Rabbi Mark Perman is excited to be joining B’nai Abraham as both rabbi and cantor. Most recently he served B’er Chayim Temple in Cumberland in a similar capacity and was also a chaplain at UPMC Western Maryland as well as for the federal prison in Cumberland.
Mark entered the cantorial program at Hebrew Union College-JIR in 1993 following his experience for three years at an upper west side New York City congregation that he found inspiring as well as spiritual.
Prior to deciding to study for the cantorate Rabbi Mark was involved in the broadcast world as well as theater having been on Broadway twice as a child performer before he was 12.
Mark has served congregations as cantor in New Jersey, Atlanta, Connecticut, and most recently Cumberland where he first had the opportunity to serve as both rabbi and cantor. While Mark received his ordination as cantor from Hebrew Union College School of Sacred Music in 1997 he also received rabbinic ordination from The Rabbinical Academy under the direction of Rabbi Charles Agin in 2013.
Mark is looking forward to getting to know everyone and to working with the executive board and the board of trustees to create a vision for the congregation that is steeped in spiritual growth, Jewish education (for all ages), and community involvement. One of the rabbi’s goals is to help nurture a congregation toward becoming vibrant, spiritual and that evolves with the active participation of all of its officers and congregants. One area that Mark has much experience in is music and he looks forward to working with David to make music a more integral part of what B’nai Abraham does both on the bimah and in the classroom.
The synagogue is historically referred to as Beit Midrash (house of study), Beit Knesset (house of gathering) and Beit T’fila (house of prayer). It is Rabbi Mark’s goal to be there for the congregation on all of those levels and to be a place where people of all ages, Jewish backgrounds, orientations, and interests can find a spiritual home.