Rabbi Mark S. Shapiro was born in Chicago. He did his undergraduate work and received his B.A. from the University of Chicago. In 1960, Rabbi Shapiro received his Master of Hebrew Letters, with honors, and a rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, OH. He began his rabbinic career with Temple Beth Zion of Buffalo, NY and served that congregation for two years. He received his honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Hebrew Union College in 1985.
Rabbi Shapiro became rabbi of Congregation B'nai Jehoshua in 1962 and when B'nai Jehoshua merged with Beth Elohim, he came to the suburbs. Over the years, Rabbi Shapiro has been influential in both the community at large and in our own BJBE Family.
He is a past president of the Glenbrook Clergy Fellowship and the Rabbinical Fellowship of the Northwest suburbs. He has served as Chairman of the Rabbinic Advisory Committee to Olin-Sang-Ruby-Union Institute. In 1982, he visited refuseniks in the Soviet Union and is a part of the Chicago Action for Soviet Jewry.
Over the Years, Rabbi Shapiro has inspired and influenced many of BJBE's young adults to pursue Rabbinic and other Jewish related careers. The Searcher's Program, which Rabbi Shapiro initiated, is now being pursued in other congregations by the Chicago area as well as across the country.
