Bonnie Weiss was a blessing in my life. I regret I didn't search for her in time before her death to share with her how impactful her words and actions were, to me as a student. Mrs. Weiss, please excuse my grammer as I share this message with your spirit...
You were rumored to be strict and intimidating. You lived up to that rumor, which made me feel particularly flattered when you recognized my talents, along with my alternative perspective,  compared to the norm. You encouraged me, empowered me, you told me "people like you are capable of changing the world". Those words have resonated with me throughout my life, making me able to feel confident and comfortable with being "unique". This path is not easy, but it is rewarding. Without your influence, I might have not been able to recognize the opinion of the majority, vs the actual truth as well as I can. I cannot imagine what my lifes path would have been, without your words of encouragement.  You touched more hearts than you may have been aware of, and I regret that only your spirit knows now, the positive impact you had on my life. Thank you, Mrs. Weiss. I hope there will be more like you for our future youths. Your legacy thrives in the courage of your students.

Hard to believe you’ve been gone two years my sweet Cousin Bonnie.  I think of you all the time and miss you a lot.  Pray you are at peace.  Much love, Cousin Joni 

It’s hard to believe you’ve been gone from us a year.  I think of you often and miss your smiling beautiful face.  Memories pop up all the time on Facebook with you responding to my posts.  Pray you are at peace. Love you always ~ Cousin Joni 💙

Dear Debbie, Matt and Family,
I worked with your amazing mother in the NHS English Dept. for several years, and I just belatedly learned of her passing. I am so sorry about your loss--our collective loss, truly, but I also know that Bonnie remains in all of us, as her spirit was an extraordinary one, and her resilience, brilliance, and passion  were inspiring for each and every person whose life she touched! Bonnie had so much wisdom and intelligence to share with each and every person she encountered, and she inspired and changed the lives of so many students! Her love for teaching, and her commitment to the life of the mind was always palpable, and a wonder to behold. As her colleague, she provided light, inspiration and meaning for all of us, and we, (and I) loved her dearly for her kindness, goodness, and willingness to share so much wisdom with so many.  I am  sure you know how much your mother was, (and will continue to be!) loved, but I also hope you realize how very much she loved you both; I recall so many times when she mentioned both of your names with so much love, and pride. Your mother was truly an amazing woman, and I will carry her spirit and wisdom with me always.....She remains immortal in my heart, and in the hearts of countless others....Sending you love, light and healing, I will be forever grateful to your mother, (and your family), for the beautiful soul that she shared so selflessly with so many....

Mrs. Weiss was my 9th grade english teacher at NHS. Our class was a standard-level course comprised of thirteen boys and no girls.  While other classes were sticking to the prescribed curriculum.   We were typing essays on Apple 2 computers, reading anything we wanted to, and listening to books on tape-- actual cassettes Mrs. Weiss personally recorded for the class's library.  

Mrs. Weiss recognized that we were not a class of slackers.  Rather, we were students who had not yet built the habits our more academically-inclined peers had built.  So, we started small.  Each night we read 15 minutes and wrote 1 page by hand.  By the end of the year we were discussing Atticus Finch and writing a compilation of essays. 

Thanks to Mrs. Weiss, most -- if not all of us-- leveled into Honors English the next year. 

I will always remember her as one of my best and favorite teachers. 

Ms Weiss was the kind of teacher that could turn a student around. Her ability to connect and care was there as a new teacher when I was in school and again when my son attended Needham High. Her care continued long after her students left her class. The last time I saw her was down town when she recognized me and asked about my son. May her memory be a blessing.

Being a student of Bonnie’s at Temple Beth Shalom is one of my fondest memories growing up in Needham.  Bonnie was an unbelievably warm, relatable, and inherently decent person  and, without question, one of the best teachers I ever had. In reading all of the comments posted, it’s clear that Bonnie touched so many people. It was an honor to have known Bonnie and I wish all of Bonnie’s family peace, comfort, and good health during this difficult time.

Mrs. Weiss was my 9th grade English teacher at NHS. I'll always remember how she treated us like young adults and not like children. She challenged us to think outside of the box and made us feel like we could do whatever we put our minds to (like reading the whole Odyssey!).  I am currently a 9th grade ELA teacher myself and I wish I could go back and thank her in person for fostering my love of literature and writing.  She is truly my inspiration for how I teach my own students.  She was an incredible teacher and wonderful person, and she will be truly missed. 

