Honoring
Rabbi Simeon Schreiber, OBM
Chaplain, Mt. Sinai Medical Center
Rabbi Simeon Schreiber was the founder of Visiting Chaplain Services, Inc., a not-for-profit agency providing comfort and support to anyone in spiritual or emotional distress. Rabbi Schreiber served as Senior Staff Chaplain at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, and as the first chaplain of the Bal Harbour Police Department.
Rabbi Schreiber’ was passionate about the creation of the Bikur Cholim Suite at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He felt strongly that nobody should spend Shabbat alone without a loved one. Since its inception on October 8, 2013 Rabbi Schreiber maintained and operated the beautiful suite, complete with a full modern bathroom, clean linens and towels, and stocked with an assortment of Kosher food, allowing families of patients to sleep over comfortably on Shabbat and holidays, at no charge.
Rabbi Schreiber’ was passionate about the creation of the Bikur Cholim Suite at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He felt strongly that nobody should spend Shabbat alone without a loved one. Since its inception on October 8, 2013 Rabbi Schreiber maintained and operated the beautiful suite, complete with a full modern bathroom, clean linens and towels, and stocked with an assortment of Kosher food, allowing families of patients to sleep over comfortably on Shabbat and holidays, at no charge.
The suite has been used almost every weekend and holiday since its opening.
Rabbi Schreiber has written and lectured extensively on the guidelines and protocols for those who are sitting Shiva. He is the author of “A Caring Presence,” which contains an in-depth guide to the etiquette of Bikur Cholim visitation, and " From Mourning to Morning: A comprehensive Guide to Mourning, Grieving, and Bereavement, with special emphasis on the Shiva Call.”
Rabbi Schreiber was a respected and highly regarded Rabbi and Board Certified Chaplain. He was awarded his Chaplaincy degree from The Health Care Chaplaincy Institute and his board certification is from the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. Rabbi Schreiber is a graduate of Yeshiva College and received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. He is survived by his wife, Rose, their five children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Rabbi Schreiber has written and lectured extensively on the guidelines and protocols for those who are sitting Shiva. He is the author of “A Caring Presence,” which contains an in-depth guide to the etiquette of Bikur Cholim visitation, and " From Mourning to Morning: A comprehensive Guide to Mourning, Grieving, and Bereavement, with special emphasis on the Shiva Call.”
Rabbi Schreiber was a respected and highly regarded Rabbi and Board Certified Chaplain. He was awarded his Chaplaincy degree from The Health Care Chaplaincy Institute and his board certification is from the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. Rabbi Schreiber is a graduate of Yeshiva College and received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. He is survived by his wife, Rose, their five children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Linda Schechter, Past President
Linda Schechter is a Miami native and spent her formative years between Miami Beach and New York City.
Since setting down her roots in Miami Beach, Linda has had a wide range of involvement in South Florida. She was an occupational therapist after earning her degree at Florida International University and training at Jackson Memorial Hospital. As a real estate investor, she has purchased, renovated and sold homes on Miami Beach. She has also opened several restaurants and still owns Tasty Beach Café on Miami Beach.
Linda was raised in a family of Catskills and Miami Beach kosher hoteliers, who owned and operated landmark properties including The Park Central, The Edison, and Pioneer Kosher Hotel in the Catskills and The Caribbean Hotel in Miami Beach. “Another Beautiful Day in Miami Beach - No Snow Today!”; is a quote from her late father, Sam Schechter, who would greet his guests as he made his nightly rounds from table to table in the hotel dining room.
Linda has also lived abroad and continues to travel extensively. Her many philanthropic commitments include, past co-President Bikur Cholim, current board member of Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Miami Beach JCC and Birthright Israel.
In her free time, Linda enjoys working out to start the day and can often be found spending quality time with her family, which includes her children and grandchildren.
Hakoras Hatov Award
Rabbi Yekusiel & Chana Rochel Stern
Rabbi Yekusiel Stern came to Miami Beach along with his wife Chana Rochel to join the Miami Beach Community Kollel in 2002. After learning 5 years as a full-time Kollel yungerman he became the director of Development for the Kollel. Besides working for the Kollel he is also the secretary for the Beis Din of South Florida.
