Bari Erber: From Successful Children’s Accessories Designer to Jewish Advocate Running for World Zionist Congress

If you shop at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, or Harrods, you’ve likely seen Bari Erber’s products. Her product line, Bari Lynn, consists of fashion-forward headbands, bags, hats, jewelry, and sunglasses for babies and girls.

When Bari isn’t creating beautiful accessories, she’s proudly advocating for the Jewish people. As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, she learned about resilience from a young age.

“My grandmother, a survivor, came here with nothing,” Bari told Aish.com. “She taught us the value and the importance of bearing in mind that we are Jewish. Even when we get knocked down, we will always get back up, and we will be stronger together.”

For her advocacy in the Jewish community – including being vocally Jewish to her 92,000+ Instagram followers, visiting the White House for Holocaust Remembrance Day, and giving back to Israel in its time of need – she is now running for the World Zionist Congress on the Aish Ha’Am slate.

“I’m running on this slate because I feel that there is so much more that we can give,” she said. “I want to train the future leaders and empower people not to be introverted, but to spread their Judaism, showing that Judaism is something that defines us and gives us the power to have a voice.”

Bringing Holiness to Nova

Bari was always a publicly proud Jew, but since October 7, she has only amped up her activism and dedication to her people. After the Nova massacre, she and her husband brought holiness to the festival site.

Dani and Bari Erber on the rooftop of Aish

“We have tents there, and we are constantly writing Torah scrolls for Nova survivors, hostages, and people who were killed on October 7,” she said. “We want to bring them some kedusha, some holiness. Any time you visit there, you can write these Torah scrolls, and it could bring you a little closer to your Judaism. This is something we’re very proud of.”

Bari has also been running clothing drives and donating Bari Lynn items to displaced Israelis, as well as families that are struggling mentally or financially.

“We are committed to doing this long term,” she said.

The entrepreneur’s dedication to her faith informs her volunteer work, whether she’s doing it at the Nova site or at home.

“Judaism is who I am,” Bari said. “It plays a role in everything I do, whether it's making decisions for me, for my community, or for myself. I’m really trying to be a positive influence and spread light.”

Encouraging Her Fellow Jews to Step Up

Bari believes that right now the Jewish community’s most pressing issues are complacency and not using our voices to speak up.

“There are people who are hiding and hoping this is going to go away,” she said. “Having been raised with a post-Holocaust survivor mentality, I learned that ugliness always shows its head. It’s how we deal with it that matters… We need to show that we're not going away, and we never will go away.”

The incredible Erber family

Bari believes teaching future generations about Jewish values and wisdom combats the rising hate.

“The Jewish people need a voice. We’re here to stay, and we need to stick together and grow and become stronger together.”

By running on the Aish Ha’Am slate, Bari strives to spread her message of strength and foster unity between different types of Jews.

“What is unique about people [on the slate] is that it’s such a diverse group,” she said. “The common thread amongst all of us is that no matter what our background is, we have a love for the Jewish people and homeland. There is power in the voice we have collectively… We are going to make the Jewish people and Am Yisrael stronger.”

She continued, “This slate is so special, and I feel so fortunate to be part of this and part of Aish. I really have that fire burning inside of me, and hopefully I can ignite it in someone else.”