From Joan (Merritt) Dunn (Columbia, MD)
The year was 1984, my sister was introducing me & my then husband to the Rabbi at my nephew's Bar Mitvah. This is my sister Joan, & this is my brother in law Chris......before she could get the words out, Rabbi Loeb with the excitement of a child at Chanukah exclaimed, I know who Chris Merritt is and have enjoyed listening to his wonderful tenor voice...etc...etc...thus started what turned out to be twenty five years of the most incredible friendships our family ever had or will have. We shared the highs and the lows of our lives, Chris's La Scala openings as well as tons of other performances (ours & others), Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, seders, break fasts, funerals, weddings, a stillbirth, Albertville Olympics, divorce, remarriage, birth of two grandkids, mutual friend events, and the list goes on & on and on. Friends are the family we choose in life. We will miss our "brother" it was truly an honor and privilege to have gotten to know you.Ti amo sempre, Joan, Kenny, Geri, Ryan and Chris
Anonymous (Bethesda, MD)
I literally met Rabbi Loeb on the bimah at my Bar Mitzvah. According to what I was told, this was one of his first at Beth El.Rabbi Jacob Agus and Cantor Hammerman (both of Blessed Memory) were officiating and Rabbi Loeb was the newly-hired assistant rabbi.I can remember most of it like it was yesterday. The blue carpet in the Main Sanctuary, the silver pointer that made it easier for me to read from the Torah scroll and the letters on the Torah scroll itself. Looking back across the decades, it was truly an honor to be bar mitzvahed by those three great men.Rabbi Loeb performed the funerals of my maternal grandparents. He was a great comfort to my family.Several years ago my father was in the hospital, awaiting a surgery with an uncertain outcome. I called Rabbi Loeb and asked if he would visit him before the surgery, and that time was of the essence. He dropped everything he was doing in his busy schedule and went to see my father. That really helped my fat her’s spirits and for that, Rabbi Loeb, I will be forever grateful.Rabbi Loeb provided a lot of comfort, advice and teaching to a great many people. He was always there for his flock when they really needed him. He was truly a servant of G-d on this earth and a credit to our religion. He will be sorely missed by many. My deepest condolences to his family and may G-d bless his soul.
From Rela Mintz Geffen (Philadelphia, PA)
During a lifetime one only finds a few special friends whose care and affection extend for many years. Rabbi Mark Loeb was such a friend. It was more than forty years ago that I first met and got to know Mark. He was our neighbor on Morningside Heights just a few steps from the Jewish Theological Seminary. A gifted calligrapher, he made oversized shana tova cards for us each year which we framed and hung in our apartment. These beautiful cards expressed the values that he believed in. They were filled with a yearning for peace, menschlichkeit, a more perfect world and a search for spirituality. During the late 1960's and into the 70's many of us were engaged in social action. We marched against the war in Vietnam and for civil rights. We felt that our acts could help to change the world. Mark Loeb never lost that feeling. Through-out his rabbinate he fought for what he believed was right and helped to create and shape institutions that would bring others into the struggle for a better society. Blessed with a keen intellect, he used the power of the pulpit to promote the ideals he espoused. He also created "facts on the ground." He didn't just worry about world hunger, he helped to found and became national chair of Mazon. He didn't just bemoan inequality, he fought for an egalitarian Conservative movement and performed commitment ceremonies for gay and lesbian Jewish couples.He didn't just believe in pluralism, he helped create institutions that would promote real interfaith dialogue. He was disturbed when he couldn't take converts to the Mikveh and so he inspired his congregation to build one of their own. Knowing that he would stand behind me as board chair of Baltimore Hebrew University I took on the task of being acting and then permanent president of the school. That first year we had dinner together almost every week and he never failed to listen, advise and support me when difficult decisions had to be made. I'll never forget the beautiful speech he gave installing me as President of BHU. Every year that I lived in Baltimore his dear friends Hana and Eyal Bor and I would go out for a birthday dinner with him sometime in February.(three of us have February birthdays). One special year we arranged to go to Sotto Sopra on Charles Street on the monthly date when they had opera singers performing after dinner. What a wonderful evening we had!As I write this I am thankful for the gift of having had Mark Loeb as a friend, mentor and colleague. Yehe Zichro Baruch. May his memory be a blessing to us all.
From Thelma Weiner (Baltimore, MD)
Rabbi Loeb was always there for me. When my mother was in the hospital he visited. When my dear friend was dying from Cancer and her Rabbi was out of town, I called Rabbi Loeb and he came to the hospital and prayed with me. When my husband died, Rabbi Loeb was in London and he called me, which is something I will never forget. He was with me through many life cycles and his warmth and compassion were very endearing. I will truly miss him and I'm glad he was a big part of my life.
