Moshe and Susie Wiesel have been an integral part of the Highland Park/Edison community for the last 36 years.
Moshe was born in Ashkelon, Israel, to Rivcah and Yehoshua Wiesel. In 1969, at age 16, he moved to New York and attended Kaminetz Yeshiva and Brooklyn College, Moshe was the Administrator of Cedar Oaks Care Center - where he was zoche to help multiple families in our community.
Susie, daughter of Imre and Rachel Lefkovits, was born in Detroit, Michigan. She attended Yeshiva University for Girls in Brooklyn (Central) and hasdegrees from Teacher’s Institute (TI) for Women, and Brooklyn College, She has a Masters Degree from Fordham University. She taught both secular and Jewish studies from elementary school to high school. She worked as a Resource Room teacher and Supervisor for many years before transitioning to the family nursing home business as the Controller of the Payroll/Human Resources.
As Moshe left Israel as a teen he was too young to serve in the Israeli army, This bothered him tremendously, so when Moshe was 34-year-old, with three children at home and his wife working on her Master’s Degree, Moshe and Susie decided it was now or never for him to fulfill his dream and serve in the army. With Susie’s full support and encouragement, he went to Israel and served as one of the first lone soldiers.
While visiting Israel, in 2002, during the Second Intifada, a terrorist ambush killed a mother, father and 9 year old son. Moshe and Susie paid a shiva call and met the nine surviving orphans of the Dickstein Family for the first time. Their visit with the Dickstein children transformed Susie and Moshe into different people; it inspired a visceral change in their hearts to such a degree that they made a neder to Hashem that they were going to help these children, in any way possible, until each of them was married. B’H as of today, all nine orphans are married and have families of their own. For 23 years, Susie and Moshe, their children and grandchildren have been intertwined with the Dickstein family. They consider the 26 Dickstein grandchildren their own.
This spirit of generosity is evident in Susie and Moshe’s long history of volunteerism and philanthropy within the Edison/Highland Park community and beyond. Moshe and Susue are active leaders at Ohr Torah, Moshe has served on the Board of Directors and was involved in the annual Scholarship Breakfasts and annual dinners at RPRY. Susie has volunteered for Bikur Cholim. Susie and Moshe also coordinated an effort to dedicate two United Hatzalah ambucycles from the Edison/Highland Park community.
Susie and Moshe introduced the Names, Not Numbers® (NNN) program to RPRY in 2014, inspired by Tova Rosenberg's initiative at Kushner Academy. As a child of Holocaust survivors, Susie grasped its importance immediately. Watching the program, she regretted not capturing her father's story before his passing, while her mother, still alive, wasn't ready to share. Susie hoped NNN would convince her mother otherwise. After attending, Susie reached out to Rabbi Shraga Gross, then principal of RPRY, to bring NNN to the school. He recognized its significance, understanding that eighth graders would have a unique opportunity to interview survivors. Rachel eventually shared her story through NNN, featured in programs at two schools, and was interviewed by her great-grandchildren. She felt compelled to share as Holocaust denial grew, even while survivors were still alive. Susie and Moshe are very grateful for and proud of their three children and their families. Tzippi (RPRY ’93) and her husband, Josh Posner, live in Woodmere with their children – Riki, Dani, Yoni and Kaylie.
Their son, Eli (RPRY ’95) and his wife Chani, live in Edison where Chani is a 2nd grade teacher at RPRY. Eli is very active in RPRY and Ohr Torah. Their children are Alyssa (RPRY ’19), Dovid (RPRY ’22) and Zehava (RPRY ’25).
Their son, Avi (RPRY ’97) and his wife, Frumie, live in Woodmere with their children Yehoshua, Max, Gavriel and Benny.
The entire family is filled with gratitude and nachat for the blessings they have in each other and for being part of such a wonderful community!