From Marvin M Schuster, MD (Baltiomore, MD)
I and others who were present at the Beth EL Board meeting that interviewed Mark for the post of Assistant Rabbi were immediately impressed by the breadth and depth of his knowledge, the clarity of his thinking, his eloquence and his attractive personal qualities. Over the years each one of us has benefited from the advice and help that he has given. Every time we met I learned something new and valuable from him, and our contacts have evolved into a close and valued friendship. Mark once spoke at a small meeting that he had called together prior to his retirement. After his talk, I was asked to say a few words (with, as I recall, the emphasis on "few"). The thought that came to mind was to say that I would be breaking a promise that I had made to myself many years ago and many times since. That promise was to never follow Mark as a speaker. Mark had many qualities that I do yearn to follow, and , I hope with some success. I will really miss him.
From Mike Weiner (Ellicott City, MD)
I will miss Rabbi Loeb. He was an inspiration to anyone he met. Every generation has its leaders and he was one of the best! He was exceptional. He was there when I got married&a great way of relaxing people and making them feel great was part of his character! He was there when my first son was born! This is a country where leadership is so sorely needed and he always set the example! I am blessed that he was part of several ceremonies for my family!
From St. Joseph Medical Center (Towson, MD)
On behalf of the entire community of St. Joseph Medical Center, I extend our deepest sympathy to the Beth El Congregation on the death of Rabbi Mark Loeb. He was a faithful friend of St. Joseph’s and was a member of our Interfaith Advisory Board. He helped shape plans for our new interfaith prayer space and he came to the mass last December 8 celebrating the reopening of our renovated chapel and our new heart institute. I had the pleasure of talking with him that evening, and I was struck by his vital spirit, his deep commitment to interfaith friendship and dialogue and his generous willingness to share his time and wisdom with us. We grieve the loss of this fine man, and we pray for comfort and peace for all those who mourn his passing. Susanne DeCrane, Director, Spiritual Care Department, St. Joseph Medical Center
From Rabbi Michael Monson
These past few days have been filled with literally hundreds of reminiscences that extend back over fifty five years. Many brought smiles to my face, a few even brought laughs; all reminded me of the depth of my personal loss, and the void that Mark Loeb’s multiple communities now must endure.
I guess it all begins in Brighton, Mass. In the Fifties when I would visit Congregation B’nai Moshe and listen to the oratory of Rabbi Joseph Shubow, one of the country’s truly eminent intellects, and a renegade in so many ways. Ironically, in a conversation a few months ago, Mark recalled Rabbi Shubow’s influence on him. We were teenagers, full of ideas, full of mischief, and (truth be told) full of ourselves. But the Boston Latin School’s puritanical educational methodologies humbled all of us. Who could have predicted then that this would begin a lifelong friendship?
Our lives continued to intersect. So many stories, so many gifts. Virtually every day of my life, I start my day by walking to the entry way to our home and I see hanging facing each other, our ketubah, signed by Mark, our m’sader kiddusin. Facing the ketubah is a one of Mark’s hand calligraphed Rosh Hashanah cards, with the reminder that ours is the task to fill the voids in this world.
That talent for calligraphy reminded me of a wonderful story. When my first child was due, we were living across from the Jewish Theological Seminary. I was at JTS…Mark had already made the move to HUC-JIR. Our baby was due toward the end of March, and Mark had offered to create a birth announcement for us. Well, Mark was due to leave for one of the frst of his “European opera tours”, and the baby had not made his/her appearance. Suffice it to say, that somewhere in the files is a second birth announcement for Uri with a week’s worth of calligraphed dates. Oh yes, many years later, Mark remembered that Uri might have been Atara.
Of all the memories, the sad and the humorous, the personal care and devotion that my friend “rabbi” Mark Loeb showed me both sadden and sustain me.
For several years between 1981 and 1984, after I left my Hillel post at UPenn, Mark asked me to come to Beth El and start a third High Holiday service. Finally in 1984, I agreed, and the next sixteen years were glorious. We began in the Shapiro auditorium with less than 150 people. By the following year, we moved to Meyers, and the rest is history. Several times, I asked Mark if he wanted me to comply with Beth El style and format, and he said to me always: “Michael..its your service…your success is Beth El’s success……And so began my annual Baltimore sojourn. I will never again enjoy the High Holidays as much.
In the months after my divorce, when I was living alone, my phone would ring and Mark was calling to consult with me about a “rabbinic” problem at Beth El. After a few such calls, I said to Mark that I really saw through the ruse of those rabbinic situations and loved him for caring about me so much. After that, he just called to see if I was OK. Mark cared…Mark was my true friend.
