Community

Spirituality

Bard

To Say

c-,

Goodbye

Builder of
Jewish bridges
leaves for new
rabbinic
position in
California.

Top: Rabbi Steven and Yael Weil listen as
the YIOP children's choir performs.

Right: Rabbi Steven Weil displays the Book
of Memories, flanked by Rabbi Joseph
Hirsch and Rebbetzin Yael Wed

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
StaffWriter

hose whose think vice-presi-
dential nominee Sen. Joseph
Lieberman (D-Conn.) is an
anomaly for his ties to both
the Orthodox movement and the world
outside of religion must not know
Rabbi Steven Weil.
Looking out at the more than 250 -
guests who came to bid his family best
wishes as they move to their new
California home, Rabbi Weil stressed to
his former congregation how its youth
can strive to be like Lieberman.
Referring to the young Orthodox
members of the Young Israel of Oak
Park congregation where he served for
six years, he said, "We've raised our best
and brightest for Wall Street, for
Beaumont and Providence (hospitals)
and for law practices." He cited Sen.
Lieberman as an example to them of a
man with morals and dignity "who
never had to compromise his commit-
ment to Jewish learning."
Praise for Rabbi Weil's contributions
to YIOP and Jewish Detroit filled the
gathering. The rabbi, his wife Yael and
their five children are moving for his
new position as senior rabbi at Beth
Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills,
Calif.
In addition to Rabbi Weil's own
devotion to Orthodoxy is the reputa-
tion he has achieved through the years
as a bridge builder, striving to connect
the Orthodox community with other

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streams of Judaism. In
this regard, he became
closely involved with
the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan
Detroit.
"He has worked extremely hard,
with passion and dedication to bring
our community together," said Dr.
David Ungar, who served as master of
ceremonies for the Aug. 20 event at
Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield. "He made
a tremendous, important contribution
to this community."

Emotional Farewell

Tears filled the eyes of guests as choir
director Shoshana Katz led the YIOP
children's choir in their debut perfor-
mance.
As they sang the words, "Change is
never easy... once in a lifetime there
comes such a friend, one who is steady
and strong to the end;" Cilia Kleiman
of Southfield, attending with husband
Leslie, was filled with emotion. The
Young Israel of Southfield member said
both Weils have had a large impact on
her children's lives, ever since the rabbi
began teaching her eldest daughter at
Yeshivat Akiva.
"The Weils have been wonderful role
models to our children," now ages 19,
17 and 11, she said.
Rabbi Weil most likely will be
remembered in Detroit more for his
relationships with people and groups
than for the significant honors shown
him. Among them: "Rabbi Steven Well

Day," proclaimed in July by both Oak
Park and Southfield, and the public
praise of U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham
(R-Mich.), speaking in the Senate
chambers last month.
"Rabbi Weil treats everybody equally
and with respect, dignity and honor,"
Ungar said. "When he speaks he is con-
stantly walking around, giving the feel-
ing he is speaking directly to you."
"He is interested in everybody," said
Benno Levi of Oak Park, a YIOP mem-
ber for 60 years. "He has a way with
people — he is without expectations."
Ungar described the rabbi as some-
one who would keep in touch with the
out-of-town children of an ill congre-
gant. He also was known to care for a
sick member while the person's spouse
ran an errand, under the guise that it
was no trouble since he needed a place
to sit and write a speech anyway.
"That is kindness. That is modesty.
That is being a mentsh," added Ungar.
Esther Sherizen of Oak Park, an
executive board member of the syna-
gogue, coordinated the farewell tribute.
The Weils spent much of their time
in Detroit as Jewish educators, both
teaching at the Agency for Jewish
Education, at the time in Southfield,
and at the Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit buildings in
Oak Park and West Bloomfield. Rabbi

Weil also had an ongoing Jewish lecture
series on cable TV.
Ungar called Yael Well "the glue that
keeps her family in check." He added,
"I learned a lot about parenting from
her."
The Weils left the tribute event with
a special Bbok of Memories in hand. It
includes letters from Michigan Gov.
John Engler and U.S. Sen. Carl Levin-
(D-Mich.) and U.S. Rep. Sander Levin
(D-Mich.), as well as personal, hand-
written good wishes from members of
their congregation and community.
The 260-member families of YIOP,
the largest Orthodox congregation in
Michigan, now looks ahead toward
finding a new spiritual leader and con-
structing a new sanctuary and social
hall; both projects are already under
way. The congregation will dedicate a
portion of the new sanctuary in honor
of the Weils.
Speaking at the farewell gathering,
synagogue member Rabbi Joseph Hirsch
said the Weils' move West "has left an
unbridgeable void in our congregation."
Manny Mittelman of Southfield also
will miss Rabbi Weil. "There has never
been a guy who can gap the bridges
between our people," said Mittelman, a
YIOP member since 1956. "For that,
it is a greater loss for the city than for
the shul."111

