Lisa Barrett comes from Manchester, growing up at Menorah Synagogue, where she taught at Cheder as a teenager, was active in Totem, the RSY youth group, and later returned as Head of Cheder. Lisa enjoyed successful careers in teaching Secondary School English and English as a Foreign Language, taking her to Paris, Tokyo and Tel-Aviv; in Complementary Therapy, working with cancer patients and bereaved carers; and in Jewish Education, teaching at North Cheshire Jewish Primary School and JCOSS.

She made Aliyah in 1995, and spent 9 years living in Israel over the course of two decades, spending 3 years at Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, and 5 years teaching at the Tabeetha School in Jaffa.

In her 40s Lisa headed to Rabbinical School, studying for three years at Hebrew College in Boston and completing her studies at Leo Baeck College in London.

Since ordination in 2011 Lisa has served a number of small communities, was Assistant Rabbi at Hendon Reform, and served as Senior Rabbi at SWESRS, South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue from 2016 to 2021.

Most recently, after returning to Manchester, Lisa served Jackson’s Row, Manchester Reform Synagogue, and continues to lead services for Blackpool Reform.

Rabbi Lisa joined BPS in January 2025 as our new part-time Rabbi.