Before becoming a rabbi, Mark Wildes was on track to become part of the family legal legacy as a high profile attorney. He got his JD from the Cardozo School of Law and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. While on this track, he and his father worked closely with Ed Koch to help “Refusenik” Jews obtain emigration rights when the Soviet Union tried to ban them from leaving.

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During this time, he somehow also became active in reaching out to NYC’s less affiliated Jewish community. He became very interested in and troubled by the growing number of young people intentionally distancing themselves from religion and their heritage. So, while in graduate school, he also enrolled in Yeshiva University and became ordained as a Rabbi, not really knowing which way he would go professionally.

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And then the moment of truth came, and he had to pick a path.