Meet Our April Family of the Month: The Lerners

Sami Greenberg (38), Matthew Lerner (36), Blake (6), Josh (1) and Cornellius "Nelly", the dog (8 years old)

We have been members of Beth Sholom since our son began preschool in Fall 2025. We first discovered the community while researching schools for our younger son and were excited to find a program for 18 month old kids that felt like the right fit for our family.

From the very beginning, Beth Sholom has been warm, responsive, and deeply supportive of both of our sons and their individual needs. For our older son, we are grateful to have found a neurodivergent-friendly program where Blake can learn Hebrew each week in a nurturing environment. For our younger son, Josh, we are especially thankful for Dale, Teacher Alicia, and Teacher Teresa, who have gone above and beyond to coordinate his daily therapies during the school day. The staff has made a genuine effort to understand him, learn alongside him, and thoughtfully support his growth.

At home, some of our favorite traditions include singing Modeh Ani in the morning, the Shema at night, and an enthusiastic “Mazel Tov” on birthdays. Our Jewish identity is rooted in learning, questioning, and lively debate, and we feel fortunate to have found a community that values those same qualities.

We are deeply appreciative of the care and intention Beth Sholom brings to welcoming families with special needs. The effort to ensure that everyone feels at home is visible and meaningful.

Looking ahead, we hope to see our Jewish community in San Francisco continue to grow. We want Blake to stay engaged in Moadon and continue learning Hebrew within a supportive, inclusive community throughout his elementary school years. We hope Josh will keep building friendships, strengthening his Jewish identity in preschool, and one day join Moadon as well. As a family, we look forward to celebrating holidays together at Beth Sholom and continuing to build a Jewish home within this caring community.