Our People

RALPH BENMERGUI

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALEPH CANADA

Ralph is a certified Spiritual Director having taken the three year Hashpa’ah (Spiritual Direction) program through ALEPH AOP. Born in Morocco, and raised in Toronto Ralph currently lives in Hamilton Ontario.With a varied career as an award-winning broadcaster, Spiritual. Director and author, Ralph has also served as an advisor to Party Leaders, Cabinet Ministers and a College President. Passionate about Jewish Renewal and excited to raise awareness for, and the dissemination of Renewal and the spiritual innovation that so many are yearning for, Ralph is ready to dive deep into conversations and mine the wisdom of Renewal leaders in Canada.

 

RAbbi Sherril Gilbert
FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Aleph Canada

  • Rabbinic ordination: Mesifta Adas Wolkowisk, Queens, NY (2017)

  • Spiritual Director ordination: ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal (2012)

  • Rabbinic Chaplain ordination: ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal (2009)

  • Davennen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI 2002)

  • Spiritual director in private practice

  • Member, Montreal Board of Rabbis

  • Past-president, Christian Jewish Dialogue of Montreal (2019 - 2023)

  • Board member, OHALAH Association of Rabbis and Cantors for Jewish Renewal (2019 - present)

  • Va’ad Member; Co-Director and Director of Studies, Rabbinic Pastor Program, ALEPH Ordination Program, ALEPH (2023)

  • Lecturer and Content Specialist in Special Care Counseling, Champlain College, 2012 - present (St. Lambert, Quebec)

  • Passport to Jewish Life Fellow, Federation CJA, Montreal QC (2020-2023)

  • Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator (2023)

RAbbi Daniel Siegel
Rabbinic Director, Aleph canada
Founding Director, Integral Halachah Institute

  • Director of Spiritual Resources for ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal

  • First person to receive semicha/rabbinic ordination (1974) from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi as rabbi and colleague

  • Received an additional level of ordination (2003) as a Dayan/Adjudicator from Reb Zalman

  • BA from Rutgers University, MA from Temple University

  • Father of three sons, grandfather to two girls

  • Currently lives on Hornby Island, British Columbia, serving as president of the Hornby Island Residents and Ratepayers Association and past chair of the Hornby Island Community Economic Enhancement Corporation

  • Tends a garden

For more on Reb Daniel, click here.

Contact Reb Daniel: hornbyrav@gmail.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

KEVIN MCINTYRE

Kevin McIntyre is a cantorial student in the ALEPH Ordination Program, anticipating ordination in 2026. He currently serves as Baal Korei at Congregation Etz Chayim in Winnipeg. His training includes intensive study with ALEPH's Davening Leadership Training Institute, a fellowship with Hadar and classes at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Kevin is a longtime musician and performer, having sung with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony and the AJU Choir, and has appeared in numerous musical theatre productions and film/TV roles. Kevin is also a professional photographer and bagpiper, bringing a unique blend of creativity to all his pursuits.


JOSHUA ALI

DEVORAH LESK

RABBI JEREMY PARNES

Rabbi Jeremy Parnes was born in London England in 1952 and has spent the last 48 years of his life in Canada and the last 40 years as a resident of Regina Saskatchewan. He has enjoyed three career choices. Originally, he specialized in community development and working primarily for a non-profit housing association in Inner-City London England. Subsequently, he has been involved in sales management and training in ethical sales. Twenty-seven years ago he became the spiritual leader of the Beth Jacob Synagogue and in January 2012 received Smicha from ALEPH Ordination Program both as a Renewal Rabbi and Mashpia Ruchani and Spiritual Director. He is a member of the Regina Multi-faith Forum, and has been active on the boards of Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and the Inner- City Community Partnership. He currently serves as chair of Regina Prison Chaplains Advisory Committee and has served as chair on a number of City of Regina committees relating to low cost and social housing. He also previously served as Chair of the Board of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. He and his life-partner Chris have a blended family of four wonderful children and seven beautiful grandchildren.

RABBI AARON ROTENBERG

Rabbi Aaron Rotenberg is the Director of Multigenerational Engagement at Congregation Darchei Noam in Toronto and served for the last seven years as Spiritual Leader at Annex Shul in downtown Toronto. Reb Aaron is also a co-founder and spiritual leader at HaSadeh: Toronto Jewish Renewal. A recently ordained rabbi through ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal, he is also a graduate of ALEPH's Earth-Based Judaism Program. After growing up in Thornhill, Reb Aaron completed a joint BA at the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University and an MFA at York University in Film Production. He has studied at Midreshet Ein Prat in Israel and at Yeshivat Hadar in New York. Reb Aaron currently lives with his wife Jenny in a co-owned, shared house in midtown Toronto and enjoys developing photographs in the darkroom, teaching Torah, fermenting foods and building a vibrant Jewish community.

 View our Ha'Sadeh card here: https://hasadeh.carrd.co/

RABBI ARIK LABOWITZ

Rabbi Arik Labowitz serves as the spiritual leader of Or Shalom. A second-generation Jewish Renewal rabbi, Arik grew up immersed in the spirit of this movement and shared a close relationship with Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l, the visionary founder of Jewish Renewal. With an awareness of the changing world around us, Rabbi Arik strives to hear and share the voice of Torah as it speaks to the present moment. His work is centered on creating spaces of connection, creativity, and spiritual growth—where ancient wisdom meets the needs of today.

 

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