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Rabbi Caruso expressed his appreciation and excitement for this opportunity:
"I am deeply honored and grateful for the trust this community has placed in me. Mishkan Or is home for me and my family, and what matters most now is strengthening our congregation from within—building the deep relationships and loving community where we walk the walk and live our Jewish values together every day."
The Mishkan Or Clergy Team also expressed their excitement about Rabbi Caruso’s appointment:
“Having worked with and/or known Rabbi Josh Caruso for years, we are thrilled he will lead our team as Mishkan Or’s next Senior Rabbi. Rabbi Caruso has an extraordinary ability to bring people together—congregants, clergy, and staff alike—creating relationships grounded in trust, collaboration, and shared purpose. His leadership is marked by thoughtful listening, genuine partnership, and an unwavering belief in the strength of community. We are excited to work together with Rabbi Caruso to bring Mishkan Or into its next chapter.”
Rabbi Caruso was ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (New York) in 1998 and served on the clergy team of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple from 2002 to 2024. Since Congregation Mishkan Or's founding, he has been an integral part of our clergy team. He lives in the Cleveland area with his wife, Leah. They have three adult children: Harper, Asher, and Shayna.
Guided by clearly defined leadership criteria, including vision and fit for a newly unified congregation, spiritual leadership, engagement, and organizational leadership, the Search Committee successfully fulfilled the Board's charge to conduct a thorough, transparent, and respectful process—one that prioritized listening to you. Over the course of one year, the committee:
- Engaged the congregation through surveys, living-room conversations, Sparks of Light gatherings, the congregational website, and affiliate group meetings, hearing from hundreds of congregants
- Thoroughly vetted nine candidates from across the country
- Conducted multiple rounds of interviews, arranged multi-day site visits, had lengthy conversations with multiple references and administered and reviewed leadership assessments
- Consulted clergy, staff, Board members, Emeritus Council members, donors, and community partners
- Worked closely with the Central Conference of American Rabbis and completed implicit bias training
Based on this work, Rabbi Caruso emerged as the leader best suited to guide Mishkan Or forward. Across feedback from congregants, clergy, staff, Board members, and donors, he was described as approachable and reflective, thoughtful about both the strengths and challenges of our congregation, and someone who brings care, intention, and clarity to his leadership. Evaluators repeatedly noted his ability to build connection, strengthen community, and bring people together around shared purpose.
This announcement begins the exciting new phase of our shared work. In the months ahead, there will be opportunities to connect with Rabbi Caruso and continue shaping the future of Mishkan Or together. In the meantime, Interim Senior Rabbi Andi Berlin will continue to lead our congregation with dedication and grace.
We are beyond grateful to Debra Mayers Hollander and Eric Silver, who co-chaired the Search Committee, and to the entire Committee for their unyielding dedication to and deep passion for this effort. We also appreciate the extra time staff put in supporting the work of the Search Committee. We thank our community for your engagement and trust.
We look ahead with confidence in what we are building together.
Shabbat Shalom!
With gratitude,
Julie Adler Raskind & Bruce Goodman
Co-presidents, Congregation Mishkan Or
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