Who doesn’t love a wedding? There isn’t a little girl in the world that doesn’t begin envisioning her own wedding from the time she’s in kindergarten. From a young age, girls use every possible opportunity to dress up as a bride. At our Home in Netanya, our girls are no different. But, they do have some challenges to face.

In most families, where there are parents to supervise their children from the time they are born, plans are always being made for their future. Mothers and fathers worry about which pre-school to send their little ones to, then choose an appropriate elementary and high school where their kids will flourish academically. Then goes the process of selecting, testing and enrolling in a college, trade school or university where their kids will turn their lifetime goals into a viable profession. And, in between all this, there are always the wishes, hopes and then the reality of meeting a mate and planning a wedding.

At the Rubin Zeffren Children’s Home, our dear girls are not as fortunate as the average girl in Israel or anywhere else. Yes, they have a warm and loving group Home, where nutritious meals are served daily and their housemother, counselors, the administration and staff really care about their life and their future too! But, our girls often wonder, when they complete their studies and they find their ‘bashert’ ~ their soul mate, who will walk them to their chuppah? Who will arrange their wedding from A to Z, and who will guide them on how to begin their new life?

At Lev LaLev, we are privileged to have partners like YOU, who open your hearts and your generous spirit to girls like Naava and her now husband, Yitzchok, who are both orphans! Naava, our newest bride, and her groom were introduced a few months ago. Finding favor in each other’s eyes, they soon became engaged to be married. Although Naava, who has lived in our Home with 4 of her younger sisters for the past several years, was overjoyed to find her destined one – she harbored hidden worries about her wedding. How could she rent a hall and pay for it? Who would find the Rabbi to perform the ceremony? What about the catered meal, her dress, and her sisters’ outfits? Without parents, how could she provide these necessary components? This is what kept Naava up at night, wondering, biting her nails, and feeling uneasy.

Imagine a young woman about to embark into her future, with so many questions in her mind – and fears overtaking the warm and wonderful sensations of what should be blissful happiness for an engaged girl. Our staff and administration at the Home are sensitive to such issues. This is not the first bride we’ve helped bring to the wedding canopy. Quickly stepping up to help Naava and her bridegroom, Lev LaLev went into action. From the day of her engagement to the moment of her marriage, Naava was cared for like a bride should be ~ with soft and gentle words of encouragement, with reassurance that ‘everything will work out fine’ and her wedding day would be a dream come true.

Naava and Yitzchok got married on the first day of this month in Bnei Brak. All of the girls at the Home attended her wedding. The joy was infectious – everyone danced, laughed and made sure that the bride felt like a queen for a day. Our staff stood beside her every moment, assuaging her pre-marital nervous flutters and soothing away any of her fears. Naava was a beautiful ‘kallah’ dressed in white, her hair styled so that her veil intertwined with her classical up do. From head to toe, our bride shined with contentment as she walked down the aisle to meet her groom.

Our newlyweds have much to be thankful for today – they have a small rented apartment, they have basic furniture, bedding, linens, large and small appliances and dishes. Naava also has a lovely modest trousseau that she can be proud of. But most of all, they have each other. At Lev LaLev, we have YOU, and that’s what’s needed to continue bringing honor and dignity to our neglected and abandoned girls’ lives. Together, let us resume in the coming year, to strive to fulfill the needs of our precious girls. They deserve our support!