CLAL Faculty
Rabbi Sigal Brier
Rabbi Sigal Brier brings the sacred into everything she does. From her
groundbreaking work in Integrated Judaism, combining Jewish wisdom with the
rituals and observances of other traditions, to her teaching of kabbalah and
mysticism, to her workshops and CD’s on meditation and healing ─ she brings
a holistic approach to her teaching and practice.
As the Director of Rabbis Without Borders for CLAL-The National Jewish
Center for Learning and Leadership, she trains rabbis and rabbinical
students to broaden their reach and draw on wisdom in Judaism in innovative
ways. The program is designed to build creative, inclusive communities
engaged in the issues pertinent to contemporary American Jewish life, while
making the gifts of Jewish wisdom available to the wider world.
“My work is about helping people connect their inner and outer worlds and
nurturing them on that journey,” says Brier. “Helping people increase their
awareness and integrate all aspects of their lives to encourage greater
authenticity, personal effectiveness and fulfillment is the goal. I am
looking forward to sharing this approach with religious leaders, with the
hope that it will aid them in bringing a renewed mission for Jewish wisdom.”
A Reconstructionist rabbi with an M.A. in Jewish Studies from the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and an M.A. in Psychology from West
Chester University, Brier is used to challenging the status quo. A pulpit
rabbi for close to a decade, she was an organizational psychologist for the
City of Philadelphia, a hospital chaplain, and a school director and
teacher. An accomplished musician and singer, Brier has recorded several
CD’s, and through her spiritual work, has become a popular speaker at
numerous seminars and institutions including the Eastern Psychology
Association Conference, Association for Women in Psychology Conference, the
Kripalu Center, the School of Sacred Ministries, Temple University, and
Gratz High School.
Winner of the Becker award for original Hebrew writing on the subject of the
Kabbalah, and the Berger Prize for excellence in congregational work, she
has written for a variety of publications including the Journal of
Counseling and Development, and the Journal of Loss and Trauma on such
issues as creating community in the workplace and difficulties in students’
adjustment in the transition into college.
A former participant in the prestigious CLAL Rabbinic Internship program,
she is the founder of Integrated Judaism And Integrated Practice: The art of
moving through prayer.
Email: sbrier@clal.org
