Barry Mael serves as the senior director, synagogue affiliations & operations. He joined the staff of USCJ in 2002 as the New Jersey Regional Director. He joined the international staff in 2006 as the overall Director of regions. Barry has also been involved in development, marketing, program development, service delivery, and staff leadership for two biennial conventions. His current role includes dues collection and working with our close to 550 affiliated USCJ synagogues in alternative dues models, operations, budgeting, financial sustainability, and resource development.

Additionally, Barry is the organization’s point person on security partnering with SCN. He staffs the operational effectiveness and dues committees and has recently been responsible for developing the distinguished legacy synagogue project and the Digital Marketplace. He is also on the faculty for Sulam for Presidents and Sulam for Officers, hosting many webinars and publishing several articles and survey reports.

Barry is originally from Brookline, MA, where he graduated from Maimonides Day School. He went on to get a degree in economics from Yeshiva University and a master’s of social work in group work from Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Before joining USCJ, Barry was the executive director of the Marlboro Jewish Center, Marlboro, NJ, and spent 15 years in the JCC world, including positions in Brookline, MA, St Paul, MN, and the Bronx, NYC. 

In his free time, Barry is a major Boston sports fan. He has coached basketball at the middle school, high school, and Maccabi levels, and he loves managing fantasy teams and reading thrillers. He lives with his wife Diane in Highland Park, NJ.