as the Associate Rabbi for Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, PA before beginning his tenure at MLRT in 2016.
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Rabbi Bonder
Bonder became Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Or in July 2024. Previously, he served as the congregation's Associate Rabbi for 6 years starting in June 2018. Prior to his move to Beth Or, he served as the Assistant Rabbi/Educator at Temple Emanuel of Tempe, in Tempe, Arizona. Rabbi Bonder is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA. He earned his Master's Degree from the Graduate School of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and his Bachelor's Degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Rabbi Bonder loves to teach and taught in many places during rabbinical school, including Gratz College Hebrew High School Program and also Congregation Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley. Rabbi Bonder currently serves on the CCAR's Israel Rabbinic Cabinet.
Rabbi Bonder is married to Rina Lebovitz, and they have two young children, Mark and Sophie.
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Rabbi Nathan Martin
Rabbi Nathan Martin is a graduate from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC). He currently serves as the Senior Rabbi at Beth Israel, and has been serving the community since 2017. Before coming to Beth Israel, Rabbi Nathan worked as an Assistant Director of the University of Michigan Hillel (2006-10), and also served as the Director of Student Life at RRC (2010-17).
Rabbi Nathan brings a passion to his work for creating spirit-filled, caring communities that are also dedicated to the important work of repairing the world and healing our planet. In the area of religious environmental leadership he completed 2-year training with Greenfaith and recently completed six years of Board Service fo Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light, a statewide interfaith environmental organization. Rabbi Nathan also completed a two-year training in Jewish mindfulness practice with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS). In his learning and teaching he particularly finds himself drawn to the ways in which our spiritually oriented texts in our tradition can help inform and guide our practice as Jews today.
Rabbi Nathan is also a proud parent of two children, Hadassah and Yehuda, a committed hiker, and an aspiring gardener. And he is lucky to be partnered with Abby Weinberg, herself a Jewish professional working for the Germantown Jewish Center.
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Rabbi Elyssa Cherney
Rabbi Elyssa Cherney is the founder and CEO of Tacklingtorah: people's search for everyday holiness. Rabbi Cherney strives to make life's ordinary moments into extraordinary ones. She creates ways to connect Jews and those who love them by helping people think differently about what role Judaism can play in their everyday lives. She has completed several fellowships related to her work as an Entrepreneurial rabbi.When not walking other families through transitional moments, she is pouring her ahavah (heart) into her small humans at home: Ava, Zeke and Levi.
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Rabbi Sandra Rosenthal Berliner
Rabbi Sandra Rosenthal Berliner presently serves as the Rabbi of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim. She has recently served as the Rabbi/chaplain for Federation Housing Inc. independent senior living apartments and Klein Life Senior Adult Department in Philadelphia. Her position at Federation Housing also included service coordination for Federation Housing residents and is certified as a Certified Elder Service Coordinator from Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority and Indiana University, Indiana, PA.
She also participates on the Spiritual Care Coalition of the Philadelphia Corporation on Aging and has been presenter at several of their Clergy Conferences. In addition, Rabbi Berliner is a member of the Cultural Diversity Commission of the Pennsylvania Department on aging. Rabbi Berliner directed Yedid Nefesh, the Jewish Hospice Program of Philadelphia for 12 years, as well as serving Congregation Temple Menorah-Keneseth Chai in Northeast Philadelphia.
She is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College where she received her Rabbinical Ordination and Masters of Hebrew Letters degree. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from RRC.
Rabbi Berliner received a Masters degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and her Bachelor degree in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Rabbi Berliner is certified as a Jewish Chaplain by the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and is a past-President and founding member of that organization. She continues to be active and is a member of the Certification Commission of NAJC.
She is married to Roy Berliner and has 3 sons, 2 daughters-in-law , and two grandsons.
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Rabbi Deborah Glanzberg-Krainin
Rabbi Deborah Glanzberg-Krainin has served as Chief Program and Strategy Officer at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and as Vice President for Community Engagement at Reconstructing Judaism. She was ordained at RRC. She is a Certified Career Services Provider with credentials from the National Career Development Association and a background as a Rabbi and Ph.D.
Images on this website are by the following: Yael Pachino Photography, Susan Pardys, and Rivkah Walton. Headshots for staff, board members, and featured presenters are provided by other sources.
