Professor Robert Sandler is a native of Boston, Massachusetts. He is a veteran of World War II. After six years of college in Ohio University and Case Western Reserve University, he was appointed, in 1953 to the faculty of Northeastern University in Boston where he taught English and Literature for three years. In 1956, he joined the English Department at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida where he remained until he retired as Professor of English Emeritus in 1990.
Professor Sandler's principal academic interests have been American life and Literature, World Literature, and Jewish history and literature.
In the early 1970's, Professor Sandler created several Jewish Literature courses, including, among others, a two-semester Survey of Jewish Literature, the Bible as Literature, and Literature of the Holocaust. He served as the acting coordinator of the Jewishly-related courses at the University, which later became the Judaic Studies Program.
In Professor Sandler's years in South Florida, he has taught Adult Education courses in Jewish history, literature and history as well as courses in the Tanach and Talmud at various synagogues. He has also lectured and written on themes of American life and literature as well as on Judaic themes.
Professor Sandler's writings have been published in the "Ohioan Magazine," "The Phi Kappa Phi Journal", (now "The National Forum"), "Midstream Magazine," "The Jewish Spectator," "The Miami News," "The Jewish Post & Opinion," "CCAR Journal,' "Sh'Ma" "The Miami Herald" (Op-Ed and "Sunday Magazine"), "The Jewish Floridian," "Veritas Magazine," (U.M.), "The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, among other periodicals.
Professor Sandler has written a book in connection with a Sabbatical Leave after a month in China in 1981, "A Report on the Reading and Study of American Literature" at the college level in the Peoples Republic of China, August, 1981.
On May 7, 2010, Professor Sandler will receive the Talmud Torah Award from Temple Beth Am where he has been a member for over 30 years. The award is given to honor congregants who contribute to the Temple by engaging thoughtfully in its Adult Education programs.