Rabbi Marc Wilson

Rabbi Marc Wilson December 16, 1949 - February 8, 2023 Rabbi Marc Wilson, 73, died Wednesday, February 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, IL, Shearith Israel in Atlanta, GA, Temple Israel in Charlotte, NC, and Beth Israel in Greenville, SC. He was a noted columnist for publications including 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 a hundred 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, SC; 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, NY, stepchildren Heather and Phil Weinstein of Apex, NC, and Geoffrey and Laura Binnick of Apex, NC; 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 Evan Binnick. A memorial service will be held at Congregation Beth Israel at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 12, 2023 in Greenville, SC with Rabbi Sharon Cohen officiating. Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 12, 2023 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 https://www.bethisraelsc.org or Congregation Ohr HaTorah at https://www.ohrhatorahatl.org. Arrangements by Dressler's Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.