Rabbi Marc Gellman
Rabbi Gellman is the senior rabbi of Temple Beth Torah in Melville, New York, where he has served since 1981.
After receiving a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a major in Hebrew and Semitic studies in 1969, he completed his studies at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion by 1971. He was ordained by the college institute in 1972 and was awarded the senior homiletics prize. He was the youngest rabbi ever ordained by the seminary and completed the five-year program in two years of residency.
Rabbi Gellman received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Northwestern University in 1981 and has taught at Antioch College, HUC-JIR New York, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and other academic institutions. Rabbi Gellman served as chairman of the Medical Ethics Committee of the UJA Federation of New York and is a contributor to its Compendium of Jewish Medical Ethics. He has published widely and has contributed to a recent Commentary Magazine symposium on the state of Jewish belief. He also writes for Golf Digest, is a contributing editor to Moment Magazine, and has authored several children's books.
In addition to regular television appearances, Rabbi Gellman has served as chairman of the UJA rabbinical advisory committee, founding chairman of the Long Island Rabbinical Advisory Council, and president of the New York Board of Rabbis. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Tzedaka Award from the UMA-Federation and the Moshowitz Award for rabbinic excellence from the NYBR.
Rabbi Marc Gellman Samples
Suffering is a mystery, not a problem
Q: I was especially drawn to your reflections on suffering and God's love for us. A: Thank you for your comments -- and thank you to the many other readers who offered kind words about my recent column on the suffering of the righteous.
Why do the righteous suffer?
Q: Death is the inevitable for all of us. A: For people of faith, why the righteous suffer is the most difficult question of all. Although I'm deeply troubled by suffering, I've never been as troubled by this question as many people are.
Science and religion each teach us valuable truths
Q: How can you not realize that religious belief up to the time of Copernicus was based on a no-longer valid, fixed earth-centric view of the universe, in that the earth is now known to rotate daily and to revolve around the sun, i.e., the sun doe...
Jealousy and grudges are spiritual traps
Q: I have two issues I'd love to have you address. Instead of being happy for others, nagging comparisons pop into my head. Second, what are your thoughts on grudges? A: The Ten Commandments end with, "Thou shalt not covet...".
Faith is not the opposite of truth, but the gateway
Q: How can one's belief and/or faith have any influence whatsoever regarding what either is or is not absolute truth and/or reality? A: Faith is not the opposite of truth.
Feeling God's nearness a lesson in joy
Q: First, I'd like to tell you how much I love your column. Now, for the topic at hand: In 2007, I was at church during Divine Mercy Sunday and preparing for my confession. Then I realized I was crying and couldn't seem to get hold of my emotions.
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