Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard is the spiritual leader of Jewish Vegan Life Los Angeles and is a member of the JVL LA Council. After 25 years at Adat Ari El, Rabbi Jonathan stepped away from the pulpit to explore new and meaningful ways of contributing to Jewish life and the broader community.

His work has increasingly focused on the connections between Judaism, compassion, and our responsibility toward other living beings. He has worked in Jewish animal advocacy, co-founded the Valley Chevra Kadisha, advocated for bringing green burial practices to the Jewish community, and trained as a death doula. In June 2025, he became the rabbi of Temple Shalom of the South Bay.

Rabbi Jonathan brings a deep commitment to exploring how Jewish values can guide the way we care for one another, animals, and the world around us. Through Jewish Vegan Life, he helps create spaces where people can explore these connections through Jewish learning, community, and compassionate living.

Jonathan and his wife, Laurie, live in the San Fernando Valley with their three grown sons, two goofy dogs, and five noisy chickens. While he doesn’t eat the eggs, he very much enjoys taking care of the ladies.