Philip Berg

Philip Berg

Philip S. Berg (original name Feivel Gruberger) is an American rabbi and current Dean of the worldwide Kabbalah Centre organization.

Having written a number of books on the subject of Kabbalah, Berg believes that the philosophy should not be taught exclusively to a select few Jewish scholars but become a shared wealth of practical wisdom available to all of humankind.

There is disagreement about whether Berg's teachings, as relayed through the Kabbalah Center, have sufficient grounds and/or genuine authority according to Jewish law, as they include some dogmas and translations differing markedly from those of more-traditional Kabbalists. Some Jewish scholars emphatically reject such teachings, deeming them as foreign to both the Kabbalah in particular and to Judaism in general, while others applaud his populist advocacy.

Following a serious illness, his role has been increasingly fulfilled by his wife Karen Berg along with their sons Yehuda Berg and Michael Berg, co-directors of the Centre.