Mark Bloom joined Temple Beth Abraham of Oakland, California as its rabbi in July of 2001. A native of the Bay Area, he often describes the experience as a “homecoming.” During his time here, Temple Beth Abraham has grown significantly, welcoming over 250 new families to its membership.

Previously, Rabbi Bloom served pulpits in Cranston, Rhode Island, South Salem, New York and Sydney, Australia. He was ordained at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1995 and received both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Communication Studies from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Rabbi Bloom is especially well-known for his work with children and is the author of Out of the Mouths of Babes: What Children Can Teach Us About Spirituality, Jewish Issues and the Jewish People. He is also an accomplished songleader, having led groups of all ages throughout the country and started the very popular “Rock and Roll Shabbat” at Temple Beth Abraham. Before becoming a rabbi, he worked in advertising for the Clorox. He has been married to his wife Karen since 1994 and has two children, Micah and Jonah.