By Yochonon Donn-Hamodia and COLlive
An estimated 5,000 participants jammed three halls in Boro Park Tuesday evening for a dinner on behalf of Bonei Olam, the organization that assists frum couples that are experiencing infertility.
The packed crowd at the Ateres Chaya hall underscored Bonei Olam’s growth from helping local families to one with 8 branches across North America and Israel.
Their branch in Crown Heights is run by Rabbi Chaim and Rikal Fogelman who are also the liaisons for the international Chabad community.
“We have been assisting 46 Chabad couples in the last year or so,” they said. As of last week, the number of children born thanks to Bonei Olam’s work is 4,074.
Bonei Olam assigns each couple a PIN in order to keep all of their cases confidential and private. When a couple contacts the Fogelmans, for example, they are put in touch with a team that provides consultations, referrals, counseling and an advanced genetics program to guide them through the journey.
The Bonei Olam dinner was housed in 3 separate halls, with the men watching the program from two floors in Ateres Chaya and the women in the nearby Hillman Plaza. A thick three-volume journal was handed out to the guests; it was also available on USB stick and on CD.
A cadre of volunteers worked for the dinner, which honored at least one member of a list of dozens of kehillos across Boro Park with the Nezer Habonim Award.
The annual dinner has become known for the surprises it springs on the guests, and this year was no different.
Rabbi Nachman Dov Teitelbaum, a Monsey yungerman, related the difficulties of going 22 years without children; he and his wife are now the proud parents of a child.
Excitement rippled through the crowd as Rabbi Shlomo Bochner, the group’s founder and executive director, arose in middle of the program to announce that he had just received an email from Eli Ostreicher.
Ostreicher, CEO of Regal Wings travel consolidator and HareiAt.com frum shidduch site, said that he and Shabsi Gross, the two Nedivas Halev awardees, were so moved by the evening that they were pledging $500,000.
“Sitting here tonight by the dinner, I’m speechless I don’t have words,” Ostreicher wrote in the email which was read by Rabbi Bochner.
“I’m trying to fathom the pain childless couples endure. I’ve heard how much people are able to do to help those couples have a child and build a family. I concluded that tonight I have to do a major deed that many couples will benefit from and Bezras Hashem build beautiful families.”
Rabbi Bochner commented, “It is a pride that during a Bonei Olam Dinner a yid should be so warmed up and promise such an astronomical amount solely for the purpose of helping his fellow yidden.”
A special song was composed by Hamizamrim, a choir in Eretz Yisrael that sings at international events. Rabbi Bochner ended the program with an emotional personal speech.
To contact Mrs. Fogelman at the Crown Heights chapter, call 917-613-8885
I was stared at by docs who said the road ahead was difficult. Bonei Olam paid for so many services so we could go to better doctors with better chances. B”H our daughter was born, followed by twins.
We are so proud to be part of the Bonei Olam family. They are an incredible team.
Many years ago my family was helped by this great org. Today we are BH blessed with a large family and on Shlichus. They were small and just in the early stages at the time yet they were so great. I can only imagin how much more they do today with the size they have grown to.
ELIO IS A PERSON WITH A HART OF GOLD!!! ALWAYS LOOKING TO HELP OTHERS!!!
Hearing the speech made me cry such Chesed there are no words
May he be blessed
Bonei Olam is a great cause. yasher koach on bringing happiness to many who are awaiting the special blessing of children. you should be blessed.
They should be bentched with much nachas from their families.
amazing!!!
may others be inspired to do the same for this incredible organization!!!!!!!!
Bonei Olam is the ultimate Ahavas Yisroel,
i know many of us in CH who were helped by BO and others which are Zoche to contribute to BO
Eli this is very inspiring. May Hashem bless you to continue giving in such a generous and kind manner as you always do!
– A Friend