Clergy
Shalom Kantor (rabskantor@bnaimoshe.org) assumed the position of Rabbi effective July 1, 2016. Rabbi Kantor came to B'nai Moshe after serving in various roles in the Miami community, including Spiritual Care Chaplain with TrustBridge Health, Director of Jewish Life at Lehrman Community Day School, and a Rabbinic Fellow at Congregation Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus.
Rabbi Kantor brings a wealth of experience and innovative ideas to our congregation. He has dedicated his professional life to building strong Jewish community through education, personal connection, and caring. He has a B.A. in History with a minor in Religion from Willamette University, and an M.A. in Rabbinic Studies from the American Jewish University, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. Rabbi Kantor also received a certification in Shechitah while living in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Kantor, his wife, Shana, and their three children, Noam, Rena, and Ari relocated to Michigan from Miami and enjoy exploring all the beauty Michigan has to offer.
Elliot Pachter (rabepach@bnaimoshe.org) became our Rabbi in 1992 and is now our Rabbi Emeritus. During Rabbi Pachter’s 24 years as our Spiritual Leader, our membership grew and our building expanded to include a school wing and chapel. Rabbi Pachter guided us through the creation and development of our education programs for children and adults. As Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Pachter will continue to be a member of our clergy team, participating in Shabbat, holiday and weekday services, at life cycle events, and as a teacher.
Rabbi Pachter is the Rabbinic Advisor at the Frankel Jewish Academy, a private Jewish High School located at the Jewish Community Center. He is a past president of the Michigan Board of Rabbis and the Michigan Region of the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly.
Rabbi Pachter is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, a graduate of the University of Michigan (B.A. in Hebrew language, 1981) and the Jewish Theological Seminary (M.A. and Rabbinic Ordination, 1987). In 2015 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He and his wife, Dr. Naomi Weckstein, are the parents of Gabriel and Jonathan (Natalie).
Dr. Earl G. Berris (cantorb@bnaimoshe.org), a native of Detroit, assumed the Cantorial Pulpit in August of 1997 and was named Cantor Emeritus in 2020.
Cantor Berris was ordained by the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1976. He is a past president of the Michigan Board of Cantors, the Cantors Council of Detroit, the Tri-state Regional Chairman of the Cantors Assembly and a past member of the executive council of the Cantors Assembly.
He is a marriage and family therapist, a Registered Music Therapist and a member of the American Association for Counseling and Development. Cantor Berris has earned B.A.s in both Sacred Music and Music Therapy and a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from Wayne State University and received a Doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Cantor Berris is married to Ilana and they are the parents of Doron (Daniel) Vergun and Leore (Dylan) Grushoff and grandparents of Gershon and Eliezer Vergun.