Yossie & Rena Weiss

Anshei Shalom is proud to present this year’s Chessed Award to Rena and Yossie Weiss. Since first moving into West Hempstead over seven years ago, Yossie and Rena have made important contributions to the community and are true models of Baalei Chessed. They were first drawn to the warmth of Anshei Shalom under the wonderful leadership of Rabbi Pearl and Rabbi Soniker, and over the years continued to be impressed with the genuine interest and helpful guidance that met them at every turn.  As the center of community life for their family, Yossie and Rena believe Anshei Shalom continues to be instrumental in helping develop proper values in their children Justin, Danielle and Zachary. 

Rena has spent years embodying the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim. She spends time volunteering in hospitals and visiting patients in need of a smile and some comfort, often visiting patients she does not know personally.  She arranges meals, cooks and shops for those in need.  Rena consistently goes out of her way to help those in need, be it picking up extra items in the supermarket for a mom who can’t get out of the house, running errands for a stranger without a car, or visiting a sick child in the hospital after hearing it would lift her parents spirits to know their child spent a little less time alone in her hospital room. Rena gets great joy out of doing random acts of kindness.

Yossie is an avid sports fan who has voluntarily coached basketball and baseball teams over the years.  Yossie is a key member of Anshei Shalom’s Kiddush Committee, taking responsibility for set-up and execution of every hot kiddush Anshei provides. Be it a Siddur Kiddush, a Rosh Chodesh celebration or a Retirement Kiddush, Yossie organizes his team of shul youth and adults to make sure all the details are covered.  Anyone who has ever enjoyed a bit of chulent and kugel before heading home has Yossie to thank. He also gives of his time generously to Tomchei Shabbos and other organizations and people in need of help.

Yossie and Rena are humbled by this honor.  They are stepping out of their comfort zone in accepting this award as they are used to working behind the scenes.  They are proud to act as role models for their children, who have each found ways of making a difference through performing acts of chessed such as participating in Friendship Circle, helping set up Shabbos kiddushim and visiting those who are ill in the hospital. 

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