Born and raised in London, England, Rabbi Mark Goldman grew up immersed in the Modern Orthodox Jewish community. After high school, he spent a year studying at Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem, deepening his connection to Torah and Israel. He went on to earn an Honours B.A. in Judaic Studies from the London School of Jewish Studies and became the youngest person ever to receive ministerial certification from the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom.
He later earned a Master of Music in Performance and Literature from the prestigious Eastman School of Music. His unique blend of musical and spiritual gifts has taken him to pulpits and concert stages around the world, including a performance at the Vatican.
After emigrating to the United States, Rabbi Mark served as Senior Cantor at Temple Beth El in Rochester, New York, before moving to South Florida, where he served Temple Kol Ami for more than three decades. In 2023, the Academy for Jewish Religion ordained him as a rabbi and he is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Following the historic 2025 merger of Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El and Temple Beth Orr to form Broward Central Synagogue (BCS), Rabbi Mark became the rabbi of the Beth Orr campus while continuing to oversee the musical and cantorial life of both campuses as Senior Cantor of BCS.
At the Beth Orr campus, Rabbi Mark has helped lead an exciting period of renewal and growth. Through a combination of warm, accessible worship, innovative programming, adult learning, outreach to young families and a renewed emphasis on personal connection, he has helped bring new energy and momentum to the congregation. Shabbat attendance has grown significantly, new programs have brought both longtime and new members through the doors, and Beth Orr has increasingly become a vibrant gathering place for Jewish life in northwest Broward. Central to Rabbi Mark’s vision is creating a synagogue where people at every stage of Jewish involvement—from deeply engaged members to those standing at the periphery—can find an authentic sense of belonging, meaning and community.
Rabbi Mark has held significant national leadership roles, including serving on the Board of the Union for Reform Judaism and as president of the American Conference of Cantors, the world’s largest professional body of cantors.
He also serves as Executive Director of the Institute of Jewish Knowledge and Learning (IJKL), South Florida’s largest virtual center for Jewish adult education, offering weekly classes, lectures and events to a community of more than 2,000 participants.
A proud Zionist and passionate educator, Rabbi Mark is widely recognized for his ability to bridge timeless Jewish values with the questions and challenges of contemporary life, and for creating Jewish experiences that are intellectually engaging, spiritually meaningful and genuinely welcoming. His regular teachings and reflections can be found on Instagram and Facebook at @markgfll.
He is married to Sam Farkas, an attorney, television host and renowned tutor to the stars.
