How appropriate that as part of today's installation of officers of the Cantors' Council, we take the opportunity to honor a founding member and past president of this organization.

Hazzan Louis Klein's career in the cantorate has been an inspiration not only to the members of this community which he has served, but also to his colleagues all over the United States and Canada, who revere him. His devotion, concern for tradition and for people, as well as his unquestioned talent complement his quiet dignity, his warmth and his ability to inspire and to those of us whom he has allowed to know him well, his unusual sense of humor.

Hazzan Klein, you are in the ranks of those fortunate wonderful cantors who have touched the hearts and souls of everyone who has been privileged to be in your presence. You have a deep, honest, humility, which helps to keep in perspective your great talent. This is a status that many hazzinim are in constant battle trying to achieve. You live that humility every day, and your piety has sown the seeds of passion in the hearts of countless Jews.

Louis Klein was born on Shemini Atzeret in Rumania, the son of a Hazzan. He began his studying of Nusach Hatifilah, the melodies of prayer, as a young boy, and was greatly influenced by the sweet voice and Baal Tefillah, singing style, of his father.

Cantor Klein attended various Yeshivot in Europe before embarking upon the career of Cantor. He studied music and voice at the Conservatorium in Ostend (Belgium) and Hazzanut with Cantor B. Rabinowitz in Antwerp.

He came to London, England in 1940 where he continued to study at the Guildhall School of Music, and at the same time held an important position. He came to the United States in 1956 and finally to Detroit in 1958, directly to the pulpit of Congregation B'nai Moshe, a congregation that he has served for 40 years.

Cantor Klein, with his melodious Baritone voice, was soon recognized in Detroit and called upon by many Organizations and Societies for recitals. He has appeared many times on Radio and Television and has delighted audiences in many concerts. Some of his performance highlights include singing the solo of Cantor in the Sacred Service by Ernest Bloch in a performance with the Oak Park Symphony and the Kenneth Jewell Chorale, participating in the premiere performance of the Opera Out of the Desert by Julius Chajes, singing the Baritone solo in a festival performance of Avodat Hakodesh by Dan Frohman and in the Oratorio If Not Higher by Sholom Secunda.

His Synagogue's Chorale Ensemble performed concerts throughout Michigan and on Radio and TV. The Sisterhood, Men's and Junior Choirs joined him to beautify the High Holy Days and other Special occasions. His Cantorial Concerts, and weekly davening were always of a high standard.

Even more significant than his music was his pastoral and teaching abilities; Cantor Klein has touched the lives of B'nai Mitzvah, brides and grooms, individuals and families in times of joy and sorrow, with his gutte neshonoh. He has prepared and coached talented young men for the professional Cantorate and scores of others over the years to be Baaley Tefilah, to the benefit of his and many other congregations. Up until the last few years, he has been the core of the B'nai Mitzvah training at Hillel Day School.

As well as being an active member of the Cantors Council of Metropolitan Detroit, Cantor Klein is also a member of the Cantors Assembly of America. He has been a member of its Executive Council and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Synagogue Music. Cantor Klein holds an Honorary Fellow Degree of the Cantors' Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, as well as being a recent recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the Seminary.

For 40 years Cantor Klein has been the prayer and musical leader and also a religious inspiration for Congregation B'nai Moshe. For most of his career Cantor Klein was joined in this awesome calling of being a Hazzan by his wife Sonia, of blessed memory. Cantor Klein is the proud father of Maurice and his wife Sally, and Zayde to Samuel, Marcus and Laurie.

Cantor Klein was also the spiritual glue that has kept B'nai Moshe together during the time when the members found themselves without benefit of a rabbi or building. I would like to quote Steven Rabinovitz, a past president of Congregation B'nai Moshe, from his speech at the retirement and testimonial dinner of Hazzan Klein in 1995, "As a congregation we owe him far more than we can ever hope to repay."

As a fellow Hazzan and especially as the one who, now, directly benefits from the relationships that he as Shaliach Tzibbur developed with both Rabbi Pachter and Congregation B'nai Moshe, I would like to personally thank him for setting the tone and providing an example of how the relationship between a Hazzan, his rabbinic partner and his congregation can and should be.

It is asked, "Who does G-d love." and the answer is "One who is loved by his fellow man." Therefore, Hazzan Louis Klein, today we, your colleges and friends help to express publicly, how much G-d loves you.

Dear Friends, it is my pleasure as the successor of this marvelous Hazzan to be the presenter of this Life Time Achievement Award. and to ask him to come forward and receive this most deserved honor.