I am sure I am not alone in remembering Mrs. Weiss as a uniquely supportive and enthusiastic teacher at Needham High, where she served an integral role helping many of us become thoughtful and reflective readers. I remember the way she enlivened classical texts -- The Odyssey, Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice -- by helping us see that metaphor was ultimately a way to name our own feelings and understand our own lives. I will always value that she helped me see what I was good at, and how I could grow and excel. She will be missed.

So sad to hear this news.  I have very fond memories of Mrs. Weiss and was fortunate to have her a couple of different years at Temple Beth Shalom.  She was an excellent teacher and I remember her teaching us how to write Hebrew.  She always had a smile on her face and deeply cared about her students.  She was way too young and will be deeply missed.  My condolences to her family may her memory be a blessing.

I was so saddened to read of Bonnie's passing.  She was my daughter, Wendi's, Hebrew school teacher at Temple Beth Shalom as well as her English teacher at Needham High School.  My daughter as well as many other students appreciated her caring manner and had a very special relationship with her.  She cared deeply about her students.  Bonnie was a very special person and will be missed by many.  She was a gem!

Bonnie was my friend and colleague at Needham High School. Our friendship continued and grew after we both left NHS.
Bonnie was a consummate English teacher who believed that all children can and will learn when given the right tools and skills. She put that belief into practice every day while teaching. I saw the amazing things she did with and for her students who acknowledged and appreciated her efforts long after they left her classroom. I always told her that I wished she were my English teacher when I was in high school.
Bonnie and I shared a love of good literature. Our talks could go on for hours because I loved her brilliant mind.
We traveled on several trips together and it was always a joy to around her.
I will miss her gentle spirit, quick wit, brilliant and enquiring mind, and her winning smile.

Bonnie was gracious and caring ...a lady in every sense of the word.  She never had a bad word to say about anyone and could always be counted on for a smile.  Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and to all who mourn her.  She will be missed...
Ellen and Jerry Shapiro

Mrs. Weiss was an amazing teacher who made a huge impact on my life and that of so many others. I sat in her classroom more than 25 years ago, but I clearly remember not only the books I read and the projects I completed, but how she helped instill in me discipline and a love of books. I'm now a college history professor, still using some of the research and writing skills she taught me when I wrote about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 9th grade! My thanks to her family for sharing her with so many over the years and to her for giving us all so much. - Liz Shesko, Detroit, MI, NHS '98

Bonnie was my teacher, family friend, and mentor. To me, she embodied confidence, clarity, and the belief that with patience and persistence anything is possible. 

When I was in seventh grade, I was having a lot of trouble with math. Bonnie sat me down and first watched how I was approaching the problems. She replaced my pen with a pencil and made me slow down and show my work. Her patience and instruction helped me to break through and finally "get" algebra. I know that she taught Hebrew school and high school English, but we all know she taught much more.

My heart goes out to her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched. I am so moved by what people are writing here about Bonnie, and I know that these sharings represent a MUCH larger circle of people whose lives have been touched by Bonnie Weiss.

Ms. Weiss was my 9th grade English teacher who brought Scout alive from the pages of To Kill a Mocking Bird. I remember fondly her telling me that spelling words correctly was not a mark of intelligence. I need those words then. I told it later to my students. Thank you, Ms. Weiss. You helped me feel more intelligent. May you Rest In Peace, with the best hair flip. 


My son Mark had Bonnie Weiss for ninth grade English. Her extraordinary teaching inspired him and he took those writing  skills with him throughout high school, college and beyond - as a sports writer for a local newspaper, as a Politics  major in college culminating in an extensive senior thesis, in his work as a pollster, and in his Master's degree.  Writing was part of his everyday life and we often talked about Ms. Weiss' lasting  influence on his career. Mark died too young in July 2019 of cardiac arrest, but in his too short life, she was one of his true inspirations. My sincere condolences to the family and may her memory be eternal. We are so grateful to have known her. 