From Bette & Herbert Dahne (Baltimore, MD)
This was sent to me from a friend in Milan, Italy who was a member of BETH SHALOM TEMPLE.This article was in the BETH SHALOM TEMPLE bulletin in Milan, Italy where Rabbi Mark Loeb was serving as Rabbi at the time of his death.October 17. We will hold our Shabbat morning services at 10.30 a.m. at the Hotel de laVille, via Hoepli 6 in Milan’s center. Andrea Zanardo ( a 3rd year student at the Leo Baeck Institute in London who conducted our Rosh Hashanah services will preside over this service assisted by our Chazan Joyce Bigio Pavia. This service will be both a memorial to our late Rabbi Loeb and a celebration of his life and achievements. Rabbi Loeb, as you have seen by the various communications we have sent you, was one of America’s foremost Rabbis and he is mourned not just by our own Congregation, but by his old Congregation in Baltimore as well as the entire state of Maryland.Submitted by Bette & Herbert Dahne
From Rabbi Peter Rigler (Broomall, PA)
Rabbi Loeb Z"L one of those rare honest and open people. He was instrumetnal in my journey to become a Rabbi. How lucky I was to dine with him In Jerusalem and to sit with him in his study. His thoughtful words will help guide my work! He will be missed nad his memory will be for a blessing!With great love,Rabbi Peter Rigler
From Linda and Fred Silber (Pikesville, MD)
It is with deep sadness in our hearts that we are writing this tribute for Rabbi Mark Loeb. Beth El has always been an important part of our lives ever since we were young and for the last three decades his presence has been woven into the fabric of our family. Our daughters, Kara and Julie, celebrated their Bat Mitzvahs as Rabbi Loeb delivered the most beautiful prayers and words of wisdom to them.He was there when we walked down the aisle at Kara's wedding. He was there when our pain was so deep as we buried our beloved baby grandson Max. He was there when we buried our beloved parents and my grandmother.He was ever present in our lives. One of our favorite memories was going to his home to celebrate Hanukkah with our then young daughters. It was a very meaningful time and we loved his latkes and homemade pear sauce! Over the years we've had the distinct honor and privilege to have photographed so many celebrations in Rabbi Loebs life during his years at Beth E
l. Last year as we all celebrated his tribute weekend we sat with him in his office for a brief, quiet time before the festivities began. It was a very unique moment for us as he reflected on his role as our senior Rabbi. He seemed so content and at peace and was looking forward to the next chapter in his life.We will truly miss him and pray that his soul rests in eternal peace.
From Jamie Shapiro (Falls Church, VA)
Rabbi Mark Loeb has been such an important part of my family’s life. He not only Bat Mitzvahed me, he also married my husband and me, and he very recently officiated the Bris of our first son. I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to grow up with a Rabbi as wise and kind as Rabbi Loeb. His words and guidance have always inspired me and helped grow and shape me. He was such a special human being and I cannot even express how deeply saddened I am about his passing. He has touched so many lives and his teaching will continue to due so for generations to come. He was truly an amazing man.
From RI (Baltimore, MD)
For the first time in many years since my family arrived to Baltimore I wasn't in Beth El for Yom Kippur services. While attending a beautiful service in our children's synagogue in Philly, I kept thinking how much I miss Rabbi Loeb's sermon, now I realize how much we all will miss him.We are not the members of Beth El, but from the time that our kids were accepted to Beth El Hebrew school and I met three great men, now all of Blessed Memory: Mr. Lipavski, Rabbi Mark Loeb and Canter Hammerman, we got all our spiritual needs in the walls of Beth El.While our children were in school, Rabbi Loeb helped me with ABC's of Judaism.No question was stupid, no request unanswered.Bat and Bar Mitzvahs, our daughter's wedding, my grandmother passing, the unveiling, you can always count on his time, compassion and kindness.How incredible comforting was to come to his study, where the background beautiful music created the the mood of trust and human acceptance.I will never forget
the celebration of Rabbi Loeb's 25th anniversary in Beth El, what a forum of great scholars and wonderful lifelong friends were present to pay a tribute to his life, among them Rabbi Kushner and Cardinal Keeler. I remember to be so happy to hear their reverence and praise of his talent, humanity and intellect.When a friend of mine called to tell me about Rabbi Loeb's death I was watching the movie, where the playwright gets the news about the tragic death of his friend, he goes to his piano and plays the piece that was the last present from his dead friend: "Sonata for a good man", how incredibly true. Rabbi Loeb's life is a "Sonata for a good Man".So long, Rabbi Loeb,may G-D bless all whom you kept close to your beautiful heart
From Sonia and Ed Obstler (Baltimore, MD)
We are deeply saddened on the untimely passing of our beloved Rabbi and friend, Mark Loeb. Rabbi Loeb was truly a Renaissance Man who touched the lives of people all over the world. He believed in Tikun Olom and through his dedication to social causes he worked to better the lives of countless people of all denominations and needs. He shared his amazing knowledge with his congregants, his colleagues, his friends, and the community at large. His love of music and his interests in food and travel were well known. Rabbi Loeb always found time to communicate with congregants even though he might be far away. He will be greatly missed by innumerable people whose lives he touched. We are grateful that he was our Rabbi and friend for so many years, and we will miss his presence in our lives. Our heartfelt sympathy is with his family at this time.
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