Rabbi Jay Perlman
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Rabbi Jay Perlman is a Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth Shalom. Since his arrival in Needham in the summer of 2003, Rabbi Perlman has been dedicated to nurturing a warm, vibrant, spiritually meaningful community. He is proud to share in this sacred service with many outstanding clergy, professional, and lay leaders.
Rabbi Perlman is active in both the Needham and the Greater Boston Jewish community. He is an active member of the Needham Clergy Association, including having recently served as president. He currently serves on the New England Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League. He frequently dedicates two weeks during summer to serve on the faculty at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Eisner. Rabbi Perlman has served as a rabbinic mentor for both the Hebrew College Rabbinic Program and the rabbinical school at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He is a regular teacher for the URJ’s “Taste of Judaism” and “Introduction to Judaism” programs and is a member of the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention.
Before coming to the Boston area, Rabbi Perlman served at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis, MO. While there, he was awarded UJA Federation’s Rabbinic Award for outstanding community leadership. Rabbi Perlman was active in the development of innovative worship experiences, creative youth programming, and in working with the St. Louis Jewish deaf community. In addition, Rabbi Perlman was the founding Rabbinic Director of the Fleischer Jewish Healing Center of St. Louis.
Rabbi Perlman was ordained from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1996. While at HUC, he was the recipient of a number of academic awards, including his selection as a Steinhardt Scholar for his work in informal education.
Rabbi Perlman is originally from the Boston area. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Brandeis University, where he received his B.A. in both History and Near East and Judaic Studies. Rabbi Perlman has participated in numerous study opportunities in Israel, including programs at the Hartman Institute, the Conservative Yeshiva, the Pardes Institute, Hebrew University, and through the World Zionist Organization.
Rabbi Perlman has a passion for teaching, learning, building bridges, and sharing the beauty of our Jewish tradition. He joyfully shares his life with his wife, Emily, and their children Liana and Jonah.
Temple Beth Shalom's Elementary Learning Program
Curriculum Overview
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Kindergarten
In kindergarten, students explore the big question, “What does it mean that I am Jewish?,” focusing on four central themes throughout the year: our TBS Makom (home), Torah, God, and their Jewish Shem (Name). This year is filled with Torah and sanctuary visits, asking big questions and using big imaginations to think about God, and getting to know the objects and people that make TBS our special Jewish home. In partnership with our families, students complete a Shem project, which culminates in the Simchat Shemot, a community-wide celebration of names.
First Grade
This year, as a continuation of exploring “What does it mean that I am Jewish?,” students spend the year learning about Z’manim (Times), and the cycles of Jewish time that we observe and celebrate. In addition to our weekly celebrations of Shabbat and yearly holiday celebrations, students learn about our connection to Israel and how many of our rituals are connected to the land there.
Second Grade
Focusing on “What does it mean that I am part of the Jewish family?,” second graders learn stories of the Great Torah Family, beginning with Abraham and Sarah as the first Jewish people and continuing through the story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. These stories are shared by Jewish people throughout time and across the world, and also are ours to share, interpret and tell to each other.
Third Grade
Continuing to think about “What does it mean that I am part of the Jewish family?,” this year explores the Wisdom of our Ancestors, with the central text: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? (Pirkei Avot 1:14) Our Jewish values come from our shared Jewish ancestors, who encourage us to be for ourselves, be for others, and act now.
Fourth Grade
In exploring “What does it mean that I am part of the Jewish people?,” fourth graders learn stories of Jewish History, beginning with the stories of Abraham and Sarah and continuing through today, as we are also part of the Jewish people and story. These adventures across time and space open a window into where our families, rituals, stories and symbols come from and enable us to learn about ourselves and our present.
Fifth Grade
In fifth grade, students continue the exploration of “What does it mean that I am part of the Jewish people?,” with two central themes: our prayer liturgy and the Jewish value of tzedakah (justice). The text of our siddur gives us shared language and imagery that are jumping off points for experience, conversation, and interpretation. Shared Jewish experience also calls on us to act to make the world a more just and kind place, which guides our fifth grade Tzedakah Project.
