Throughout my life I have met wonderful and talented people who have made a significant impression on me. Rabbi Binyamin Steinberg, z”l, was such a person. With his 23rd yahrzeit coming up on 11 Shvat/January 12, it is a fit time for those of us who knew him to honor his memory. And for younger Baltimoreans who were not privileged to know him, it is an appropriate time to learn about this special Baltimore personality.
Rabbi Steinberg’s engaging personality, simchas hachaim (a joyous happy spirit), Torah learning, and hashkafa (religious outlook) had a definite impact not only on me but on all with whom he came in contact. Most likely, Rabbi Steinberg never even realized the huge influence he had on them.
Here was a genuine, sincere, kind, warm, joyous man, highly educated in both limudei kodesh and secular studies, a great talmid chacham who possessed a chein (charm) and smile that captured everyone’s attention. He was a scholar, a renowned Jewish historian, an expert in Tanach and in dikduk (Hebrew grammar). Principal of Bais Yaakov high school, he was a master teacher and administrator. With all that, he was one of the most humble people you could ever meet. He possessed tremendous common sense and an ability to communicate clearly with all who sought his advice and counsel. He was a wonderful husband, father, and role model, and a mentor, to many individuals in Baltimore.
Rabbi Steinberg had a rich baritone voice, his speech was soothing, and his engaging personality endeared him to all. After being a rebbe at the Talmudical Academy for a few years, he was called upon to become menahel, principal, of Bais Yaakov. There, he and Rabbi Hirsch Diskind, z”l, made Baltimore’s Bais Yaakov one of the finest Jewish girls schools in America. The success of today’s Bais Yaakov, with its current outstanding administration, rests on the foundation they created.
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A few years ago, when Rabbi Steinberg was memorialized at Bais Yaakov’s annual banquet, a video was shown in which students and staff spoke about Rabbi Steinberg. One student remembers: “Every morning Rabbi Steinberg stood by the entrance of the school and greeted everyone by name. He not only knew every student by name; he was very involved, with his staff, in knowing their families and was always interested in their well being. He exuded dignity, refinement, and respect and held all in high esteem. He believed in his students, which made the students believe in themselves. He had high goals and expectations and taught excellence to his students. He praised and complimented his students and staff, using positive reinforcement at all times. Whatever needed to be done, he taught, had to be done right, and all had to be a kiddush Hashem. He was accessible to anyone who needed his counsel, and he understood people. He showed genuine concern and was a true baal chesed.”
According to another student, “Rabbi Steinberg never spoke down to anyone but, rather, spoke respectfully and kindly even when he was correcting a student or giving mussar. He made each of us feel important and maintained our sense of dignity. He had a way of getting his point across without offending anyone in the process.”
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Rabbi Steinberg was born in 1932 to a traditional Jewish family, Otto and Hedwig Steinberg, who operated a dry goods store in Berlin. He and his sister Hilda (who lives in Rome, Italy) were raised in difficult times, as Hitler was emerging to power. In 1939, as Otto and Hedwig went to obtain visas to leave Germany, they picked the shortest line, as many hundreds of people were attempting to get out of Germany. It happened to be the line to Shanghai. So the family fled to Shanghai, where they took up residence from 1939 to 1947. Binyamin attended the Kavori School Talmud Torah, where he loved to learn and loved the frumkeit.
Upon arriving in America, the young Binyamin continued to be mentored by Rabbi Borchardt and Rabbi Fabian (father in-law of Baltimore’s Rabbi Thav), whom he knew from Shanghai. He attended Torah Vodaas yeshiva from 1947 to 1955. During the summers, he went to Camp Agudah, where, together with his yeshiva training, he acquired the simchas hachaim and ru’ach that he spread throughout his life.
Rabbi Steinberg spent half a year in the Ner Israel Kollel and then married Rhoda Stauber in 1957. Rabbi Hirsch Diskind made the shidduch. In 1958 he became a rebbe at the Talmudical Academy. He earned a master’s degree in education from Loyola College and did graduate work at John Hopkins University. Rabbi Diskind brought him to Bais Yaakov in 1961.
The Steinbergs started their married life on Violet Avenue and later purchased a home on Rockwood Avenue. It was there that they raised their wonderful children: Miriam, Shimmy, Blumie, Naomi, and Moishe. Rabbi Steinberg davened either at Rabbi Taub’s on Rogers Avenue or at Shearith Israel. Later, the Steinbergs moved to Benhurst Avenue.
Rabbi Steinberg’s son Shimmy remembers the family visits to Rabbi Yaakov Ruderman, zt”l, every Chol Hamoed Sukkos. Rabbi Steinberg was always excited to meet with Rabbi Ruderman and, often, with Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, zt”l, whom he regarded as mentors to him and his mishpacha (family).
Blumie (Steinberg) Loeb remembers how her dad lived always by the mantra of “Chasdei Hashem ki lo samnu – the chesed of Hashem is boundless.”
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I, too, have many memories of Rabbi Steinberg: His simchas hachaim was especially evident around the Shabbos and Yom Tov table. In fact, he had a passion for simcha. My fondest memory is sitting at his Purim seudah as he taught a group of Pirchei boys his fantastic rendition of “Shoshanas Yaakov.” He belted it out with such simcha that I will never forget. For many years, Rabbi Steinberg served as the morah d’asra of the Pirchei minyan on the top floor of the Adas Shul on Rogers Avenue. Under his direction and supervision, the minyan was quiet and very bekavod (proper), always. We learned to daven and lein, keeping the very high standards he set for all the bachrim. I looked forward to walking him home across the JCC parking lot, each week, hanging on every word he spoke to me. I would often see him Wednesday nights at my brother-in-law Steve Storch’s home on Bonnie Road, as they learned bechavrusa.
Rabbi Steinberg was a model for what a mechanech (educator) should be. He was steeped in Torah but was extremely worldly, well read, and very informed. His warm personality and his passion to live a Torah life besimcha endeared him to all. Baltimore of today has benefited immensely from his contribution to chinuch and from the advice and counsel he gave to so many.
