Rabbi Mayer I. Perelmuter D.Min., D.D.

Rabbi Mayer I Perelmuter, a native of Chicago, has been the Rabbi of the Reform Temple of Forest Hills since 1977.  Rabbi Perelmuter places a high value on learning, enhancing spirituality, building community and performing acts of loving kindness.  By his own actions, he inspires congregants to live, learn and grow Jewishly.

In addition to his responsibilities at RTFH, Rabbi is an adjunct professor at St. John’s University, where he teaches one undergraduate class per semester.  In the fall, Rabbi teaches Introduction to Judaism and Contemporary Judaism in the spring.  He enjoys being on a college campus and appreciates the opportunity to present Judaism in a positive way. 

Rabbi Perelmuter is one of three founders of the Queens Interfaith Network  The network ties together local houses of worship to engage in a yearly Thanksgiving service and ongoing social action projects such as collecting relief funds for disasters or building for Habitat for Humanity.

Rabbi’s community work extends to the Jewish Board of Family Services, the Central Queens Y and the Queens Jewish Community Council.  He serves on the board of the latter two of these. He is also a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and has served as a First Vice President of the New York Association of Reform Rabbis and on the Board of the CCAR. 

Rabbi has a strong interest in pastoral care and has earned a Doctor of Ministry from Hebrew Union College in this area.  He received Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training in hospice centered care, loss and bereavement.  He is well suited to being present and supportive for those facing difficult moments.  He has also earned a Doctor of Divinity from HUC-JIR.

During the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Rabbi served on the Red Cross Spiritual Care unit, comprised of about 100 chaplains.  The unit worked around the clock from September until May 2002, serving in the respite center for rescue workers, the family assistance center and the morgue.  Rabbi Perelmuter was recognized as a Chaplain of the Year for his work in the months following the 9/11 attacks.

As an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, Rabbi Perelmuter studied ancient near eastern history and Semitic languages.  He received his rabbinic ordination from the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College and studied in London at the Leo Baeck Seminary for Liberal Judaism.

After earning a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois, Rabbi made aliyah.  While living in Israel, Rabbi Perelmuter worked with new immigrants and in a pediatric unit connected with Hadassah Hospital.  He also served for three years as the Rabbi of a congregation in Ramat Gan.  Rabbi’s tenure in Ramat Gan overlapped with the Yom Kippur War and the congregation lost six of its sons during the war.  This experience drew Rabbi closer to Israel and his love and support for Israel continues to permeate his life and work.

Rabbi and his wife, Debby, have three children.  Debby serves as a First Vice President of the Jewish Child Care Association.  They like to travel and spend time with family and friends.  Rabbi appreciates great food paired with fine wine and swims on a regular basis to help balance these appreciations.  Rabbi and Debby enjoy attending the theater, musical performances of all kinds and the ballet.