Father of all orphans

While Avihem is known for its efforts in alleviating the burden for widows in the wake of a simcha, much emphasis is placed on the wedding day and the tremendous zechus in helping these orphans experience a joyous yom hachupah.

With its rabbinical advisory board endorsed by the esteemed Skvere dayan, R’ Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz, these orphans finally have a father figure they can lean on for financial support.

Avihem is well known for its financial support for orphans on their wedding day, but the time has come to go beyond its initial calling. Standing under the chuppah, the orphaned kallah is a young girl with a scarred past and a hopeful future. While the layers of white veil more than just her face on her wedding day, there are pairs of shoes, respectable clothes for sheva brachos and a gaping void when it comes to shopping before the big day.

When Avihem’s founder, Rabbi Feldbrand, received a devastating call from a widow, he took her pain as his own and made a promise to the orphans of klal yisroel to clothe the chassanim and kallahs with the utmost dignity and respect. He made a commitment and would honor that commitment before doing anything else.

The holiest day of the year

Erev Yom Kippur in the home of the Skvere dayan is a hectic time, with people flocking to the rav for sheilos, consultations and halachic concerns. For the first time in years, the rav let the lines ring and the community wait. He had a promise to fulfill and he couldn’t let the orphans down.

What followed was a serious assembly with the rabbinical advisory board at Avihem, spearheading the launch of the ‘malbishei kavod’ division of the organization. The initiative would be to provide ‘trousseaus of dignity’, giving brides and grooms across every sect and community the opportunity to fill their new homes with the attire needed before the wedding day.

The venerable dayan would not wait for the sun to set before sealing his promise to the orphaned kallah and the widowed Baal simcha. He gathered esteemed leaders in his own home to discuss the organization’s widened reach and outreach. “Something must be done before the Yom Hakadosh”, he emphasized to all those present. “Putting everything aside for the almanos and yesomim, let us reach a new realm of chesed”.

Thus, a mission was born and a promise fulfilled.

An address of giving

The cries of the yesomim have been answered. Filling the void by paying for wedding expenses, the customary ‘shtafir’ [trousseau] is now beautifully and artfully provided for, giving each kallah the choice and ability to fill her closet with new clothes, new shoes and new dreams for the future.

Leaders in the initiative are renowned rabbanim and askanim, such as R’ Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz of Skver, R’ Avraam Chaim Steinwurzel of Mateh Ephraim, R’ Benyomin Eisenberger of Heichal Hatefillah, and others affiliated with the organization’s distribution of funds. A primary goal at Avihem is the method of giving, going to great lengths to guarantee a most respectable form of tzedakah. Now providing resources throughout the tristate area, Avihem still treats every chosson and kallah as an only child, personally assisting them with all financial aspects leading up to the wedding day.

The missed kol nidrei

R’ Steinmetz ended the moving introduction by mentioning a story of the great Chasan Sofer. With a kol nidrei unlike any other, the great Rebbe’s Yom Kippur tefillah was one that the entire community gathered to hear. One Yom Kippur, the holy Chasan Sofer didn’t show up to shul, having busied himself with an almanah in the midst of a shidduch. In lieu of the Chasan Sofer’s gadlus and vision, R’ Mechel beseeched all those present, prioritizing the founding of this division “still before the holiest day of the year”, making l’chaim for a momentous start to this great mitzvah.

May the Father of all orphans fill their world with an eternal light and may he establish the ultimate chuppah, the beis hamikdash, in our days.