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.
K-12 Learning At Temple Beth Shalom
Mayim Tamid Schedule
Calendar
Follows the Needham Public Schools calendar for opening day, closing day, school closure days, and school vacation weeks.
Follows the year-round TBS Children's Center calendar for closures on Jewish holidays and professional development days, with three additional closures for K-12 professional development.
Optional programming available on some federal holidays, as well as February and April school vacation weeks.
Weekly Schedule
Open Monday through Friday
Children may enroll for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days per week
Hours
2:45 pm - 5:30 pm (Monday-Friday)
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm (Monday-Thursday) - optional extended day “moadon” (lounge)
12:15 pm - 3:00 pm (Wednesday) - extended programming on NPS early release days
Sample Daily Schedule
3:00 pm Buses arrive from Broadmeadow, Eliot, Mitchell, and Sunita Williams
3:00 pm Flex Time (choice time, playground, homework)
3:20 pm Bus arrives from Newman
3:30 pm Kibbud (Snack) and Community Building
4:00 pm Hafsakah (Recess) or Explorations (Jewish Learning)
5:00 pm T’filah (Prayer & Song)
5:30 pm Optional Moadon (lounge) with flexible pick-up
*We ask that children stay until 5:30 pm at least one day per week and a second day until 5:00 pm in order to get the full learning experience. For additional days, 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm, and 5:30 pm pick-up is available. Transportation from Needham Public schools is included in the tuition. Early Release days, Moadon extended care and Vacation day coverage is available at an additional cost.
Fridays
Fridays in Mayim Tamid include additional weekly rituals. Each child has an opportunity to braid an individual challah to be baked at TBS and taken home at dismissal. Friday kibbud (snack) includes a fresh challah roll and grape juice. During Friday T’filah, the children participate in lighting Shabbat candles and in Kiddush, and Shabbat music is included.
The Mayim Tamid children enjoy the special atmosphere of Fridays at TBS. Attending on Fridays allows them to be a part of real-time celebration of one of the most cherished holidays of the Jewish year.
Early Release Day Programming
Mayim Tamid offers additional coverage on Needham Public Schools Early Release Days (Wednesdays 13x/year). Enrichment programming includes a variety of choices that resemble camp activities, such as visual arts, dance and movement, sports, and music, as well as special theme days throughout the year. Optional pizza lunch is available for those who sign up.