Mark, in his remarks to Fani and me at our wedding, turned to Fani and praised her for making me happy. It was so important to him. Ironically, this past July 24, Fani and I were in Boston to celebrate our fifteenth anniversary. I was in a 7/11 store when my cell phone rang. It was Mark, just calling to say hi and wish us a Shabbat Shalom. I said to Mark: “Think quick…where were you exactly fifteen years ago today?” He thought my question was pretty stupid (and, of course, said so) until I reminded him of the date.
One day in 1998, Mark called to invite me to travel to Munich, Vienna, and the Bavarian Alps on a companion ticket that he had earned with all his miles. To this day, I cannot hear an opera without relating to my experiences with Mark. In Vienna, we heard Il Vespri Siciliani. The diva was Carol Van Ness, Mark’s personal friend who met us at the Sacher Café after the performance. The stories from that trip are a precious inheritance that I have from Mark. Mark knew so much, lived so much, and shared it all.
When I was “installed” in my pulpit in Montclair, NJ, Mark was the rabbi who conducted the ceremony. Mark was the one to launch a new chapter in my career.
I could go on forever, and I will do that privately. Right now, I have to be grateful to God for giving me moments with Mark.
My career has been largely in the world of academe. I have been fortunate to meet and learn from many brilliant people, and many self described brilliant people. But Mark Loeb was more than brilliant…he was wise. Mark was the embodiment of the value concept of “chochmah”.
May his memory be the blessing that his life was.
From Carol and David Ross (Milan,Italy)
As President of Beth Shalom Congregation in Milan, my wife Carol and I join our fellow Jews in Baltimore and all over the country in mourning the loss of this distinguished Rabbi and incredible human being. Although he had only been with us a very short time, even in this period we were able to feel and touch his humaneness,love of modern Judaism and great knowledge. He loved Italy, Italian opera and Italian food--and so perhaps he was already in heaven the day he arrived here. We are all saddened at this lost opportunity our Congregation has for not being able to benefit from the year he would have been our interim Rabbi. His Kol Nidre sermon on what unites the Jewish people(study/education, family and community) will be our goal not just this year but in the years to come--a fitting memorial to Rabbi Mark Loeb, a warm, decent and very special human being.
From Judy Meltzer (Baltimore, MD)
Mark was a great rabbi, a great mensch, and the greatest friend. How sad that he could not have realized his dream of a year in his beloved Italy, but as the old Yiddish proverb reminds us, "Mensch tracht und Gutt laught." Man plans and God laughs. I don't think God is laughing, but I know that many of us are crying.
From Frida & Moises Fraiman (Baltimore, MD)
Our Journey of a close and meaningful relationship began when Rabbi Mark Loeb arrived to Beth El.From the moment we met him our lives were enriched with his knowledge, sound advice and warmth toward all of our family.He was with us to celebrate all of our milestones, our children's Mark, Sharon & Beth weddings. Our grandson's Jake Brit Mila and Bar Mitzvah, our grandaughter's Frederica's baby naming and Bat Mitzvah and our grandaughter's baby naming Andrea & Henna.On the Bima when he had the opportunity, he always had kind words to say bout our family.We remembered the wonderful Shabbats that we shared in our home, he enjoyed the Peruvian food.We have felt very close to our dear Rabbi and have loved and cherish him from the time we met.We will be missed him.
From Larry Arem (Philadelphia, PA)
Many have written of Rabbi Loeb's dedication, kindness, caring nature, formidable intellect and other abilities, all of which is accurate. I would like to add one more aspect which may inspire a reader. When I last saw him (at the Met, of course), Rabbi Loeb reminded me that he developed his love of opera in large part because Beverly Sills, one of the greatest opera stars, took the time to answer his questions and teach him, a young 20 something novice, about the world of opera. As attested in these tributes, he also took the time to help countless people in myriad ways. But, the other lesson he taught by example is have the courage to pursue goals, no matter how far fetched they may seem. Mark was one of a kind and will be sorely missed.
From Lori Satisky Downing (Owings Mills, MD)
I am sincerely sad to know that I won't see Rabbi Loeb again but I know he is in heaven looking down on us. My Mother's funeral in May of 1979 was one of Rabbi Loebs first funeral associated with Beth El. Rabbi Loeb then officiated at my Brother Michael's Bar Mitvah, Sister Sharon's Bat Mitzvah, My wedding to Scott, baby namings for Staci and Erica. Rabbi Loeb holds a special memory for us and will deeply be missed.
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