Our Leadership
Rabbi Eric M. Berk
Rabbi Berk originally hailed from Dallas TX. He graduated from NYU in 1998 with an MFA in Film and TV production from the Tisch school. He continued his education by earning his masters in Hebrew Studies from UT Austin in 2001 and was ordained as a Rabbi in 2008 by the Hebrew Union College. Along the way he was the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions. Rabbi Berk then took a position as a spiritual counselor and care coordinator for Skirball Hospice in LA while also serving as a part time solo congregational rabbi for Congregation Beth Knesset Bamidbar in Lancaster CA. He realized through this experience that his passion really lay in being an educator along with providing pastoral care and made the move to becoming the full time solo rabbi at Temple B’Nai Shalom in Huntsville AL where he currently serves. Rabbi Berk and his wife Shira, originally from MA, have two adorable poodles. They are looking forward to their move to MA this summer and becoming an integral part of Congregation Sha’aray Shalom.
Cantor Steven Weiss
Cantor Steven Weiss has proudly served as the Cantor and Director of Education at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom in Hingham, Massachusetts for the last 18 years. Cantor Weiss received his master’s degree and Ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion School of Sacred Music in May 1996. He was recently awarded his Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music celebrating his 25 years in the American Cantorate.
Before coming to Congregation Sha’aray Shalom, he served at Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, Georgia for ten years, both as a student and an ordained cantor. Originally from Great Neck, New York, Steven holds a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College where he studied Human Resource Management and Opera Performance.
Cantor Weiss is the Immediate Past President of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC.) In that capacity, he helps lead the professional organization of over 600 Cantors serving congregations throughout North America. He currently oversees the work of Transcontinental Music Publications, the publishing arm of the ACC.
Cantor Weiss is also very involved in the Boston Jewish community and serves as a member and former Chair of the Jewish Services Committee for the Jewish Vocational Services of Greater Boston. He also serves as a member of the faculty for the URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps and recently completed his service as a member of the board. Cantor Weiss and his wife Stephanie Gertz were honored with the Community Service Award from the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts for their impact on the Boston Jewish Community.
The most satisfying part of Cantor Weiss’s life is his family. He is married to Stephanie Gertz, who he met on the Jewish Federations of North America Young Leadership Mission to Israel in the summer of 2005. Together, they are the proud parents of Breanna Julia Weiss, born on December 12, 2008 and Micah Reuben Weiss, born on June 23, 2011.
Rabbi Emerita Shira Joseph
Rabbi Shira H. Joseph has served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Sha'aray Shalom since 2003. From 1994-2003, Rabbi Joseph served as Associate Rabbi at Shir Ami, Newtown, PA. In 2009 Rabbi Joseph served as the President of the Hingham-Hull Religious Leaders. She received the Massachusetts Psychological Humanitarian Award in 2018 and created the Rabbi Shira H. Joseph Holocaust Fund for local school teachers to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. in 2018. She was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity for 25 years of service to the Jewish people from HUC-JIR , 2020.
Rabbi Joseph was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, June, 1995. She received her Masters of Arts in Hebrew Literature from HUC-JIR, May, 1994. She holds a Master of Arts in Secondary Education from Lehigh University, 1979 with a specialty in special needs. Rabbi Joseph also holds a teaching degree in English and is a Reading Specialist.
She and her husband Saul have just celebrated their 43st anniversary. They are the proud parents of three daughters Shayna, 39, Samantha, 37, and Lauren, 34 along with her husband of six years, Roi and two beautiful grandchildren, Matan and Leah.
Ellen Bernstein
Executive Director
Julie Fox
President
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Committee President: Julie Fox
First Vice President: Steven Pohl
Second Vice President: Brenda Elfman
Financial Secretary: Susanna Hunt
Assistant Financial Secretary: Cheryl Schwartz
Treasurer: Rusty Preble
Assistant Treasurer: Martin Israel
Corresponding Secretary: Diane Fischer
Recording Secretary: Cathy Rein
BOARD MEMBERS
Wendy Barrett
Marci Bracken
Brenda Elfman
Diane Fischer
Lisa Flashenburg
Josh Hoch
Harvey Irlen
Michael Katz
Liat Moore-Leibovici
Ben Levin
Deb Newhouse
Nao Rosenberg
Naomi Schwartz
Jay Tolman
Marty Gall “Mens Club”
Lisa Flashenburg “Sisterhood President”
Adam Brodsky “Immediate Past President”