Celebrating 50 Years of Presidential History

By President Emily Jennewein

Rabbi Berk and Ron Simon watch
Joan Jacobs light Shabbat candles.

It was an enormous thrill to welcome 17 of Beth Israel’s 18 living past presidents and their families for Shabbat last month as part of the 150th anniversary celebration.

Two presidents were from the 1960s: Bob Epsten in 1962, at age 37, was the youngest person to be elected president. Bob grew up hearing stories about his grandfather, who was Beth Israel’s sixth president. Seymour Rabin presided over the merger of Beth Israel with Temple Solel at a time when Beth Israel had a building but no rabbi, and Temple Solel had a rabbi but no building. We missed seeing Gerald Kobernick, during whose presidency the temple outgrew the sanctuary for High Holy Days and moved services to the Civic Theatre.

Seymour Rabin and family

Three presidents were from the 1970s: Fred Weitzen founded the Century Club, our enhanced-dues program that enables Beth Israel to welcome everyone who wants to be a member regardless of the their ability to pay full dues; Joan Jacobs was Beth Israel’s first woman president; and Jim Milch helped buy back our original synagogue and donate it to the City of San Diego so it could be restored and preserved.

The Berton family

Three presidents from the 1980s included: Bob Berton, who chaired the land acquisition committee that found our current location; Si Coleman, who cultivated the first major gift to Beth Israel’s endowment; and Pat Perlman, who was president when the congregation purchased land in Rancho Santa Fe for a satellite site, though that land was later sold.

Betty Byrnes, Emily Jennewein,
Rabbi Michael Satz

Presidents of the 1990s included: Betty Byrnes, who introduced Beth Israel’s Minyan service; Mary Ann Scher, who presided over the departure of Rabbis Sternfield and Coskey and recruited Rabbi Jonathan Stein; Jerry Rosen, who helped raise the funds and design our magnificent campus; and Allan Ziman, who as president oversaw construction of our campus. As the chairs of this special evening to honor our past presidents, Jerry and Allan led a comedic review of the congregation’s history.

Jerry & Linda Goldberg

The five most recent Past Presidents are the ones whose leadership I have experienced and whose excellent examples I am trying to emulate: Jerry Goldberg presided over opening of our magnificent campus; Jeff Silberman oversaw a period of financial stability; and Barbara Haworth led the congregation through a period of change and guided us to Shalom Bayit, peace in the house, which we enjoy to this day.  Amy Corton led the successful transition of Rabbi Michael Berk and Executive Director Lesley Mills; and Immediate Past President Ron Simon presided over the renewal of Rabbi Berk’s contract and developed two significant gifts to initiate our endowment campaign.



The evening’s speaker, Rabbi Lennard Thal, gave a sermon about effective lay leadership and effectuating change in the synagogue.