Obituary: Rabbi David A. Baylinson - Atlanta Jewish Times

Rabbi David A. Baylinson passed away on April 13, 2025. He did justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with his God for 95 years. He stood for love – love for all and stood against prejudice of any kind. His smile lit up every room he entered, and although he was small in stature, he was a larger-than-life presence to all who knew him. David had a passion for teaching and was most proud of serving his communities as a Rabbi. His authenticity, warmth, humor, intellect, and ability to connect with people of all ages and faiths, made him a central figure to every community that he touched. Always with his wife, Janice, by his side, he nurtured his family, his friends, and his congregations. He loved to travel, read, needlepoint and crochet, and spend time with his children and grandchildren.

He was born in Philadelphia, Penn., on Sept. 4, 1929, to Zipora and Max Baylinson. In 1951, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA degree in fine arts. He was ordained from the Cincinnati School of the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in 1957 earning his BHL and MAHL degrees, and in 1982, he received the Doctor of Divinity.

He served his first High Holy Day pulpit in New Bern, N.C., and then a bi-weekly at Temple Beth El in Anniston, Ala., from 1955 to 1957. In 2001, he returned to Temple Beth El as a part-time Rabbi where he served until 2014.

His first pulpit was at Temple Beth El, Detroit, Mich., as Assistant Rabbi to Dr. Richard Hertz. After 3½ years at Temple Beth El, Rabbi Baylinson accepted the invitation of Temple B’nai Or, Morristown, N.J., and was Rabbi of B’nai Or for two years. In 1962, he went to Sussex, England, to serve the Brighton and Hove Liberal Jewish Congregation.

In 1965, he accepted the pulpit at Temple Beth Or, Montgomery, Ala., because he wanted to be involved in the civil rights movement. He served as Rabbi there for 29 years and became Rabbi Emeritus in 1994. The Temple honored him and his wife by naming the Rabbi David and Janice Baylinson Social Hall.

He became President of the Montgomery Ministerial Association in 1968 and was responsible for integrating the all-White Association with the all-Black Montgomery Ministerial Alliance into the Montgomery Ministerial Union. He was a founding member of Hospice of Montgomery, the Light House for Teens and Goodwill Industries. He was President of the Family Guidance Center and the Montgomery Chapter of the American Cancer Society. He served on the Boards of the United Way and the Community Council which honored him and his wife, Janice, with their Community Service Award, and served on the Board of Brantwood Children’s Home.

He was appointed by Federal Judge Frank Johnson to the Bi-racial Committee to oversee the transition of integrated schools. He preached and spoke at the Matin Luther King Memorial Baptist Church, whose minister was Dr. Murray Branch, a Christian Fellow at HUC in the middle 1950s.

Rabbi Baylinson was adjunct Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Huntington College (a Methodist-based college) from 1970 to 2004 and served as the Dean of the Humanities and Fine Arts School at Huntington for one year. He taught at the Adult Education program at the College for the Institute of Life Long Learning, and his students established the Rabbi David A. Baylinson Shelves of Judaica Studies at the College Library in his honor.

He received the Julia Lightfoot Sellers Award and the Winn and Gordon Chappell Award for excellence in teaching, and the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award from the United Daughters of the Confederacy for contributions to the College and Community. In 2006, Rabbi Baylinson and Janice moved to Atlanta, Ga., where they were active members of The Temple.

Rabbi Baylinson is survived by his children, Ilene Baylinson, Peter Baylinson, Linda Levy (Bert), Evan Baylinson (Dara), and his grandchildren, Max and Sam Levy, and Gordy and Zoe Baylinson. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of almost 70 years, Janice Kohl Baylinson, and his parents, Maxwell and Zipora Baylinson. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that those who wish to make a donation kindly consider The Temple or Beth-Or in Montgomery, Ala. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta 770-451-4999.

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