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Emanu-EI Throws
`Surprise Service'
GAIL ZIMMERMAN
Special to The Jewish News
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uspicious, very suspi-
cious," said Rabbi
Lane Steinger of Tem-
ple Emanu-El upon entering
the temple's sanctuary last
Shabbat eve. He was referring
to the number of congregants
filling the sanctuary and
spilling over into the social
hall, the kind of attendance
at services usually seen only
on Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur.
This was not an ordinary
Shabbat family service. It was
a special service planned by
the congregation as a sur-
prise for the rabbi, to honor
him for 15 years of service to
the temple.
Andrea Teeple, Temple
Emanu-El's religious vice
president, came up with the
idea for the "surprise service."
"What made it extra
special," she said, "was that
it was also the weekend of the
rabbi's 45th birthday and we
were able to turn it into a
double celebration. Our tern-
ple president, Bea Sacks,
thought it was a wonderful
idea and worked with me to
make all the arrangements."
Invitations for the "surprise
service" were sent out to all
temple members, as well as to
the rabbi's family and friends,
asking them to attend the
service.
"I had so many response
cards coming in every day,"
said Mrs. Sacks, "I felt like I
was giving a bar mitzvah. I
received many, many dona-
tions from people who for
some reason could not make
the service, but still wanted to
honor the rabbi in some way."
The rabbi was kept in the
dark about the surprise with
the help of his secretary,
Elaine Church. "She typed up
two different sets of service
outlines and two different
lists of service participants,"
explained Mrs. Sacks.
Taking part in the service
were the rabbi's wife, Linda
Steinger, who lit the Shabbat
candles; and daughters Shira,
16, and Daina, 13, who
recited the Torah blessings.
Son, Rafi, 8, and Nathan and
Shirley Fink, the rabbi's in-
laws, participated as service
readers. Joining them on the
bimah was the rabbi's
mother, Shirley Steinger, of
St. Louis, in town for a visit
to help celebrate her son's
birthday.
Another surprise was the
presence of neighboring Oak
Park rabbi and close friend,
Rabbi David Nelson of Con-
gregation Beth Shalom, who
delivered the D'var Torah in
tribute to his colleague.
In an affectionate and often
humorous talk on "the
perfect rabbi," Rabbi Nelson
praised Rabbi Steinger as a
"caring individual who brings
special distinction to the rab-
binate. Wherever a rabbi
should be, Lane is there," he
said. "We have a special and
close friendship and you have
a great rabbi who is a special
friend to you," he told the
congregation.
Complimenting Rabbi Ste-
inger on his scholarly rab-
binic perspective, Rabbi
Nelson reminded the con-
gregation of a quote from rab-
Rabbi Steinger
bi and philosopher Leo Baeck:
"The message is not the ser-
mon; the message is the man
himself." Addressing his
friend, he continued,
"Unswervingly during 15
years, you have delivered
yourself at all times."
The tributes continued as
Rabbi David Feder, rabbi at
the temple for the past year-
- and-a-half, lauded his senior
rabbi as "a gracious host,
study partner, mentor,
teacher, and friend."
Cantor Emeritus Norman
Rose thanked Rabbi Steinger
for the friendship extended to
him and his family over the
years and said he had learn-
ed much from the rabbi. "You
have learned from me, too,"
the cantor said. "You've im-
proved your singing a great
deal over the past 15 years!"
He also read a letter from
Rabbi Emeritus Milton
Rosenbaum, who was at home
recuperating from surgery.
Mrs. Sacks praised the rab-
bi as "a man who cares about
his congregation and fosters a
mutual sense of respect and
response" at the temple.
"Almost everyone here," she
said, "can tell a story about
the rabbi and how he has
been here for us. You know
he knows who you are, if you