Sharon Mars became the senior rabbi at Temple Israel Columbus in 2017, and for 4 years prior to that served as Temple Israel’s  Associate Rabbi and Director of Community Engagement.  She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College, New York in 1998, and in 2023 received her Doctorate of Divinity for her 25 years of rabbinic service. 

Previously, Sharon served as a rabbi in hospice, state penitentiaries, senior care, mental health facilities, Jewish Community Centers, and Jewish summer camps. Passionate about supporting young Jews on campus, Sharon was the program director at Hillel at the Claremont Colleges immediately after graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 1989, and was the campus rabbi at the North Carolina Hillel in Chapel Hill years later.  She has studied at Hebrew University, the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, the Mussar Institute, and the Shalom Hartman Institute, was a Hadar Jewish Wisdom Fellow, and serves on the board of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. Her rabbinate is rooted in mindfulness and community organizing work, and she is committed to building bridges between individuals and communities. Rabbi Mars is incredibly proud to serve a congregation which is so deeply committed to relationship-building, intellectual exploration, and spiritual journey-taking.

A native Los Angelino, she  is the mother of three awesome young adults, a big fan of the great outdoors and live music, and loves a good TV streaming binge watch.

Phone: 614-866-0010 ext 113

Email: rabbimars@templeisrael.org