Baumgard, Herbert Mark 1920-

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BAUMGARD, Herbert Mark 1920-

PERSONAL: Born August 3, 1920, in Norfolk, VA; son of Samuel E. (a tailor) and Sarah (Segal) Baumgard; married Selma Geller (a choir director), June 20, 1948; children: Jonathan, Shirah, Daniel. Education: University of Virginia, B.Commerce, 1941, law student, 1941-42; Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, NY, M.H.L. and Rabbi, 1950, D.H.L., 1962, D.D., 1975; Columbia University, graduate study, 1950-55. Politics: Democrat.


ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Ktav Publishing House, 930 Newark Ave., 4th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306.


CAREER: Rabbi, beginning 1950. Temple B'nai Israel, Elmont, NY, founding rabbi, 1950-56; Temple Beth Am, South Miami, FL, rabbi, 1956-87, rabbi emeritus, 1987—. Hebrew Union School of Education, instructor, 1953-55; Stetson University, Howard Thurman Lecturer, 1998. South Florida Federation of Reform Congregations, director, 1956-59; Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Miami, FL, director, 1956-60; chair of a committee on synagogue music, 1964-65; Interfaith Agency for Social Justice, president, 1967-68; Synagogue Council of America, national president, 1985-87; National Conference of Christians and Jews, past chair of Dade County Interfaith Dialogue Commission; Central Conference of American Rabbis, past vice president of Southeast region of Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith; American Jewish Committee of Miami, past member of executive board. Past chair of Dade County Community Relations Board. Military service: U.S. Army, 1942-46; became staff sergeant.

MEMBER: Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (life member), Greater Miami Rabbinical Association (president, 1964-65, 1971-72), Alumni Association of Hebrew Union College (president, 1979-80), Beta Gamma Sigma.


AWARDS, HONORS: Leonard Abess Human Relations Award, Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, 1984; Unity Award, Theodore Gibson Fund, 1996.


WRITINGS:

Judaism and Prayer: Growing Towards God, Union of American Hebrew Congregations (New York, NY), 1964.
Currents and Trends in Contemporary Jewish Thought, Ktav Publishing House (Jersey City, NJ), 1965.

Loving What Is Close, 1980.

Finding My Way to God, Ktav Publishing House (Jersey City, NJ), 2002.


Author of pamphlets. Contributor to Sermonettes for Young People, Bloch, 1964. Contributor to religious periodicals.


BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Baumgard, Herbert M., Finding My Way to God, Ktav Publishing House (Jersey City, NJ), 2002.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 15, 2002, George Cohen, review of Finding My Way to God, p. 550.*

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