Mark Gordon Loeb

LOEB, MARK, Rabbi Emeritus, 64, born February 17, 1944, died Wednesday, October 7th, 2009, while serving in Milan, Italy. He served as a senior rabbi at Beth El Congregation from 1976 until May 2008.

A Boston native, he served on the board of many organizations in the local Jewish community and was chairman of the Board of Baltimore Hebrew University. Beth El released a statement Thursday that said: "It is with a profound sense of loss and sadness that we share with you the following news. Our Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Mark Loeb, died (Wednesday) night in Milan, Italy. He was there serving a congregation as its interim rabbi enjoying Milan's culture, opera, and the many other things that he loved. We mourn his loss as a congregation and a community, and offer our sincerest sympathies to his family." Sen. Barbara Mikulski called Loeb a man of "warmth and wit." "He had a great sense of humor. He loved everything from opera to wrestling -– which may explain his love of politics," she said. "He was a champion of social justice -– and loved to wade into the thorniest situations."

Never married, Loeb leaves two sisters, Carol Francis of Orlando, Fla., and Judy Kaplan of Lake Worth, Fla., and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Officials at Beth El were expecting a funeral next week, after his body is returned from Italy. He is to be buried at Beth El Memorial Park in Randallstown.

Mark gave the convocation address at the WPHS Class of 1961 45th reunion. Click HERE.