23rd Annual Gala Weddings

HILLSIDE, NJ [CHI] — Sunday, June 29, 2008, nine couples from the former Soviet Union were married in a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony, in conjunction with the dedication celebration for the new Bat Sheva~Chaya Esther Mikvah, built by Bris Avrohom of Hillside, New Jersey. The nine brides were privileged to be the first women to use the new Mikvah in preparation for their wedding day.

The annual event was begun 23 years ago by Milton and Shirley Gralla, and Rabbi Mordechai and Shterney Kanelsky. Since 1985, over 500 couples have celebrated their marriages according to Jewish law at Bris Avrohom’s annual event

This year’s couples, who were denied a religious wedding in their native countries, enjoyed all of the pomp and ceremony of a traditional Chuppah ceremony. Each couple had their own officiating rabbi, witnesses and chuppah. Some of the couples were accompanied by their parents and others by their children. Many of the couples had waited years to be able to celebrate their marriages according to Jewish tradition.

After the wedding ceremony, there was joyous dancing by both men and women. For the twenty third year in a row, not a drop of rain fell during the outdoor chuppah ceremonies. Despite threatening clouds, the outdoor festivities remained dry. As soon as the crowds moved inside for the accompanying festive meal, the sky opened and the rain fell. People commented that this was a visible testimony to the existence of G-d and His role as Master of the Universe.

At the festive meal, enjoyed at the Bris Avrohom headquarters, each couple was given several gifts from Bris Avrohom, including silver candlesticks, a silver Kiddush cup and various Jewish holy books translated into the Russian language. The couples were provided everything they might need to begin their new lives as religiously married Jews.

For more information about Bris Avrohom’s annual Gala Weddings, please call their office at (908) 289-0770.