Peter Berg

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Rabbi Peter Berg became the fifth Senior Rabbi of The Temple in July of 2008. He is thrilled to serve this diverse and multi-generational congregation as a spiritual leader. Rabbi Berg is passionate about Jewish learning and meaningful worship, and he is an advocate for social change.

Prior to coming to The Temple, he served as rabbi of Temple Beth Or in Washington Township, New Jersey and as the Associate Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, Texas. Additionally, he served Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, New York as a rabbinic intern and at Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, as its Youth Director.

Rabbi Berg worked for three years with the Union for Reform Judaism as a rabbinic intern with the National Director of Program. In this capacity, he helped to develop innovative programs for our Reform movement and to coordinate worship and special programs for several Biennial conventions. Additionally, for three summers, Rabbi Berg served as the Education Director at URJ Camp Harlam in the Poconos. Rabbi Berg recently completed his term as Chair of the national Program Committee for the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

Over the years, Rabbi Berg has spent a great deal of time working with advocacy groups on issues such as separation of church and state, the death penalty, civil rights, religious freedom, welfare reform, hate crimes, and the environment. He has served on numerous communal and advisory boards, including: the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Mental Health Association, Dallas for Children, the Westwood Area Clergy Association, The New York Service for the Handicapped, and UJA Federation of Dallas and Northern New Jersey.

A native of Ocean Township, New Jersey, Rabbi Berg holds a degree in Education and Human Development, with a focus in human services, counseling, and Judaic Studies, from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He earned his M.A. in Hebrew Literature and his rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and Jerusalem, where he was a Steinhardt Fellow. Rabbi Berg also holds a certificate in Chemical Dependency and Spiritual Counseling and is a trained Disaster, Fire, and Police Chaplain.

Rabbi Berg lives in Atlanta with his wife Karen, a teacher and tutor, and their three children.