Rabbi Stern also manages the wheel chair gemach for Bikur Cholim . He spends numerous hours visiting the sick at Mount Sinai hospital. His devoted and dedicated wife Chana Rochel teaches Jewish History and Parshas Hashavua at Bais Yaakov Miami and also serves as a Mechaneches as well. They truly are a couple who only wish to continue to grow and improve the lives of the people in South Florida. Their 5 wonderful children , Rivki, Tzvi, Esti, Chavi and Rechi should always be a source of nachas to them.
Aron & Ruchie Wasserlauf, Kastner’s
Aron and Ruchie Wasserlauf moved from New York to Miami Beach in 2006, leaving behind the fast pace Brooklyn lifestyle to the calm beaches of South Florida. In 2008 they acquired Kastners Market, a premier kosher supermarket with a full bakery, butcher and produce department.
Being children of baalei chessed, Aron and Ruchie have always been involved wherever and whenever they can. Whether it’s providing food for families that are visiting due to medical situations, or for community events. Aron strives to constantly give back, to help in any situation. This is something they are teaching their own children as well.
Ruchie used to visit and feed patients at the Metropolitan Nursing Home on the Maimonides medical campus throughout her high school years. Two years ago their daughter Tzipi was recognized by Bikur Cholim as a volunteer on Shabbos along with her friends who have been visiting patients at the hospital for the past seven years. Today all their girls do Bikur Cholim whenever they can.
Aron and Ruchie hope to continue to help anyone in need with Kastners as their conduit of chesed for South Florida.
Ezzy & Rivky Duchman, Sage
Ezzy Duchman is a born and bred Miami native, avid Dolphins fan and devoted family man.
Ezzy grew up in a home that is synonymous with Chessed. His parents Yossi and Esti, are known for their generosity and love for helping those in need.
Rivky was raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn with her ten siblings. Her parents stressed middos and taking every opportunity to do kindness for a fellow Jew. From a very young age her core beliefs were shaped by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe who advocated for acts of goodness and kindness to add light into this world.
Ezzy and Rivky married in 2004 and have four children kah. They hope to raise their children on this value of chessed- to be G-d fearing, authentic, considerate and giving. It's something they believe in, hold important and try to practice.
As a partner and Manager in 540 Retail LLC, Ezzy decided to revive the space of the Kugel factory which closed in 2016. He wanted to open Sage Market to offer a one stop shabbos shop to the Miami Beach community and visiting tourists. Sage offers a quick and easy solution of everything you need for shabbos, including fresh prepared shabbos food. They are grateful to Bikur Cholim for giving them this wonderful opportunity to do chessed through their store.
Robert & Stephanie Susi, Yesod Haolam
Roberto and Stephanie Susi began Yesod HaOlam Miami in 2015, an organization dedicated to providing Shabbat food for family members of hospitalized patients with everything they need for Friday and Saturday including, challah and wine, a three-course meal, and even spices to make havdalah afterwards.
After 10 years of seeing Roberto’s oldest sister, Tannya, run the organization in Mexico City, they decided to bring the chesed to Miami. With the help of organizations such as Bikur Cholim of Miami Beach, Chai Lifeline Southeast, and other local organizations, Yesod Haolam has served thousands of families and has been providing food for over 3 years to families in hospitals in Dade, Broward and Palm Bach. YHO provides food at no cost to the families and is delivered directly to the hospital room by wonderful people such as Avraham Tanev, who has been helping deliver for almost one year.
Roberto, from Mexico City and Stephanie, from Sao Paulo Brasil, met in Miami almost 25 years ago. What began as an innocent friendship so many years ago, growing up together in their Jewish Day School, became the seeds of a beautiful marriage. Roberto and Stephanie live in Aventura, Florida with their three boys, Benny, Abraham and Gabriel. Roberto is a principal at Axiom Capital Advisors and Stephanie runs YHO and teaches dance at their local JCC.