Mark Greenberg’s life has been shaped by his passion for Judaism, Israel, and family, and whose journey through sports has instilled in him a profound appreciation for friendships and connections. His dedication to building community is reflected in his regular attendance at The Associated’s Partners Baltimore events, where he continues to make meaningful connections that celebrate unity within the Jewish community.

A lacrosse legend, Mark has won three national championships, represented Team USA in the 1982 World Championship, and earned places in several halls of fame, including the Jewish Sports Heritage Association and Baltimore Jewish Hall of Fames. Here, Mark shares his reflections on the lessons he’s learned from sports, his dedication to his heritage and the values that guide him.

Before we dive into questions, tell us about yourself growing up and about your family now:

I grew up in Pikesville. I went to Sudbrook middle school and then Pikesville High. I was always playing sports in school or with neighborhood friends. I had a special affinity to basketball and lacrosse but was always more talented in lacrosse. I’m still friends with people from high school or those that I played rec sports with. In sports, when you’re teammates, you just create such a lasting bond that’s unlike anything else.

I’ve always been a member of Beth El. Back in 1972, for my Bar Mitzvah, my parents asked if I wanted a party or to go to Israel. I chose Israel. This was my first time going, it was such a positive and life changing experience. I fell in love with the country, and it’s something I’ve loved ever since.  

After attending college at Johns Hopkins, I met my wife, Saralee. We dated for a year and a half before getting married and it’s now been 42 years together. I’m so fortunate she found me. We’ve lived in the same house for 40 years. We have two kids, our daughter Rabbi Ariel Platt, and our son Sam, and five wonderful grandchildren. Everyone lives about five minutes away from each, which is so nice. I started my own mortgage business in 1986 and have recently retired.

As a life-long Baltimorean, what is it about Baltimore that’s kept you so rooted here?

The three biggest aspects are the fact that I grew up here, Baltimore is a hot bed for lacrosse and that Baltimore has a large and diverse Jewish community. I was always able to play sports at a high level in Baltimore, which was important to me.

Baltimore feels like a small town, but also big enough. It has always felt like home wherever I go. I always run into people I know from lacrosse, professionally, or just friends around town.

I still go to Johns Hopkins for lacrosse games, and it feels like I’m in my own backyard. I’ve recently gotten back involved with Hopkins Hillel (I was previously Chair of the Board). I’ve also been mentoring Hopkins lacrosse players, which has been a lot of fun. I’ve been helping them with internships, interview prep, job searches and their resumes.

You’ve been involved with The Associated’s Partners Baltimore events. What draws you to this event, and how do they help strengthen your own sense of Jewish identity?

My wife is the one who first got involved with The Associated’s Partners Baltimore event and brought me along. She used to co-chair a big Challah Bake event with over 3,000 women participating. The whole concept was to unite Jews across Baltimore. It’s a hard thing to do when everyone has their own way of practicing, but at our core, we’re all Jewish.

I remember one time my wife had a meeting at our house and Orthodox families came and they saw all the Judaica and Jewish books we have in our home. They didn’t realize a Conservative family could represent Judaism the same way they do. We must all be able to accept each other as Jews, no matter which way we practice. When Saralee said she wanted to participate in the Partners Baltimore event, which unites Jews across all backgrounds, I was all for it. I’ve already formed many new friendships through it. One of my learning partners, Brett Weil, recently invited us over for a Sukkot dinner.

What role does your Jewish identity play in your life today, and how do you see it influencing your involvement in both sports and community-building efforts?

I’m very proud of my Jewish heritage. When I go to any Jewish or non-Jewish events, I’ll always wear my Israel lacrosse swag, because I want people to know I’m involved. I’ll always represent Judaism or Israel and never hide who I am. Now that I’m retired, I have more time to get back involved with Jewish community organizations.

With such a remarkable lacrosse career spanning from high school championships to Johns Hopkins college and international competitions with the U.S. National Team to multiple Hall of Fame inductions, what moment(s) stand out as the most meaningful?

You learn lessons throughout your whole journey. Losing the NCAA Championship in my freshman year at Hopkins was one of the most memorable games because I knew I never wanted to feel that way again. I had to figure out what to do to make sure that never occurred again. Thankfully, we won the next three National Championships.

Other memorable moments are representing Team USA in the 1982 World Championship and being able to start up a lacrosse program in Israel with the Israel Lacrosse Association.

How did you first get involved with Israel Lacrosse and what has it meant to you to support the growth of the sport in Israel?

In 2011, My former Team USA teammate called to ask me to get involved with a brand new lacrosse program in Israel. I didn’t hesitate. The opportunity combined all my passions: family, Judaism, Israel and lacrosse. Along with my former teammate, and two others, we formed the Israel Lacrosse Association (ILA), which culminated in Israel hosting the 2018 Lacrosse World Championships in Netanya.

Teams from 46 different countries came to Israel to compete in the World Championship. Many of the countries were worried about coming because of what they heard and read about Israel in the media. All the teams ended up having a life changing experience in Israel. The ILA paid for every team to take a tour of Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall and Yad V’Shem. Every player got to experience the culture and history of Israel.

During the Opening Ceremonies of the World Championship was when I first saw the impact of lacrosse on Israel. Spectators from all over the world were in the stands. People were having a positive experience in Israel, that ultimately changed their impression of the country.

With Ashkelon being Baltimore’s sister city in Israel, can you share more about what lacrosse looks like in Ashkelon and how it came to be played there?

The Associated has always been very supportive of the connection between Baltimore and Ashkelon. It was only natural to bring lacrosse to Ashkelon because we had the relationships and community support. Funding from the Baltimore-Ashkelon partnership, along with Ariel Sigaly’s support, assisted us in starting lacrosse in Ashkelon, among other contributors. The sport has been very popular among the kids there.

What’s the best part about being a grandparent and what advice would you give to others?

Being a retired grandparent, I get to see all the new things happen in my grandchildren’s lives that I may have missed with my own kids while I was working. My advice to grandparents would be to live in the moment with your grandchildren and enjoy all the experiences with them.

Your daughter is Rabbi Ariel Platt, and she is also the Director of J Life at the JCC. How do you think her family upbringing led to her profession?

Our household was very traditional. We’d go to Beth El for services on Friday nights and have Shabbat dinner together. Our family grew up very close to the clergy and our kids were able to have conversations with them and ask questions in a casual environment.

Ariel always had a great ability to communicate in front of crowds. At only 12 years old she spoke at my National Lacrosse Hall of Fame induction.

In her senior year of college, Ariel had an epiphany where she wanted to be a Rabbi and she pursued it. When she speaks, people feel very connected to her words, whether at a service, or just in front of a casual group. She has a real gift!

As a Baltimore Lifer, what is one thing every Baltimorean should do?

Visiting the Inner Harbor is a must. Because I do a lot of outdoor mountain biking, I highly recommend Patapsco State Park. It’s magnificent. There are trails for hiking and biking. It’s a great gem of Maryland!