In Memory Of
Rabbi Stephen Forstein
1936
2012
Rabbi Stephen Forstein
July 24, 1936 — December 19, 2012
Rabbi Stephen Forstein, the only Rabbi in the state of South Dakota from 1979 through the 1990's has passed away. 76-year old Forstein died at Midland Care Hospice, Topeka KS, and Wednesday morning with family by his side.
Steve was born to Jack and Sally Forstein, July 24 1936. He was educated in public schools of New York City and at New Lincoln School, and loved to play baseball. While at the New Lincoln School he won many honors and graduated with a diploma at the age of 16. He received his B.A. at Columbia University at 18, and then, took two years of graduate work in sociology at the University of California in Berkeley. He decided to become a Rabbi while an assistant to a Rabbi at the Hillel Foundation at the UC Berkeley. He also met and later married his first wife, Robin Gordon, during his initial graduate work. He completed his religious studies and was granted a Master Degree of Hebrew Letters, and was ordained as a Rabbi at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati OH. Part of the activist clergy in the 1960's, while serving a congregation in Richmond CA he worked with the United Farm Workers. He was involved in trying to end abuses by welfare offices, and he worked with teenagers in Haight-Ashbury. He was originator of the San Francisco Jewish Youth Project. After his ground breaking work in Richmond, he moved his family to serve a Congregation in White Plains, New York for a few years. After serving congregations on the East and West coast, he became the Rabbi for Temple Beth Shalom in Topeka KS. During this time he was appointed a part time position at the Menninger's Foundation, and worked to further social services, Jewish concerns, such as US support for the State of Israel, and the rights of the impoverished for the State of Kansas. He was an advisor to Former Governor Alf Landon. In 1970, he separated (and later divorced) Robin, and moved to Sioux City, IA to become Director of Planned Parenthood there. In 1976 he started a lighting supply business and met and married his second wife Jan Wendte. While living in Iowa, he was asked to be acting Rabbi of Mount Zion Congregation in Sioux Falls, SD, after the Rabbi for the congregation passed away. In 1979, he became the part-time Rabbi at Mount Zion Congregation, continued to travel with his lighting business and connect with Jews all across the state, Northwest IA, and Southwest MN. He lectured on college campuses under the auspices of the Jewish Chautauqua Society. Rabbi Forstein felt strongly about building strong Jewish identities and would travel many miles in order to teach both adults and children in small communities surrounding Sioux Falls. In December 1980 Rabbi Forstein's story, as being the only Rabbi in South Dakota, was profiled on CBS's Morning News with Charles Kuralt. This story led to an appearance on the game show "To Tell the Truth" in 1981, where he, and two other individuals, claimed to be "Rabbi Stephen Forstein".
In 1998, after divorcing Jan, Rabbi Forstein moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. He became the Rabbi for Temple B'nai Israel in the city and Temple Beth El in Battle Creek, Michigan. While in Michigan, he met and married for a third time, to Nora Chaus. His marriage to Nora only lasted a few years. He retired in 2006 from the Rabbinate, and due to health problems, moved back to Topeka, KS to be closer to his 2 oldest children and his grandchildren in September of 2011.
While not teaching and lecturing about Judaism, Rabbi Forstein loved reading, listening to all types of music, checking out the latest images from NASA telescopes. He loved watching as many baseball games as possible every MLB season. While living in South Dakota, Rabbi Forstein was a Minnesota Twins fan, but never forgot about his childhood Brooklyn Dodgers. After moving to Michigan, he became a Detroit Tigers fan. Although inexperienced, he also loved sailing.
Rabbi Forstein is survived by his five children; Leora, Micah, his wife Erin; Avram, Jacob and Tovia, two future daughter-in-laws Leslie and Jodie; and his four grandchildren Kaila, Estella, Dylan and Emma. He is also survived by ex-wives Robin, Jan and Nora.
