Brad Lazernick grew up in Norfolk, Virginia and has resided there most of his life. Brad credits his parents and grandparents for instilling in him the values that shaped his identity, love of Judaism, and life goals from an early age and, as an adult, he has found that inspiration with and from his loving wife Judy. 

Brad mastered Hebrew where he began his studies—at the former Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, which held classes at B’nai Israel and Congregation Beth El at the time. Brad became a Bar Mitzvah at B’nai Israel, but his mother’s family had long ties to Beth El. She was confirmed there, and his grandfather attended daily minyan regularly. After graduating from the Hebrew Academy, Brad attended high school and continued religious studies at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore/Yeshivat Chofetz Chaim. During that time, he also served as a Baal Koreh (Torah reader) at a synagogue near the school. After graduation, Brad returned home to Norfolk and attended Old Dominion University where he earned a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in psychology and a master’s degree in public administration. 

In the late seventies, Beth El leadership sought a Baal Koreh when Rabbi Martin’s eyesight began to fail. Brad’s own affiliation with Beth El began when he stepped in to help. He would become the weekday, Shabbat, and holiday Torah reader. In the past five decades since, Brad has helped in any capacity needed: reading Torah, or leading weekday, Shabbat, or holiday services. Until recently, Brad had led the morning service on the High Holidays. He has stepped in to help at other times as well. For one year during the early eighties, Beth El had no cantor. Brad filled in as the primary Baal Tefillah (prayer leader) and assumed responsibilities tutoring the Bar/Bat Mitzvah students. At various times over the years since, he has tutored additional students as well. One memorable situation was a year when Beth El had engaged a cantor for the High Holidays who, unfortunately, became ill right before Yom Kippur and was unable to conduct the service. Brad stepped in alongside Rabbi Ruberg and other congregants to help conduct the lengthy and challenging service--appreciating full vocal support from the congregation!

Over the years, Brad has enjoyed supporting various Men’s Club events and activities as well—Men’s Club Shabbat; the many family Bingo fundraisers; various times leading Friday Night Services at Beth Sholom Village with other Men’s Club members and their families; helping switch out regular prayer books for High Holiday prayer books in the sanctuary; participating in days of Chesed (kindness and  charitable volunteering), the memorable Genizah project (proper, respectful ritual burial of damaged or ‘retired’ religious items in a Jewish Cemetery) and more. 

For over 30 years, Brad was also one of a cadre of lay leaders who conducted Saturday morning services at the Beth Sholom Home of Eastern Virginia, where he would often see Beth El members who were rehabbing after illnesses or who became residents of either the nursing home or the assisted living facility. This included his own mother, who was initially a volunteer at the Home and then became a resident during the last years of her life. While the residents always thanked the lay leaders for doing services, Brad and the other volunteers felt that this was the least they could do for the people who were cornerstones of their communities but could no longer attend their “home” shuls. 

Brad recently retired after a lengthy career working in the disability and aging field, initially at a private hospital, then at the Norfolk Community Services Board where he held multiple positions, and finally wrapping up his career as a director at Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia, an Area Agency on Aging whose mission is to serve older adults and help them remain in their communities. Brad credits his mother for the inspiration to help others in need, as she worked as a private duty nurse who cared for terminally ill patients in their home. He credits his father’s example to aspire to treat everyone as an equal and be kind regardless of how others may think or act. His father spent his entire career with the U.S. Postal Service and always treated everyone with equal respect—regardless of race or gender—across eras when such behavior was not common at many institutions.