Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein, and ZOA’s Board, officers, staff and activists mourn the passing of the great Rabbi Mark Golub last week. Rabbi Golub was an extraordinary and brilliant human being and Jew and Zionist. Among other things, he founded and served as the president, chief executive officer and executive producer of the popular and educational Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS).
Rabbi Golub’s dedication to civil discourse, reason, Jewish education, exploring diverse views and learning from one another, and love for every Jew was vital and welcome in these contentious times. Rabbi Golub’s warmth and gentle voice brought people together and enhanced everyone’s understanding of the issues.
We at ZOA personally appreciate the many times that Rabbi Golub and JBS hosted ZOA leaders and programs, including our Galas and the ZOA Book Club.
During the 2020 World Zionist Congress elections, Rabbi Golub inaugurated and moderated a forum for the various slates to discuss and compare their diverse platforms. The JBS forum was an important opportunity for the ZOA Coalition to promote investing in Jewish communities throughout the land of Israel, including in the historic Jewish lands of Judea/Samaria. ZOA was (and continues to be) concerned that the Reform (ARZA) and progressive slates proposed cutting off (divesting) funding from Jewish communities in Judea/Samaria. ZOA was so grateful that Rabbi Golub supported funding in Judea/Samaria, once again demonstrating his love for every Jew in every part of the land of Israel and the world.
During the JBS forum (in response to a question from ZOA), the Reform rabbi representing the Reform (ARZA) slate admitted that he opposed and had rejected funding for building a Reform Synagogue in Judea/Samaria. Rabbi Golub then gently chided the Reform ARZA rabbi as follows:
“I don’t understand. . . . For a Reform Rabbi, for a leader of the Reform movement, to say that you don’t want to build a Reform synagogue in a Jewish city boggles my mind. . . Would I like to see World Zionist Congress money build a synagogue anywhere in the world? The answer is yes for me. I’m just surprised that the answer is not ‘yes’ for you.”
Rabbi Golub, we will greatly miss you. You are irreplaceable. We are devastated by your passing. The world will never be the same without you. May Rabbi Golub’s family, colleagues and all his loved ones be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.