Community Balabusta ALAN HITSKY Associate Editor IdE y mother and Aunt Helen — not tall women — stood on step stools in the kitchen," recalled former Detroiter Rabbi. Joel Roth, "stirring large pots of cabbage for Simchat Torah." The extended family shared a Detroit duplex and lifetime bonds. Helen Weiss stirred more than cabbage in Detroit's Jewish community and at Congregation B'nai Moshe. Rabbi Roth's remembrance this week came at Mrs. Weiss' funeral at Ira Kaufman Chapel. Mrs. Weiss, 93, died Sept. 16, 2004, in Sacramento, Calif., where she had lived the past two years. A native of Hungary, she and her family natu- rally gravitated to B'nai Moshe, the "Hungarian shul," after they came to Detroit when she was 10. Her commitment to the synagogue and Jewish causes was renowned. She was a past president of the Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah, an officer of the Michigan Branch of the Women's League for Conservative Judaism and a founder with her husband, Ben, of the Detroit Friends of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Rabbi Roth is a former chair of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards at the Conservative seminary in New York City. Mrs. Weiss was an ardent supporter of Israel and, according to Rabbi Roth, president of the B'nai Moshe Sisterhood for more years than I could easily count." A graduate of Detroit Northeastern High School, where she also took college-level business classes, Helen Moskovitz of Detroit met Ben Weiss of Chicago at a cousin's wedding. She was Roth, "but her love was never in doubt." That love included returning from trips to New York with 30 the maid of honor; he was the best man. men's suits for family, They married in 1937 and, together, friends and acquaintances founded Machinery Liquidating Co. in down on their luck. It Detroit in 1945 and later Industrial included bringing people Rental Service. into the family business They were instrumental in supplying until they could get on materials to the emerging State of Israel their feet and go out on and shipped a gear manufacturing plant their own. to Ashkelon to build motor vehicles. B'nai Moshe's Rabbi Her family recalled receiving a letter Elliot Pachter said the from Helen during one of her and Ben's Weisses were always active earliest visits to Israel. Helen warned members of the syna- Helen Weiss them she would be bringing home no gogue oaue and the communi- gifts from the trip because the needs in ty, "leaders in good times Israel were too great to be spending money on and during times of transition." presents. Mrs. Weiss is survived by her sons and daugh- Lifelong B'nai Moshe member Dr. Edward ters-in-law, Calvin and Carolyn Weiss of Klarman of Southfield recalled, "Helen Weiss Farmington Hills, Daniel and Elena Weiss of and [her cousin] Esther Roth [Rabbi Roth's Sacramento; grandchildren, Paul and Ruth Ann mother] were the foundation of every event at Weiss, Eric Weiss, Matthew and Niloufar Weiss, B'nai Moshe. You need food prepared? Call Steven Weiss, Kendall Weiss, Shelby Weiss; great- Helen." For part of that time, Ben Weiss served grandchildren, Connor Benjamin Weiss, Anya as the congregation president. Barbara Weiss; brother, Sidney Moss of "Her commitment to a long list of institu- California. tions," said Rabbi Roth, "paled in comparison to She was the beloved wife of the late Benjamin her commitment to family." But her definition of Weiss. "family" included everyone she came in contact Interment was at Workman's Circle Cemetery. with Contributions may be made to Congregation Son Daniel, president of the Jewish Federation B'nai Moshe, 6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, MI of the Sacramento Region, told the funeral atten 48322; Mosaic Law Congregation, 2300 Sierra dees that he sometimes wondered as a child "if Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95825; Jewish Federation my mom was just a pushy woman. But no one of Sacramento Region, 2351 Wydaway, seemed to mind because of her kind, warm Sacramento, CA 95825; Jewish Theological heart." Everyone was her friend, said Daniel, and Seminary of America, 3080 Broadway, New everyone would hear advice from the "blond gen- York, NY 10027; or Hadassah, 5030 Orchard eral," as Ben called her after she began dying her Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323. prematurely graying black hair. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. "She could be a tough cookie," said Rabbi . , , full Service Custom Catering & Event Pann i ng Condolence Meals • Pastry Trays Service Staff • All Supplies Needed RODNICK BROS., INC. 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