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Clergy : Rabbi Jay C. Perlman

Rabbi Jay Perlman is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth Shalom. Since his arrival in Needham in the summer of 2003, Rabbi Perlman has been dedicated to serving the Beth Shalom community in a way that nurtures a warm, vibrant, spiritually meaningful congregational experience for all who experience it. He shares this wonderful work with many outstanding lay and professional leaders.

In addition, Rabbi Perlman has been active in both the Needham and the Greater Boston Jewish community. He currently serves on the New England Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League. He and his family dedicate two weeks each summer to serving as faculty at Camp Eisner - the Reform Movement’s overnight summer camp in the Berkshires. 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. Rabbi Perlman is a regular teacher for the Union for Reform Judaism’s “Taste of Judaism” and “Introduction to Judaism” classes. He also serves on the Rabbinic Advisory Committee for the World Union for Progressive Judaism’s “Saltz International Education Center” in Jerusalem and on the Rashi (the Reform Movement’s Day School in Boston) Rabbinic Advisory Committee. Rabbi Perlman is an active member of the Needham Clergy Association – embracing as many opportunities as possible to participate in our Needham community and to foster interfaith dialogue, discussion and exploration. As well, Rabbi Perlman is a member of the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention.

Before coming to the Boston area, Rabbi Perlman served as Associate Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis, where he was awarded UJA Federation’s Rabbinic Award for outstanding community leadership. While at Shaare Emeth, Rabbi Perlman was active in the development of innovative worship experiences, in creative youth programming, and in working with the St. Louis Jewish deaf community. In addition, for several years Rabbi Perlman served as 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.

Originally from Boston, Rabbi Perlman is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Brandeis University, where he received his B.A. in both History and Near East and Judaic Studies. As well, Rabbi Perlman has participated in numerous study programs in Israel, including the “Pardes Institute,” a study program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and the World Zionist Organization’s “Machon” Program.

Rabbi Perlman has a passion for teaching and exploring the beauty of our Jewish tradition with all who are willing to share. His wife, Emily, is a St. Louis native and a wonderful music teacher. Together, they love spending time with their beautiful children, Liana and Jonah.

Clergy : Rabbi Todd A. Markley

Rabbi Todd Markley joined Temple Beth Shalom in the summer of 2006 as our first Assistant Rabbi. He recently completed his studies at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, receiving a Master of Arts in Jewish Education in addition to his rabbinical ordination. A native of Connecticut, Rabbi Markley was an active youth leader in the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) before attending Tufts University. He has outstanding teaching skills and has worked with students of all ages. He also has extensive experience in Jewish youth work and Jewish camping.

Rabbi Markley shares in the spiritual leadership of Temple Beth Shalom by participating in worship, by officiating at life cycle ceremonies, and through his pastoral presence. While he serves as rabbi to all segments of the congregation, he focuses specifically on Temple Beth Shalom's post-Bar and Bat Mitzvah programs for teens, our Triple Chai group for congregants age 54 and above and on outreach to interfaith families.

Rabbi Markley is married to Michele, a native of Lexington who works as a third and fourth grade special education teacher in Belmont. Together they form a family with their daughter, Mia Paige.

Clergy : Rabbi Michele E. Lenke – Renaissance Rabbi-Educator

Rabbi Michele Lenke joined the Temple Beth Shalom team in 2005. She is our Renaissance Rabbi Educator and coordinates our B'nei Mitzvah program for both young adults and older adults. Rabbi Lenke also works with all of our Torah readers throughout the year and is often referred to as our "Torah Quarterback". She is a key teacher in our adult learning community and a member of our senior staff. Rabbi Lenke is also the chair of our Keshet team, working to ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Jews as well as their families are fully welcomed and included in all parts of the Jewish community.

Rabbi Lenke is a past co-president of the Women's Rabbinic Network, the international organization of Reform Women Rabbis. She has also been very involved not only in the Temple Beth Shalom Sisterhood, but in the regional activities of the Women of Reform Judaism, often serving as their scholar in residence. For the last several years she has chaired the BARR Beit Din, which oversees many of the conversions in the Greater Boston area. She has been involved in a number of organizations including but not limited to ARZA, the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the Needham Clergy Association. Rabbi Lenke is also involved as a CCAR/HUC mentor to 5th year rabbinic students and newly ordained colleagues.

Rabbi Lenke was ordained from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1996 and has served the Jewish community of Greater Boston ever since. Rabbi Lenke was the first Assistant Rabbi at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA, and the Senior Rabbi of Temple Chayai Shalom in Easton, MA. Originally from California, Rabbi Lenke graduated with honors from Brandeis University and has also studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Andover Newton Theological School.

Temple Beth Shalom is very pleased that Rabbi Lenke will be enlarging her role and valued contributions within the community.

Clergy : Rabbi Emeritus Rifat Sonsino

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph. D. was the Rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom from 1980 until his retirement in 2003. Born in Turkey, he obtained his law degree from the University of Istanbul (1959), his rabbinic education from the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati (1966) and his Ph. D. in Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies from the University of Pennsylvania (1975). He also received an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in 1991.

Before coming to Needham, he served congregations in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as well as Philadelphia and Chicago.

He has authored a number of books and articles and has chaired various committees both regionally and nationally.

Rabbi and Ines Sonsino have two children: Daniel Sonsino and his wife, Gabriela, and Deborah Sonsino and her husband, Ran Seri. They are also the proud grandparents of Ariella and Dalia Sonsino, and Avi and Talya Seri.

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