Funeral services and internment were held Friday at Temple Beth Shalom in Topeka, KS. A memorial service will be held in Sioux Falls at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your favorite charity in honor of Rabbi Steve Forstein
Steve was born to Jack and Sally Forstein, July 24 1936. He was educated in public schools of New York City and at New Lincoln School, and loved to play baseball. While at the New Lincoln School he won many honors and graduated with a diploma at the age of 16. He received his B.A. at Columbia University at 18, and then, took two years of graduate work in sociology at the University of California in Berkeley. He decided to become a Rabbi while an assistant to a Rabbi at the Hillel Foundation at the UC Berkeley. He also met and later married his first wife, Robin Gordon, during his initial graduate work. He completed his religious studies and was granted a Master Degree of Hebrew Letters, and was ordained as a Rabbi at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati OH. Part of the activist clergy in the 1960's, while serving a congregation in Richmond CA he worked with the United Farm Workers. He was involved in trying to end abuses by welfare offices, and he worked with teenagers in Haight-Ashbury. He was originator of the San Francisco Jewish Youth Project. After his ground breaking work in Richmond, he moved his family to serve a Congregation in White Plains, New York for a few years. After serving congregations on the East and West coast, he became the Rabbi for Temple Beth Shalom in Topeka KS. During this time he was appointed a part time position at the Menninger's Foundation, and worked to further social services, Jewish concerns, such as US support for the State of Israel, and the rights of the impoverished for the State of Kansas. He was an advisor to Former Governor Alf Landon. In 1970, he separated (and later divorced) Robin, and moved to Sioux City, IA to become Director of Planned Parenthood there. In 1976 he started a lighting supply business and met and married his second wife Jan Wendte. While living in Iowa, he was asked to be acting Rabbi of Mount Zion Congregation in Sioux Falls, SD, after the Rabbi for the congregation passed away. In 1979, he became the part-time Rabbi at Mount Zion Congregation, continued to travel with his lighting business and connect with Jews all across the state, Northwest IA, and Southwest MN. He lectured on college campuses under the auspices of the Jewish Chautauqua Society. Rabbi Forstein felt strongly about building strong Jewish identities and would travel many miles in order to teach both adults and children in small communities surrounding Sioux Falls. In December 1980 Rabbi Forstein's story, as being the only Rabbi in South Dakota, was profiled on CBS's Morning News with Charles Kuralt. This story led to an appearance on the game show "To Tell the Truth" in 1981, where he, and two other individuals, claimed to be "Rabbi Stephen Forstein".
In 1998, after divorcing Jan, Rabbi Forstein moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. He became the Rabbi for Temple B'nai Israel in the city and Temple Beth El in Battle Creek, Michigan. While in Michigan, he met and married for a third time, to Nora Chaus. His marriage to Nora only lasted a few years. He retired in 2006 from the Rabbinate, and due to health problems, moved back to Topeka, KS to be closer to his 2 oldest children and his grandchildren in September of 2011.
While not teaching and lecturing about Judaism, Rabbi Forstein loved reading, listening to all types of music, checking out the latest images from NASA telescopes. He loved watching as many baseball games as possible every MLB season. While living in South Dakota, Rabbi Forstein was a Minnesota Twins fan, but never forgot about his childhood Brooklyn Dodgers. After moving to Michigan, he became a Detroit Tigers fan. Although inexperienced, he also loved sailing.
Rabbi Forstein is survived by his five children; Leora, Micah, his wife Erin; Avram, Jacob and Tovia, two future daughter-in-laws Leslie and Jodie; and his four grandchildren Kaila, Estella, Dylan and Emma. He is also survived by ex-wives Robin, Jan and Nora.
Funeral services and internment were held Friday at Temple Beth Shalom in Topeka, KS. A memorial service will be held in Sioux Falls at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your favorite charity in honor of Rabbi Steve Forstein
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rabbi Stephen Forstein, please visit our flower store.
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