About Rabbi Barry Schlesinger from Torat Hayim Herzliya:

Rav Barry began life on a path very different from both the rabbinate and the Conservative Movement. He grew up in a modern Orthodox family in Englewood, NJ, moved to Israel in 1972 and studied social work at Bar Ilan University. Newly graduated, he and his wife Shira settled in Tzfat until 1987 where he was Director of Project Renewal and Director of the Sector Community Center in Tzfat’s Cana’an Neighborhood. He served in the IDF between 1978-1981.

Years later, Rabbi Schlesinger became director of the Moross Community Center in the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem. In 1993 he enrolled in the Schechter Institute’s MA program in informal education. This experience led him ultimately to the Schechter Rabbinical School where he received S’micha in 2001.

Since 2001, he has served as Rabbi of Kehilot in Jerusalem, Teaneck NJ, Ottawa and Philadelphia. He also served two terms as President of the Israeli Rabbinical Assembly of Masorti Rabbis.  In August 2017, Rav Barry and Shira joined Kehilat Torat Hayyim.

They are the parents of six children and as of now, have nine grandchildren, “Kein Yirbu”.