Jerome Cutler

Rabbi Jerome Cutler (aka Jerry Cutler) is an ordained rabbi and the director of the Creative Arts Temple in West Los Angeles, California.

Born in New York City, Cutler is the son of an Orthodox rabbi. He was ordained at the age of 24 and served a Conservative Jewish Reconstructionist congregation in Stamford, Connecticut.

Cutler is an award-winning comedian who used to perform in the Catskills and Atlantic City under the name Jerry Herring. Following his performing years, he worked as a publicist for American International Pictures' beach party films publicizing Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett and others. When one of the actors he managed moved to Los Angeles, he moved too, setting up the Synagogue for the Performing Arts in 1972.

Some of Cutler’s original congregants were Walter Matthau, comedians Jack Carter and Red Buttons. Cutler left the Synagogue for the Performing Arts some eight years later. The Synagogue is now led by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin.

He is father to five daughters: Nina, Myla, Daniella, Chelsea, and Tess.

Cutler was one of the content advisors to the cartoon Bible series, The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible, produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios.

Jerry Cutler began his professional career as a comedian. Using the name Jerry Herring, he entertained primarily in New York's Borscht Circuit and Atlantic City. After majoring in journalism at New York University and receiving his rabbinical degree from the Academy for Higher Jewish Learning, Cutler worked for a few dailies in New York. Following a two-year stint as an associate editor for The Independent Film Journal where he interviewed stars, wrote movie reviews and feature stories, he accepted a position as a publicist for the beach party extravaganzas starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello at American International Pictures. During those years he was also a member of the faculty at NYU. Still harboring a passion for comedy, he became a personal manager of comics. One of his comedians, Stanley Myron Handelman, signed a long-term contract with the Dean Martin Show and he moved to California. Shortly thereafter, Cutler began representing Stiller and Meara, Jackie Vernon, and Slappy White among others. He expanded his operation and Jerry Cutler Enterprises entered the field of Broadway production. His first play, a revival of Room Service starring Ron Leibman and Dick Shawn, gave way to On the Town with Phyllis Newman and Lines starring Richard Dreyfuss.

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