Amy Perlin

Amy Perlin is a trailblazing figure in American Judaism, notable for her pioneering achievements as a female rabbi. Her academic journey began at Princeton University, where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Near Eastern Studies in 1978. She furthered her education at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), earning a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters in 1980 and receiving ordination in 1982.

Perlin's most significant contribution to the Jewish community came in 1986, when she founded Temple B'nai Shalom in Fairfax Station, Virginia, becoming the first female rabbi in the United States to establish her own congregation. She served as the founding rabbi of this institution, leaving a lasting impact on the community. Her dedication to her faith and her work was recognized with a Doctor of Divinity degree from HUC-JIR in 2007, a testament to her commitment to Jewish scholarship and leadership.