Har Zion

Ritual Director, Joshua Perlmuter

Joshua Perlmuter has been the Ritual Director of Har Zion Temple since 1993. In his position, he performs a variety of functions, including the training of B'nai Mitzvah, adult education, and supervising the daily minyan and kashruth. Joshua oversees the preparation of 400 meals per week for Kosher Meals on Wheels and the David Neuman Senior Center.

Joshua was awarded with the "Ateret Kavod" award from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in 2000, the "Ot Shin" award from The Jewish Theological Seminary in 2003, and "Man of the Year" award from the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs in 2004.

A native of Rio de Janiro, Brazil, Joshua received an intensive Jewish education before moving to the United States when he was 15 where he continued his studies at Yeshivot in New York and Cleveland. He eventually returned to Rio to study at the Faculdade de Filosofia do Rio de Janeiro, and for 13 years Joshua taught Jewish studies and was the principal at various Jewish day schools and high schools. He was the head of the B'nai Akiva movement in Rio, spiritual leader of the Jewish community of Recife, and organized youth congregations Tifereth Bachurim throughout the country.

In 1964, Joshua, his wife Frida, and their children went on aliyah to Israel where he became a business executive at the Automotive Industries and was their Claims and Traffic Manager. In 1988, Joshua and Friday came to America and settled in Long Beach, New York, where he served as Executive Director and Ritual Director of Temple Israel.

Joshua and Frida have three children and five grandchildren.

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