Rabbi Lawrence Mark Silverman, 83

PLYMOUTH, Massachusetts — Rabbi Lawrence Mark Silverman, 83, died Nov. 10 with his loving wife of 31 years, Meredith, by his side.

Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1943 to Zelda Belle (Selya) Silverman, a school nurse, and Albert Silverman, a salesman and hatter, Lawrence was a good student and influential older brother to Michael. He adored his maternal grandfather, Abraham Selya.

He earned a scholarship to study at Brown University in Providence, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to graduate school at the University of Toronto, where he earned his Ph.D. in rabbinical studies and met his first wife, Reinhild Kurth. They married in 1964 and spent their first years in Israel at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and then at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. Graduating with honors and fluency in Hebrew, he joined his first congregation, the small but strong Congregation Beth Jacob in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

He served for several years as associate rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Providence, and for 44 years was the beloved spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Jacob. He was named rabbi emeritus in 2021. In July 2023, the congregation celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination with a special Shabbat service.

A scholar, a gifted orator and an inspiring storyteller, he was also a prominent leader in the greater Plymouth community.

Throughout his tenure as rabbi, he led services and interfaith panels and volunteered and served as chaplain in prisons, hospitals and homes for people with disabilities. He was a gifted vocalist and song leader as well, and a passionate educator.

He had four children and loved them deeply.

In 1995, he married Meredith Hoffman, whom he had known when they were student protesters against the Vietnam War in 1962 at Brown University. 

As an avid runner and bicyclist, Lawrence loved exploring Plymouth and many other parts of New England and Canada. He loved theater productions, live music, traveling in Europe and visiting with his children and family in Hawaii; Buffalo, New York; California; and New Mexico. A strict vegetarian and animal lover, Lawrence loved hiking, watching “Star Trek” and listening to pop music.

A great listener and mentor, Lawrence was known among New England colleagues as someone who put down strong roots in his congregational community and cherished the connections that extended over generations. He was a kind soul.

Rabbi Lawrence Silverman will be missed, loved and never forgotten by those he touched through the years.

The family would like to thank the staff at Bridges by EPOCH at Pembroke for the care they gave in his last days.

He is survived by his wife, Meredith Hoffman, of Plymouth, Massachusetts; his son, Daniel Amitai-Nissim Silverman, and his partner, Heather Bradford, of the Big Island of Hawaii; his daughter, Natanya Ruth Silverman, and her husband, Shawn Connor, of Plymouth; his daughter, Yona Elisheva Silverman, and her husband, Alan Ness, of Placitas, New Mexico; his son, Tovia Abraham Silverman, of Plymouth; his younger brother, Michael, and his wife, Rebecca, of Buffalo; and his two granddaughters and various cousins of the Silverman and Selya families.

Zichrono livracha. May Lawrence’s memory be a blessing.

Condolences may be sent to Meredith Hoffman, 60 Stafford St., Apt. 221, Plymouth, MA 02360.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rabbi Silverman’s honor can be made to the Beth Jacob General Fund at cbjplymouth.org/donate/donate-now, the Montreal Holocaust Museum at museeholocauste.ca/en/support-the-montreal-holocaust-museum/ or Oasis of Peace at oasisofpeace.org/donate.