Rabbi Mark is entering his 50th year in the active rabbinate. He was born in New York City and grew up attending religious schools and Orthodox synagogues on the Lower East Side. He graduated from Yeshiva University with degrees in English Language and Literature and in Bible and Jewish Education, and later continued graduate studies in English while combining teaching with his rabbinical work.
Rabbi Mark met his wife, Anbeth, while they were both working at a Reform temple in Brooklyn. They have served congregations in New Jersey, North Carolina, and New Hampshire, and came to Temple Sholom in Florida in 2009. They have two grown children.
Vayakhel-Pekudei Mini-Drash
By Rabbi David Mark
As a rabbi of fifty years’ experience, I have officiated at several weddings. Most leave sweet
memories, and I often replay them in my mind.
Beach weddings are my favorite. The bride, groom, and bridal party can experience the drama
and awe of standing where the sand and sky meet the sea. At my first beach wedding, when we
got to the part for breaking the glass, I scanned the soft sand surface quickly and decided that it
would not be possible to smash the glass properly there. We compromised by returning to the
boardwalk, and there completed the ceremony by breaking the glass, which was enveloped in a
pillowcase. Our cries of “Mazel Tov!” echoed over sea and land.
In Jewish law, the bride and groom acquire each other, hopefully for the rest of their lives. I am
there, not so much as an agent of the state (which is why the couple must have a legal license),
but as a facilitator and interpreter of Jewish law. It is a great privilege to be present when two
people are just beginning their life’s journey together. Mazel Tov to all!
Shabbat HaChodesh, Mar. 14, 2026—25 Adar 5786
Torah Portion Vayakhel-Pekudei
Bless the New Month of Nisan (Mevarchim HaChodesh)
(Nisan begins Thursday—3/19)
| Aliyah | Page | Chapter | Verse |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOHEN | 373 | 35 | 1-3 |
| LEVI | 373 | 35 | 4-6 |
| SHELISHI | 373 | 35 | 7-9 |
| REVII | 385 | 38 | 21-23 |
| CHAMISHI | 385 | 38 | 24-26 |
| SHISHI | 385 | 38 | 27-29 |
| SHEVII | 386 | 38 | 30-31 39:1 |
| MAFTIR | 253 | 12 | 1-3 |