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- Hebrew Name: אבי ברמן
- String Ratio: Raavad Ratio
- Tying Method: Vilna Gaon (GR”A) Method
- How We Know: Saw in Person
- Date Born: February 18, 1970
- Location Born: Queens, NY
- Current Location: New York
Type of wearer: Gvir, Kiruv Rabbi, Mashpia, Rabbi
Affiliation: Dati Leumi, Modern Orthodox
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Eretz Yisrael from age nine—first in Kedumim, then Ma’ale Adumim and Har Nof—Rabbi Avi Berman carries both an American spark and an Israeli grit into his work. He went through high school at Ohr Etzion’s Hesder Yeshiva in Shilo, served in the IDF, and then stayed on for four years of semicha study back at Yeshivat Shilo under the tutelage of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu .
After semicha, his talents in youth engagement were already well known: Rabbi Berman led Bnei Akiva’s post‑high‑school Midrash Torah & Avodah program, even making fundraising trips to South Africa and Australia that filled every spot, mazal tov but no small feat .
In 2001 he was tapped to head NCSY Vancouver, where his “powerhouse” approach grew a local chapter of 30 into a regional force of 500 – spanning Seattle, Portland, Edmonton, and Calgary. His knack for blending fiery lomdus with genuine warmth left teens saying, “Nu, I really feel at home here” .
When OU Israel called in 2006, his first day on the job coincided with the outbreak of hostilities in Lebanon. Without missing a beat, he mobilized staff and nearly 900 volunteers to deliver supplies up north and created a safe haven at the Israel Center for families fleeing rockets .
Building on that momentum, Rabbi Berman spearheaded Makom BaLev—OU’s growing youth network across Israel—and launched the Jack E. Gindi Oraita clubs for at‑risk teens, giving them a place to hang out, learn Torah, and set life goals. His motto? “No one’s left on the sidelines,” even if it means inviting bachurim over for pool, pizza, and a chavruta session .
Those who’ve joined his Shabbos table in Vancouver or at home in Givat Ze’ev speak of his legendary hospitality: 20–30 teens, singing zemirot, genuine chit‑chat, and a menu that could rival any kiddush spread. He’s as quick to drop a Yiddish quip—“A bissel ruach never hurt anybody”—as he is to dive into a sugya .
Today, as Executive Director of OU Israel, Rabbi Berman lives with his wife Pnina and their nine children, balancing the chaos of home life with a steady pulse on Israel’s spiritual needs. Whether it’s a quick “nu?” in shiur or shepherding aliyah‑driven programs, he keeps it real—stern when necessary, menschlich always .
