Devorah Benjamin has a simple reason why she, Shmuly Brashevitzky and a host of volunteers work so hard to “make” memorable weddings for Lubavitcher Jewish couples who can't afford to do it themselves.
“The wedding is the foundation of a life, of a home,” Benjamin said. "It's the beginning of everything, your children, your grandchildren.
Wedding Planners Assist Jewish Couples in Need
Devorah Benjamin has a simple reason why she, Shmuly Brashevitzky and a host of volunteers work so hard to “make” memorable weddings for Lubavitcher Jewish couples who can’t afford to do it themselves.
“The wedding is the foundation of a life, of a home,” Benjamin said. “It’s the beginning of everything, your children, your grandchildren.
“When you lay a foundation of a home, you want it to be really strong.”
Benjamin, 37, founder of Keren Simchas Chosson V’Kallah (Fund to Bring Joy to the Groom and Bride) in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, knows about weddings.
The mother of two conservatively estimates that she’s either coordinated or otherwise been involved in more than 4,000 Lubavitcher weddings around the world since founding KSCVK some 15 years ago.
“I bet it’s much more than that,” said Brashevitzky, 44, KSCVK’s program director.
“Some weeks I can have five weddings in which I am running the show,” Benjamin said as workmen bustled about a banquet hall in the Talmudical Seminary Oholei on Eastern Parkway. They were setting up for a wedding taking place later that night, on what would have been the late Grand Rebbi Menachem Schneerson’s 81st wedding anniversary.
“Tonight I am the coordinator, but I’ve been involved in weddings in Russia, the Ukraine, Vilna [Lithuania], France, Sweden, Denmark, England, Australia, Israel, and all over the United States.
”I’m going to Grand Rapids, Mich., to do one, I just got back from Alabama, and I go to Washington, D.C., for another next week.“
KSCVK helps couples and families with everything weddingrelated, from finding a location, musicians, caterers and photographers, to buying a suit for the groom or a wedding present for the groom to give to his bride.
”I have a man who donates pearl necklaces to KSCVK for grooms to give their brides,“ Benjamin said. ”I don’t know how he does it, but every time I get down to the last one, here comes another box of necklaces.“
Clients run the gamut, from working families who don’t have the thousands of dollars to put into a wedding, to families who marry several children off in a year, to ”orphans“ – men or women with one or both parents deceased.
Since many Lubavitcher marriages are arranged, often between couples living in different countries, some brides and grooms arrive here without money even for wedding clothes.
”A lot of the boys from Israel and Russia just don’t have money,“ said Brashevitzky. ”We give them the full wardrobe.”
Even weddings with a foreign-born bride or groom can have hundreds of people present as community members show up to welcome the couple into the fold.
CHAZAN BREZSCH
HAPPY 44TH BDAY SHMULY
MANY MORE till 144
Someone they helpd
I hope people see this article and get inspired to give KSCVK tons of money! Devorah works so hard to collect pennies and nickels and dimes that she magically turns into enough funds to make these weddings. The Aibershter should bentch Devorah and Shmuly and all the wonderful volunteers with abundant brochos and nachas from their families!
Mrs. Z.
Btw, I hope it’s okay to mention here but if you’re on facebook you can vote for KSCVK. Chase is giving away a lot of money and she needs votes. It’s Chase Community Giving: http://apps.facebook.com/ch…
Simply me
Truly remarkable people.
Hashem, should never stop blessing them, with health wealth and ultimate happiness.
dovid
Way to go, another 4000 all paid for!
Dovid+yael and family
Miami
Hindy
Devorah, you are the best. I taught you well! LOL!!!
cassy
ma and brother shmulie wowoow
love your stuff
ATT: Facebook members
You can vote for KSCVK on Facebook for Chase Community Giving!! Become a fan of Chase Community Giving on Facebook and vote for Keren Simchas Chosson V’kallah. They can win up to $1 million!! Voting ends Dec. 15
mom
can you vote more than once
Ariela Yael
This is just another example of materialism dictating people’s happiness. The wedding day is only one day and the couple should/cannot set the tone for the entire marriage based upon how expensive the wedding is. Are we saying that an expensive wedding = guaranteed happiness? I am supposed to turn down a perfectly good groom because he cannot afford to give me a pearl necklace? The groom does an about face because he’s not showered with gifts? My husband and I had a cheapo wedding with no gifts of jewelry, no fancy clothes or reception. I knew he was the ONE and that was enough for me. We will celebrate our 27th anniversary this February and I would marry him again in a heartbeat.
Avremi
Shmulie was my couslor, the nicest guy then the niceßt guy now!
Your sis
Shmuly how did i miss the past 6 b-days? The last our fam celebrated you turned 38… wow you got older than ur older bro!
Having lots of Nachas! keep up the wonderful work you, Devora, and the rest of the team do… but lets not forget behind every great man is an amzing women….
Kol Hakovod goes to Rochel Brashevitzky!!!!
dovid
Shmuly you are amazing! you help so many people pull through.
poul
Shmuly you made it on the websites, Yasher koach for all of your great work!!!
Think before instering foot in mouth.
Ariel Yael,
Evem with no frills, things cost money. Like a Kapatoe. and a sheital. Oh yeah, and a seudah which is necessary by a wedding costs money. Oh, and you need a minyan for sheva brochos. Oh, and sheva brochos cost money.
Glad to know you are on a higher spirtual plane than the rest of us.
Ariela Yael
Dear Think, I know that any type of wedding will cost money however it is not written in stone to spend the maximum amount nor to put oneself into bankruptcy. I just feel that far too many people believe that spending X amounts of dollars will guarantee a happy marriage and that is not so because if it were then wealthy people would not get divorces. Spend within your budget and do not be pressured to go overboard just to impress. And remember: the wedding day is only one day, it is the marriage that really counts.
GO SHMULY!
Go Shmuly!!!!!!! You r the Best!!!!!!!!
Family Gold England wrote
Devorah,Hashem should give you Koach to carry on your wonderful work and your organization should go from strengh to strengh
Think before instering foot in mouth.
Dear Ariella
What do you think Devorah Benjamin pays for? a 5 star wedding with 13 courses?
She gives a balabatish wedding. Thats minimal seating by the meal, minimal pictures, etc. She tries.
She does NOT give a PENNY to people who want to show off, they can pay for that themselves..She gives to people who really deserve it and need it.
She helps out anyone who needs her in the capacity of wedding planner, she knows the system inside and out.
Devorah (and Shmuelly) are the most honest, down to earth people you can get.
BTW, Ariella, why dont you ask Devorah what type of wedding SHE had? Do you think it was a 5 star wedding?
She helps people who dont have a dime. She helps people whose parents abadoned them when they came into yiddishkeit and they are scrubbing floors for money for food. Devorah and Shmuelly both know whats flying, I promise you.
So, if you are so concerned with wedding costs, why dont you sponser a kapote for a young chasson?? Or a sheital for a young kallah? or pay for a kallahs trip to the mikveh? or why not sponser a prize in the KSCVK auction? I think instead of critizing KSCVK, thank them you dont have an endless stream of girls and boys crying at your door they CANT AFFORD THE 300 DOLLARS IT COSTS FOR A CHUPPAH IN CROWN HEIGHTS!!!