Obituary: Rabbi Marc Wilson

Rabbi Marc Wilson, 73, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. He was a Torah scholar, beloved educator, gourmet chef and caterer, music lover, and self-proclaimed hippie. His self-effacing humor and wit and powerful oratory style touched many, young and old alike. He took great pride in building bridges between Jews and those of other faiths.

Marc was born and raised in Chicago to parents, Simeon and Sophie Wilson, in 1949. He received his rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Theological College and a BA in Sociology from Depaul University. He served as the rabbinical leader of Adas Shalom in Morton Grove, Ill., Shearith Israel in Atlanta, Ga., Temple Israel in Charlotte, N.C., and Beth Israel in Greenville, S.C. He was a noted columnist for publications including the Washington Post, Charlotte Observer, Chicago Tribune, and Reader’s Digest.

He was a community organizer and activist throughout his adult life. Among his accomplishments, he founded the first two synagogue-based homeless shelters in the country and the Year of Altruism, which encouraged and celebrated altruism, focusing the Greenville community on fostering acts of kindness, drawing participation and sponsorship from over 100 Greenville organizations. He was cited as Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Public Servant of the Year and Greenville Magazine’s Fifty Most Influential Citizens.

Survivors include his wife, Linda Wilson, of Greenville, S.C.; daughter and her husband, Anna (Chanie) and Scott Steinberg, of Atlanta, Ga., son and his wife, Joey, and Jessica Wilson of Atlanta, Ga., son and his wife, Benjamin and Joy Wilson, of Riverdale, N.Y., stepchildren, Heather and Phil Weinstein, of Apex, N.C., and Geoffrey and Laura Binnick, of Apex, N.C.; 14 grandchildren: Sophie, Jordan, and Izzy Steinberg, Simeon, Mikey and Jonathan Wilson, Rachel, Batya, Ella, and Alex Wilson, Talia and Evan Weinstein, and Allie and Myles Binnick.

A memorial service was held at Congregation Beth Israel in Greenville, S.C. with Rabbi Sharon Cohen officiating, and graveside services were held at Crest Lawn Cemetery in Atlanta, Ga., with Rabbi Adam Starr officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Congregation Beth Israel at www.bethisraelsc.org or Congregation Ohr HaTorah at www.ohrhatorahatl.org. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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