About me
Rabbi Matthew L. Berkowitz is Vice President of The Schechter Institutes and co-founder of Kol Ha-Ot, a Jerusalem-based venture devoted to exploring the arts and Jewish learning. From 2009 until 2023, he served as Director of Israel Programs for The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. For ten years, Matt was the JTS Senior Rabbinic Fellow, organizing substantive adult learning throughout Florida and beyond. He completed his undergraduate work in International Relations and Middle East Studies, summa cum laude, at Colgate University. While in Israel, he studied at Pardes and The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. He was ordained from JTS in 1999, is a Wexner Graduate Fellow alumnus and an alumnus of the Hartman Rabbinic Leadership Institute, Class V.
An accomplished artist, Matt was formally trained in Jewish scribal art in Jerusalem and completed the writing of Megillat Esther, the illumination of several ketubbot, and a limited edition artist portfolio entitled Passover Landscapes: Illuminations on the Exodus which was acquired by Yale University, exhibited at Yeshiva University Museum (April, 2006) and is on permanent exhibit at The Jewish Theological Seminary. The Lovell Haggadah, commissioned by Dedee and Stephen Lovell of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, published in 2008 by The Schechter Institute and Nirtzah Editions, is based on this work. In 2008-2009, he studied illustration and oil painting at The Jerusalem Studio School. He designed a series of mezuzot, tzedakah boxes, sanctuary artwork for the JCC of Harrison New York and a commission in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of SAR Academy.
He is married to Nadia Levene. They live in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem and take great pride in three remarkable Israeli children.
