Marc Lerner

Just before the Mi Chamocha, our prayerbook provides an insightful piece of text that sums up our purpose and guides our journey at Congregation Beth Israel: there is no way to get from here to there except by joining hands, marching together. Just as our ancestors marched from centuries of slavery to new lives of freedom holding hands and marching as one community, so too do we link up and move forward into our future.

As the oldest congregation in Phoenix, founded in 1920, we have been deeply committed to the Jewish journey for over 90 years. I am proud to be the next link in this long chain and I am humbled to stand in the place so many inspired leaders have stood before me. As a community we are committed to honoring our heritage and legacy while embracing meaningful and innovative ways to ensure Judaism continues to thrive in a fast paced, modern world. We understand where we have been and we are passionate about where we are going.

Both our rich history and the hope for our bright future are bound by a common guiding value: community. It has been our community's commitment that brought us to where we are today and it will be our community's continued dedication that will propel us, together, into the future. I am excited to welcome you to Congregation Beth Israel and I ask that you take a moment at services, or any other program where you see me, to stop me, introduce yourself to me, and most importantly, help me embrace the richness of every part of our community.

In a world rife with uncertainty, I am confident that we have a bright future at Congregation Beth Israel.  I look forward to carrying the torch that I have been handed but I know, in no uncertain terms, that there is no way to get from here to there except by joining hands and marching together.

I extend my hand to you and ask you to join us as we continue our Jewish journey together.

B'Shalom,

Marc L. Lerner
President, Congregation Beth Israel