Sincerely, 

Gretchen Ayoub 

Mrs. Weiss was my teacher almost ten years ago and even after college and grad school, she is the best teacher I've ever had. She inspired me to become an English teacher myself, and paid me the most meaningful compliment when I entered the profession: "I am so proud of you." I still cherish that message. Mrs. Weiss changed the lives of her students, mine included, and her memory will always be a blessing for me. 

Dear Debbie, 
I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother.  Please accept my sincere condolences, and know that your extended HIV program and Population Council colleagues are all thinking of you and your family.  I send you a big hug over in Sweden.
Warmest wishes, Julie (Pulerwitz) 


Mrs weiss,
was my freshman year English teacher at Needham High. She taught me the value of reading. She also taught me so much about life. she was a wonderful lady, I will miss her. 

So sad!!! Bonnie was a very special Aunty to me and my brothers our whole lives. We grew up with the Weiss'. Lots of memories of carpools, birthdays, Passovers and other holidays and incredible bags of Debbie's hand-me-downs,  Bonnie's meringue puffs and her brilliant mind! As a kid I looked up to Bonnie a lot and feared her a little;) As an adult, I was blown away by her existential philosophy and so relieved to be able to connect with someone about that. We had a special relationship that grew as we did. She was always so proud to show pictures of her grand babies and update me on what they were into . I will miss Bonnie very much. Sending so much love and big hugs to you, Debbie and Matt, and your families. Love, Amy

What a shock to read about Bonnie’s passing. She was my son’s Hebrew teacher at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, and what a wonderful teacher she was! The children adored her, and she showed such pride in their accomplishments. She was not only a gifted teacher but also a very lovely, warm individual. I hope her children and grandchildren are comforted by knowing her students and their parents treasured Bonnie.

Dear Debbie and Matt,
I'm so sad to read of your mother's passing.  She was my beloved colleague for many years at Needham High, and I wanted to add my comments about her legacy, which is described so touchingly in her obituary.   
I remember many seniors in AP English telling me that it was Mrs. Weiss who taught them, in ninth grade, how to be good students of writing and literature.  When I was department head, I had the good fortune to sit in on many of her classes.  In a sense, her legacy has continued for all the  graduate students whom I have taught in strategies courses.  They all heard from me about her exemplary methods, especially the reading journals she had her students keep, ongoing "conversations with Mrs. Weiss," that instilled in them a personal connection and comfort with literature as they developed their analytical skills.   
She was such a vital and dynamic presence, and I know you and your children will miss her very much.  I send you my deepest sympathy.
All the best,
Tom Rooney

We are sending our sympathies to Bonnie's family.  I grew up with my cousins Bonnie and Linda.  I have great memories coming out to visit at Lyman Road as a young girl.  Linda's birthday being the same as mine.  
We send our Love to the family.  
Our Thoughts and Prayers are with you all.
Love, Cousins Linda(Bennett) & Arthur Barnstein




I fondly remember how she called me "Tiger" when I was a child.  She sent me nice birthday cards with warm wishes written inside. She cheered me at my bar-mitzvah when I corrected the  rabbi who called out the wrong section of Torah to be read.  As I got older, she really appreciated when I would come over to the house to visit her and "Uncle" Robert.  She laughed at her husband's jokes and sometimes got flustered by his comments.  She adored her children and grandchildren.  She loved teaching English at Needham High School . I enjoyed seeing her at our house for Passover seder or breaking the Yom Kippur fast.  She supported my going to Israel on a single's mission.  She enjoyed talking with me by phone. She was caring, kind, intelligent, articulate, well-read, interesting and loving.  I will miss her.

It’s so hard to believe that my beloved cousin and special friend Bonnie is no longer with us.  She meant so much to me and our bond grew stronger over the last 10 years.  My love and condolences to her children and their families and her sister Linda and her family.  May she always Rest In Peace and her beautiful memory be for a blessing.  With sadness and love, Cousin Joni 

Bonnie introduced me to Joni Mitchell.  It was our senior year at Brandeis.  She was a residence counselor in Usen.  I ran into her in the quad and she excitedly told me I had to come listen to a new record she had,  Song to a Seagull.  I think I've never been the same.
But this is just one of countless memories we shared over a 54 year friendship.


OBITUARY

Bonnie Weiss

September 19, 1947 – December 7, 2020

Stanetsky Memorial Chapel

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