About

Mark Shook is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Anthropology/Near Eastern Studies, from the University of Michigan, a Bachelor of Hebrew Letters Degree, a Master of Arts Degree in Hebrew Letters, and a Doctor of Divinity Degree, from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. He was ordained a rabbi in the Reform Jewish Movement in 1972.

From 1972-1980, he was the Assistant, then Associate Rabbi of Congregation Temple Israel in Creve Coeur. In 1973 he began his police chaplaincy as a Department Chaplain for the St. Louis County Police. In 1981 he was called to serve as Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, Margate/Northfield, NJ, which he did until 1987. In 1987, Temple Israel in Creve Coeur invited him to return as their Senior Rabbi, a position he occupied until his retirement in 2010. Upon his retirement in 2010, he was named Rabbi Emeritus of the Congregation.

Rabbi Shook taught Jewish Philosophy at St. Louis University, as an adjunct professor, from 1992-2016. He also continued his work in police chaplaincy. Since 2010 he has been serving as the Chaplain Coordinator of the St. Louis County Police, as a Division Chaplain for the St. Louis Division, FBI, and as a Chaplain of the Creve Coeur Police Department.

In addition to his chaplaincy, he continues to teach and write. His first historical novel, The Ezra Scroll, published in 2014, has just been reconfigured as a series with a new title, Search for the Sacred Scroll. It is published by the Newhouse Creative Group Book 1 and 2 are available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Book 3 OUT NOW!