Two decades ago, in the sleepy little town of Buckeye (pop 6000), a new community called Verrado began rising at the foot of the White Tank Mountains. There were very little retail, dining, and housing that fare west of Phoenix. Well, now we call that place HOME. Now with new families moved in, our little slice of the desert is getting lots more of everything…including our neighborhoods first Jewish Center.
Just in time for the Jewish New Year and High Holiday season, Rabbi Mendy and Shterna Goldstein are launching the first-ever Jewish Community Center in Buckeye, Arizona, to meet the growing and diverse needs of the city’s Jewish population.
As one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, Buckeye has welcomed thousands of new residents in recent years, including many Jewish families seeking community, tradition, and spiritual connection. Recognizing this need, the Goldsteins, who recently moved here with their children, are establishing Chabad of Buckeye. With nearly a decade of leadership experience in Jewish education, outreach, and community building, they aim to create a vibrant hub for Jewish life in the greater West Valley Buckeye area.
“We hope to provide every Jew in Buckeye with the opportunity to connect with their heritage and explore the richness of Jewish tradition,” said Rabbi Goldstein. “There’s aclear and growing need for Jewish infrastructure here, and after getting to know this incredible community, we’re honored and excited to call Buckeye our home.”
Both Rabbi Mendy and Shterna were raised in the Southwest, Shterna in Texas, and Rabbi Mendy in Southern California. After marrying, the couple returned to Rabbi Mendy’s hometown, where they spent nearly ten years growing a thriving Jewish center. Together, they led initiatives spanning early childhood education, adult learning, holiday programming, and community engagement. Rabbi Goldstein served as associate Rabbi and later as Senior Rabbi/executive director, helping shape a dynamic, inclusive space for Jews of all backgrounds.
Rabbi Goldstein also served from 2020 to 2024 as a presidential appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council in Washington, D.C. Earlier in his career, he traveled as a student rabbi to serve Jewish communities around the world including in the Amazon, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and across the U.S. leading Holiday services, educational events, and outreach programs.
The Goldsteins are deeply inspired by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, whose leadership continues to guide Chabad centers across the globe. The Rebbe taught that every Jew matters, and that Torah is not only relevant in modern life, it is a blueprint for living with purpose and meaning.
Chabad of Buckeye is part of the global Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which operates more than 3,500 educational, religious, and social service institutions in over 100 countries, including more than 35 centers throughout Arizona. The movement isrenowned for its welcoming, inclusive approach, especially in areas with limited or no Jewish infrastructure.
Chabad of Buckeye will officially kick off its programming this September with a series of High Holiday events in Verrado, Buckeye beginning with an inaugural Rosh Hashanah dinner on Monday, September 22, followed by a community-wide Shofar in the Park on Tuesday, September 23.
For more information, event details, or to get involved, please contact Rabbi Mendy Goldstein at Rabbi@jewishbuckeye.com or visit www.jewishbuckeye.com
Meet the Goldsteins