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Clergy

Clergy

  Rabbi Sandra 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 KleinLife 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. 

Rabbi Berliner has published many articles for the Philadelphia Jewish press and consults on areas of Jewish healing and spirituality, especially as it relates to aging and end of life issues. 

Rabbi Berliner loves singing and has participated in many Jewish Choral programs, including the Old York Road Kehillah Choir, Gratz College Community Choir and Zamir Chorale of Boston. 

She is married to Roy Berliner and has 3 sons, 2 daughters-in-law , and two grandsons.

 

  Rabbi Emeritas Arnold H. Feldman (z"l)

Rabbi Feldman was a driving force in making our synagogue the outstanding Jewish house of worship for the Northeast Philadelphia community.  He guided the growth and expansion of our synagogue center and supervised the building of our entire educational complex.  He held the position of Vice President of the Board of Rabbis of Philadelphia, and was a founder of "The Bridge," a drug rehabilitation center for the youth of our area.

Rabbi Feldman and his wife, Carole, are blessed with four children and nine grandchildren.

 

  Cantor Bernard "Buzzy" Walters

Cantor Bernard Walters has been cantor locally for many years. He serves as Cantor Emeritus at Tiferet Bet Israel in Blue Bell and has served earlier at Beth Tikvah-B'nai Jeshurun in Erdenheim. As a native Pittsburgher, he was trained at the Hillel Academy, the College of Jewish Studies, and studied privately while collaborating on the piano with many cantors, most notably, Cantor Uri Frenkel and Cantor Jacob Barkin. He was also High Holy Day cantor at Congregation Anshe Emeth in Hudson, NY for fourteen years. His secular education at University of Pittsburgh, Columbia University, and Temple University led to a concurrent career as an English teacher, first at Marple Newtown High School and then for forty-four years at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. As cantor, he composed and directed klezmer bands, adult & youth choirs in addition to teaching both children and adults. As teacher, he taught AP English for well over thirty years on Creative Writing and Comic Literature. Presently, he serves as cantor for the Egalitarian Service at Congregations of Shaare Shamayim.

He is married to Ellen Walters, proud father of Lori Rubin (Jon) and Jeffrey Walters (Sara) and proud grandfather of Alex, Abby, Hilary Rubin, and Andrew & Jason Walters. 

Wed, April 30 2025 2 Iyyar 5785