Rabbi Andrew Israel Bossov

Rabbi Andrew Israel Bossov, 65, of Chicago and Wilmette, passed away on July 27, 2025. He was the beloved father of Liz Rampersad (Jodi) and Avra Bossov Ward (Sean); brother of Wayne Bossov (Becky), Adam Bossov, and Michael Bossov (z”l); son of Bernice (z”l) and Bernard Bossov (z”l); nephew of Edith Maltz (z”l); mother of his children Nancy Bossov (née Durmaskin); cousin to many; and Rabbi to even more.

After a brief but tough battle with cancer he died peacefully at home with both of his daughters at his side. He was passionate about music (especially musicals), plants & gardening, and tikkun olam (repairing the world); he saw the humanity in every person with whom he interacted. His sense of humor, pride for his family and friends’ successes, and general joi de vivre will be sorely missed.

Andy attended New Trier High School (1977), Northwestern University (1981), and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion – New York campus (1992). As a rabbi, he served the pulpits of Congregation Kol Ami (White Plains, NY), Baltimore Hebrew Congregation (Baltimore, MD), Temple Emanu-El (Sarasota, FL), and Adath Emanu-El (Mt. Laurel, NJ); then as Activities Director of Westchester Jewish Community Services Senior Programs (Mt. Vernon, NY). When he moved back to Chicago in 2016 to help take care of his parents, he was a piano teacher and rabbi to many senior programs and congregations. He received his honorary doctorate from HUC-JIR in May 2017.

Andy learned to play piano at age 4, taught by his father. Music continued to guide him through musical theater, his rabbinate, and his family life, often playing piano and singing at family functions. He even walked into Liz & Jodi’s wedding reception with “Piano Man” playing. His musical career lives on in the continued shows of various performance partners, cabaret groups, and piano students.

The funeral service (followed by shiva until 8 PM CST) will be held on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 3 PM CST at Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home, 111 Skokie Blvd, Wilmette, IL 60091. The funeral service will be live streamed here at the link below. Dress code is casual, and (bright) colors are encouraged. Shiva will also be held on Thursday, July 31 from 3-8 PM CST at the same location.

In his honor we ask that you listen to a song or an album that reminds you of how beautiful this world can be. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.

“Let the moment go – don't forget it for a moment, though. Just remembering you’ve had an ‘and’ when you’re back to ‘or’ makes the ‘or’ mean more than it did before.”  Stephen Sondheim