Darren Kleinberg is the Founding Director and lead educator of Valley Beit Midrash (VBM), a collaborative organization that brings new, exciting, and relevant Jewish programming to the Greater Phoenix Jewish community in a diverse, welcoming, engaging, and pluralistic setting.
Darren graduated from rabbinical school in 2005, received his Masters in religious studies in 2011 and is a Ph.D. student in the religious studies department at Arizona State University. His research interest relates to the role of pluralism in American Jewish life during the second-half of the 20th century, with an emphasis on the work and thought of Rabbi Dr. Irving “Yitz” Greenberg.
Before directing Valley Beit Midrash, he taught Jewish Studies at the high school level for five years and founded KiDMa – The Southwest Community, the parent organization of VBM. Before arriving in Phoenix in 2005, Darren was instrumental in the establishment of a number of Jewish startup projects, including Minyan SHaCHaR, Tikvat Yisrael, and LimmudNY.
Darren was selected to be a member of the first cohort of Synagogue 3000 fellows as well as the Schusterman Foundation’s Kivun fellowship. From 2005-2007, he was a member of Limdu Heitev, a fellowship convened by Rabbi Dr. Irving “Yitz” Greenberg. He also serves as Vice President of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Phoenix and is a member of the board of the Jewish Community Association of Greater Phoenix.
Darren has been published widely in local and national publications and has appeared on television and radio.
Raised in a secular Jewish home in the United Kingdom, Darren has lived, studied and taught in New York, Gainesville (Florida), Berkeley, Marin County, Toronto, Israel, the UK, Amsterdam, and Uganda. He lives in Phoenix with his wife, Debra, and two daughters, Laila and Talia.
Contact Darren and Valley Beit Midrash using our Contact Form.
