Rabbi John Linder
John Linder grew up in Buffalo, New York and considers himself a lifelong Buffalo-booster. Though, having lived in the Valley of the Sun since 2008, he really doesn’t miss shoveling snow! Before coming to Temple Solel, Rabbi Linder served as a rabbi at Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Glenview, Illinois. Rabbi Linder received a Masters in Hebrew Letters and was ordained at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati in 2003. A 1980 Cum Laude graduate of Amherst College, Rabbi Linder became a rabbi at age 46 after earlier careers as a community and labor organizer and as an executive in his family’s scrap-metal recycling business in Buffalo. Rabbi Linder’s bride of 30 years is Nancy Levy Linder, and their son, David Joel, is a recent graduate of ASU with a Master’s in the Science of Healthcare Delivery and is working for a local healthcare consulting company
Rabbi Emeritus Maynard W. Bell
Rabbi Emeritus Maynard W. Bell served as Temple Solel’s rabbi for 25 years. Under his leadership, our congregation grew exponentially. Rabbi Bell was also the co-founder of what is now the Pardes Jewish Day School. Rabbi Bell has a long history of involvement in the Jewish, inter-religious, and civic communities of Greater Phoenix. Rabbi Bell is currently in his second career in Mental Health and has a counseling practice in Scottsdale.
Cantorial Soloist Todd Herzog
Todd Herzog came to Temple Solel in January 2008, following an amazing education and earlier music career. He earned a double Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Tufts University and in Jazz Voice from the New England Conservatory of Music. He played violin in a community orchestra and sung in a rock band while still in high school, and went on to sing with the renowned Tufts a cappella group, the Beelzebubs. Eventually Todd added songwriting to an already impressive resume and, as a result of working with students at a Jewish day school in Los Angeles, he began exploring life and spirituality through a Jewish lens. His music has received both critical and public acclaim, being placed in many film and television settings, and winning Best Jewish Album of 2009 in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. Todd’s children’s album, Everyday Blessings, was chosen by the PJ Library to be distributed to 7500 families across the country. Todd’s limitless talent encompasses a soaring and versatile singing voice, and fluency on acoustic, electric and bass guitars, piano, violin, and saxophone. He still enjoys working with children and in addition to his regular duties at Solel, which include sharing music with our Preschool and Religious School students, Todd travels the country doing concerts, services, and Artist-in-Residence weekends. Todd and his wife, Karen, live happily in Phoenix with their son, Sander, and a menagerie of pets.