Rabbi Gerald “Jerry” Brieger, who strummed his guitar from the pulpit at warm, tuneful Sabbath services, died Sunday. He was 71.
He was the beloved husband of Rita (Freed) Brieger, loving step-father of Marla Horowitz Nutcher(Gerard) and Jonathan Horowitz.
On July 24, 2016, Jerry became a grandfather to Norah and Evan Nutcher. He was the son of the late Eleanor & Arthur Brieger, brother of Steven Brieger(Carol), Uncle of Eva Regan(Brian) and Michael Brieger(Karen), and great-uncle of Ben Brieger, Megan Brieger, and Sam Regan.
Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Emanuel of Orange, Rabbi Brieger served as its spiritual leader from 1977 – 2007. He was also a faculty member at Makom Hebrew High School.
He has been both the chairperson and a member of the Greater New Haven Board of Rabbis, and the president and a board member of Jewish Family Services of New Haven. A New York native, he graduated from City College with a degree in Electrical Engineering, then changed paths and was ordained at Hebrew Union College (HUC) in New York. He then studied Talmud and Rabbinics in a PhD program at HUC in Cincinnati, where he also served as the musical director of Temple Shalom Religious School. In 2001, Rabbi Brieger also earned a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling from HUC and the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health.
For 16 years. Rabbi Brieger was the co-director of the International Torah Corps, a Jewish study camp for high school students in New Hampshire. He also served as a Hebrew instructor for the HUC-JR Cantorial program in New York. For the past year and a half he has resided at Meadow Mills in Hamden, an assisted living home for the memory impaired, where he continued to charm everyone with his beautiful smile, warm heart, and tender soul.
Funeral Services will be held at Temple Emanuel, 150 Derby Ave., Orange, Monday morning at 10:00 o’clock with Interment Services to follow at the Temple Emanuel Cemetery, Ladas Place, Shelton. Memorial Contributions may be sent to Temple Emanuel, 150 Derby Ave., Orange, CT 06477 or to the Jewish Family Service, 1440 Whalley Ave., New Haven, CT 06515. A Period of Mourning will be observed at 41 Bethridge Rd., Bethany on Monday following the funeral until 7p.m., and on Tuesday & Wednesday, 12p.m.-3p.m. & 6p.m.-8p.m.
A Shiva minyan will be held each night at 7 p.m. Funeral Arrangements in care of Robert E. Shure Funeral Home, New Haven. To sign an online registry book or to leave a message of condolence, please visit: www.shurefuneralhome.com
