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Rabbi Arthur I. Baseman, D.D.

Rabbi Arthur I. Baseman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and attended Harvard University, where he received an A. B. degree with High Honors in English Literature. He went on to earn ordination from the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, Ohio, with the degree of Master of Hebrew Letters. At the seminary, he was the recipient of the I. Kingdon Hirsch Fellowship from the American Jewish Archives, the Master of Hebrew Letters degree, the Mother Hirsch Prize for scholarship, and served as President of his class.

Upon ordination, Rabbi Baseman received his commission as Jewish Chaplain with the United States Army and attained the rank of Captain during his tour of duty. He then served as Associate Rabbi at Temple Sinai, Roslyn Heights, New York. In addition to his pulpit responsibilities, he served as Jewish Chaplain at St. Francis Hospital, Port Washington, N.Y., and the Nassau County Jail, East Meadow, N.Y., and was an officer of the Roslyn Ministerial Association.

He served as the spiritual leader of Temple B’nai Israel, Clearwater, Florida, for 39 years, making it one of the largest and most vital exponents of Reform Judaism in the Southeast Region. In addition to his responsibilities at Temple B’nai Israel, he has served as a member of the Clearwater Bicentennial Committee, the City of Clearwater Community Relations Board, and the Institutional Review Board of Morton Plant Hospital. Rabbi Baseman become the first President of the Pinellas County Board of Rabbis, and has served three times. He has also held the office of President of the Clearwater Ministerial Association. On the occasion of this 25^th year as a rabbi, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion.

Rabbi Baseman is currently a board member of FAST (Faith and Action for Strength Together), an interfaith organization dedicated to social action, and he teaches and lectures for both Jewish and non-Jewish groups on a variety of spiritual and religious topics.

He has participated in the life cycle events of thousands of families, and his reputation for creating meaningful spiritual experiences and memories has given him the opportunity to officiate at religious ceremonies across the United States and abroad.