Emanuel “Manny” Perlman
PERFORMING ARTIST, CLERIC, and INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE.
Emanuel “Manny” Perlman is a lyric tenor, composer, lecturer, recording artist, therapist, cleric, and ambassador for world peace. He has showcased his talent with musical concerts throughout the world.
Emanuel earned a bachelor’s degree (concentration in music and voice) from Rhode Island College (1976) and a master’s degree in psychiatric social work (1988) from Yeshiva University. He also attended the Cantors Institute at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He received a doctorate in music honoris causa (2013), from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.
Emanuel has completed advanced studies at Oxford University Said Business School’s Executive Leadership Program, Oxford University Department of Continuing Education course on Effective Leadership through Emotional Intelligence, Harvard University Business School’s Sustainable Business Strategy, Cambridge Institute for Continuing Education in International Studies including Challenges to the Global Order, International Human Rights: War, Conflict and the Responsibility to Protect, The Psychology and Neuroeconomics of Decision Making, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Geneva based Human Rights Council Certificate Training Program.
He is the founder and CEO of Destination Peace International Inc. (Destinationpeace.org) The organization’s mission is to create harmony throughout the world using the universal language of music and a peace curriculum to transcend differences in religious affiliation and in culture to resolve conflict and bring people together. In 2020, Emanuel co-hosted an Hour of Peace in collaboration with the Foundation for the Support of the United Nations.
In partnership with John Kiehl (co-founder and co-owner of the award-winning Soundtrack Studios) and Professor William Riley (eminent voice coach to prominent celebrity entertainers), Emanuel created the Construct Institute. The latter is a think tank, composed of an interdisciplinary group of distinguished professionals (including physicians, educators, philosophers, authors, mathematicians, neuroscientists, clergy, and entertainers) whose common focus is to improve the wellbeing of present and future generations.
In 2006, Manny lectured on the Aleppo Codex at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. In February 2007 and in February 2009, he was co-leader of missions for the Jewish communities throughout Cuba.
In 2010, Manny performed an original show entitled “A life of coincidences” at the Players Club in New York City. Also in 2010, he sang at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for the National Day of Remembrance ceremony sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Later that year, Manny performed in a concert held at the oldest Catholic Cathedral in the United States.
Two of the highlights of Manny Perlman’s half century career took place in 2013. These were performances to dedicate the Jewish chaplain’s memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and to achieve an inter-religious concert at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
Manny has performed lectures and concerts (2015, 2017, 2019) in Windsor Castle at Vicar Hall. He was a featured artist in Liverpool, England at St. George’s Hall. Additionally, he performed at the United Nations.
In recognition for Manny’s public service to his home community of Pikesville, Maryland, he was presented with their volunteer of the year award.
On June 3, 2018, Manny was honored with a concert to mark his retirement from the congregation in Baltimore that he served for more than two decades. The concert, entitled “Peter, Paul, and Manny” featured Peter Yarrow and a video tribute by Paul Stookey (the other remaining member of the Peter, Paul, and Mary trio). Manny continues to serve the congregation as Cantor Emeritus.
In addition to civic, musical, and clerical activities, Manny functioned as a psychiatric social worker, field instructor, social work supervisor, and team coordinator at the Long Island Jewish Hillside Hospital in Queens, N.Y.
Manny served on the Advisory Board of the UCSD Social Impact and Innovation and has participated several times during their annual themed humanitarian global conferences. He is on the Board of Directors for Pharmacy Ethics, Education and Resources (PEER) which educates health care professionals on ethics to improve patient safety.
Manny has four recordings including Generations: Father and Son, Face to Face, Spiritual Ambrosia (Arabesque, NYC) and Destination Peace (Cala-Signum Records, Britain).
Manny and his wife, Janice, have celebrated 45 wedding anniversaries. They are proud parents of Steven (Deborah), Benjamin (Bethany), and Marc. They also are adoring grandparents of Abner, Muriel, Maximilian, and Julius.
