JOLIET, IL, UNITED STATES, June 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Joliet Jewish Congregation of Joliet, Illinois has announced the appointment of Rabbi Brian Serle as its new spiritual leader, ushering in an exciting new chapter for one of the region’s longstanding Jewish communities.
Rabbi Brian Serle brings more than 30 years of experience in Jewish education, congregational leadership, and community engagement to Joliet Jewish Congregation. Ordained by the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI) in 2020, Rabbi Serle has dedicated his career to helping individuals and families deepen their connection to Jewish life through worship, learning, pastoral care, and community building.
Rabbi Serle says, “Rabbi Serle has found that his colleagues at Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute have been a constant source of help and inspiration in his pulpit rabbi career. As he prepares for weddings, for funerals, for b’nei mitzvah, and for divrei Torah each week, he has been able to apply the specific knowledge and skills needed for each situation. I am so grateful for JSLI and our leader Rabbi Steve Blane for their unstinting support and spirituality.”
Before joining Joliet Jewish Congregation, Rabbi Serle served as Director of Education at Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as Rabbi of Congregation Sons of Abraham in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His earlier experience includes nearly fifteen years as a Jewish educator and lay leader at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as serving as spiritual leader of Congregation Beth El in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Known for his engaging teaching style, commitment to lifelong Jewish learning, and inclusive approach to community building, Rabbi Serle has worked extensively with children, adults, interfaith families, and those seeking meaningful Jewish connection. His professional interests include Jewish education, B’nai Mitzvah preparation, lifecycle officiation, pastoral counseling, and helping congregations navigate the opportunities and challenges of contemporary Jewish life.
In addition to his rabbinic leadership, Rabbi Serle is an accomplished orator and musician. His ability to blend scholarship, storytelling, and music has made him a respected and beloved presence in the communities he has served.
“Rabbi Brian Serle entered JSLI with decades of leadership and teaching experience, but what distinguished him is his deep commitment to serving people with wisdom, compassion, and humility,” said Rabbi Steven Blane, Founder and Dean of the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute. “The Joliet Jewish Congregation has gained a thoughtful rabbi, gifted educator, and caring spiritual leader. We are enormously proud of his accomplishments and wish him every success in this exciting new chapter.”
ABOUT JSLI AND SIM SHALOM
Sim Shalom is an interactive online Jewish Universalist synagogue which is liberal in thought and traditional in liturgy. Created in 2009 by Rabbi Steven Blane on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Sim Shalom offers a means of connecting the unconnected. Rabbi Blane and Associate Rabbis lead accessible Shabbat services every Friday night using a virtual interface and additionally Sim Shalom provides online education programs, Jazz concerts, conversion and life-cycle ceremonies along with weeknight services at 7:00PM EST.
Rabbi Blane is also the Founder and Dean of the Jewish Spiritual Leaders’ Institute, the online professional rabbinical program and of the Union of Jewish Universalist Communities, http://www.ujuc.org.
Sim Shalom, a non profit 501 © (3) tax-exempt organization, nurtures a Jewish connection through its mission of innovative services, creative education and dynamic outreach to the global community. For more information visit the website or call 201-338-0165.
Carole Kivett
Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute/Sim Shalom
+1 201-338-0165
email us here
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