If the walls of Chasdei Naomi’s Armonot Chen Halls in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem could describe what takes place there every night, no book would be big enough to include all the moving stories * At Armonot Chen, needy families are given an opportunity to marry at the same standard as families with means
By Sarah Bruner
The telephone rang in the bride’s home. The mother-of-the-bride answered the phone, listened to the warm voice of the person on the other end, and was too choked up to answer. She stood there thunderstruck and tears flowed from her eyes. Tears of joy. Tonight, this mother will lead her daughter to the wedding canopy. She will lead her with her soul and with her entire being, but she will not feel complete, because she is a widow.
And suddenly, such good news.
The person on the other end of the line was Mrs. Dina Namdar, events director at the six Armonot Chen Halls – five in one complex in Bnei Brak and the other in Givat Shaul in Jerusalem.
“A few minutes ago,” said Mrs. Namdar to the mother of the bride, “A donor called me from overseas. Today, he too is marrying off his daughter, and in honor of this happy occasion, he wishes to make other people happy and he has decided to cover the wedding expenses of an orphan taking place on the same night. So I am happy to tell you that in addition to the fact that Chasdei Naomi will not charge you for the use of the hall, the donor will pay for the cost of the catering, the bride’s trousseau, jewelry for the bride, the wedding gown and rent for an entire year. The money has already been transferred to us and we will transfer it to you.”
No wonder, the widow was left speechless and could only cry, walk around her home in a daze. She can’t believe it is really happening.
Marrying with dignity
Establishing wedding halls for needy families was always the dream of Rabbi Yosef Cohen, the tireless chairman and founder of the large Chasdei Naomi charitable organization. “I wanted to build a hall in which needy families could marry with dignity and at a standard similar to that of families with means. I wanted poor families to be able to marry off their children in the same place as those families with means. Maximum effort was invested in these halls to turn them into a beautiful venue, where even families with considerable means would consider holding their special occasions,” says Rabbi Cohen.
What started as one hall, turned into the Armonot Chen complex, with five halls in Bnei Brak and an additional hall in Jerusalem. If the walls of Chasdei Naomi’s Armonot Chen Halls in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem could describe what takes place there every night, no book would be big enough to include all the moving stories.
“Over the years, thousands of weddings have been held at Armonot Chen,” says Mrs. Namdar, “In general, any family can rent the hall; however, preference is given to Torah-observant families, families with many children, needy families, and especially, orphans for whom the halls were originally built. They receive the hall free of charge. By the way, the price of a full menu, including fish, salads, meats, etc. is NIS 44; so the bottom line is that people can hold a wedding at very low prices compared to what is generally accepted.”
At Mrs. Namdar’s office at Chasdei Naomi, she meets the wonderful faces of the Jewish people, offering genuine manifestations of loving kindness. “People call me from all over the world asking me to find out for them if a wedding of orphans or a needy family is taking place on a particular date, and they donate the entire cost of the wedding, or a part of it, and sometimes, they add different items, such as electrical appliances, a trousseau, rent, furniture, etc. Sometimes, they give me their name and other times, they ask to remain anonymous. This act is considered a great ‘segula’ for an answer to all their prayers. I have served in this position for over ten years, and I still am amazed each time at people’s generosity, and am moved by the fact that God has enabled me to take part in this wonderful organization that does everything for the benefit of people who lack economic means.”
There are also stories from other angles. “One day, the telephone rang, and it turned out that the person on the line was a very wealthy man. The family chose to marry one of its children in Armonot Chen. “We want to serve as an example,” the man explained his reasoning behind the decision, “Very wealthy people will attend the wedding, both from Israel and overseas. We want all the guests to witness the wonderful loving kindness that takes place only in our community.” Although the hall was amazingly decorated that night, as the family instructed, and the food served was on a very high standard; however, the family paid for another two weddings that took place in the Armonot Chen Halls on the same evening. Most of all, the family relayed a message to the public – it is an honor to get married at Armonot Chen! Moreover, the wealthy guests were amazed to see the event complex, where acts of charity take place each night, and they understood that every shekel they contribute to Chasdei Naomi is a holy donation that brings happiness to others.