CELEBRATE! Generosity Yields Beautiful Brides PEARL SALKIN Special to the Jewish News 111 y wedding gown hangs &,,Wersrb 4fi tAzitezeeemb Weee,ath,e Lunch and dinner served daily • Catering for all events Introducing Michigan's First Ez Finest Mid-Eastern LUNCH BUFFET (at 77 Mile & 1-696) Mon. - Fri. 1I-4 Iff it WEST BLOOMFIELD 6123 Haggerty Road West Bloomfield 248.668.1800 LATHRUP VILLAGE 27060 Evergreen Road Lathrup Village 248.559.9099 kV. Temple Israel Sisterhood GIFT SHOP _ rie lit Lonle St_iection o Tct Tana * Kippot iNiezuzot & Scrolis ; 11,1,313 11111/00kt ai Kiddus h Cup, Shabi) * Personalized Ketulial=; D's Books Tapes 5 Wide variety of iT for eti ( Mention Cash refunds this ad for 20% off on selected item !) Visa & Mastercard Accepted WE ARE OPEN DAILY 3/15 2002 C30 Call Temple office for information: 248-661-5700 5725 Walnut Lake Road • West Bloomfield on the rod in the corner of my closet. Although it's sealed in cellophane, the once winter-white dress has lost its luster. After multiple moves and 28 years in cramped quarters, its previ- ously pristine layers of bright lace have turned dingy and dim. I lovingly looked at that size 6 dress on each of my first few wedding anniversaries and relived a little of one of life's happiest moments. I remi- nisced about one of the greatest joys of Judaism — standing under the chup- pah and saying, "I am my beloved's." But now that so many years have passed, seeing that gown makes me sigh — I can't believe I was ever that thin. A recent trip to the mall, which included trying on bathing suits, was enough to convince me that my girlish figure is gone forever. As a public serv- ice, I will never again wear a bikini on the beach. It's likely that some of today's scrawny brides will eventually face that same situation that strikes many of us in middle age. But if you or the brides-to-be in your life want to avoid a future confrontation in the closet with a wispy wedding gown, do a mitzvah and donate it to charity. The practice of providing assistance to needy brides has its roots in the Torah. Traditionally, Jewish women in the bride's extended family and in the community have offered support for all aspects of wedding preparation, cel- ebration and the establishment of a new Jewish home. But before the food for the festivities can be prepared and a place for the newlyweds to live can be located, find- ing a wedding dress for the bride is a top priority. Pearl Salkin is a freelance writer in East Brunswick, N.J. Bridal Charities Beth Israel Congregation, an Orthodox synagogue in Miami Beach, is one of a growing group of organiza- tions that recycles wedding gowns. Three years ago, three congregants , Helaine Kurlansky, Helene Berkowitz and Gita Galbut — started a gemach, a charitable assemblage that performs acts of kindness. In this case, the gemach they estab- lished is a dress-lending service that has already helped dozens of disadvantaged Jewish brides in south Florida. From humble beginnings, this mitzvah proj- point where ect has blossomed to its current collection is causing the facility to practically burst at the seams. Word-of-mouth advertising throughout area synagogues and social service agencies has been so successful that the gemach must move the hun- dreds of donated outfits in its invento- ry to a larger location, evidence of the need to continue helping less finan- cially fortunate families find a way to dress with dignity on their big day "We want to make sure that every kallah (bride) looks beautiful at her wedding," says Rabbi Neal Turk, Beth Israel's spiritual leader. Besides providing gowns, Beth Israel stocks a large selection of modestly styled formal attire for the other women and girls in the wedding party — everything from pretty pinks for flower girls to baby blues for bubbes. And there are bridal veils, headpieces, hats and other accessories to comple- ment and complete the look. It's Fifth Avenue fashion that won't break the bank. There are countless women's groups across this country and in Israel that are offering similar services to needy brides. Some seek publicity, and some do things quietly and on a smaller *. - scale. In Boro Park in Brooklyn, N.Y., Ten Yad has many fund-raising events and programs that benefit brides and new- lyweds in the Orthodox community.