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Inna and Alex Kleyner came to the
United States from the former Soviet
Union to begin a new life. With a
little help from Hebrew Free Loan,
they began living the American
Dream, which included the ability to
host a wedding for their daughter
Karina and Alex Royzenblat.

Hebrew Free Loan helps dozens of
couples like the Kleyners every year
celebrate weddings and other family
simchas — bar mitzvahs, bat mitz-
vahs, graduations, milestone events
and more. Each time we celebrate in
a Jewish way, it helps reinforce our
heritage and identity, and sets the
example for generations to come.

Join us in saying
Maze! Toy!

A loan from Hebrew Free Loan

Paul Barker at a JCC party

The Big List

Everything you need to know to finally, really,
get organized for your event.

helps our Jewish families

Elizabeth Applebaum

live Jewish lives.

Special to celebrate!

Hebrew Five Loan provides interest-
free loans for tuition assistance,
rent and many other financial
needs: living expenses, medical
expenses, training, small business
start-up costs, and much more. If
you or someone you know needs
help, please click or call.

www.hfldetroit.org
248/23.8184

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FREE LOAN

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We Provide Loans.

We Promise Dignity.

`Federation

Getting it all together for your big event means saving money,
saving a lot of hurt feelings and aggravation, and above all,
saving your sanity.
But exactly what do you need on your list?
Paul Barker is director of special events at the Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit. Number one on
anyone's event planning list, he says, should be remembering
why this is happening.
A wedding, for example, is a celebration of a marriage. Its
purpose is not to serve an over-the-top meal; it is no less
sacred if the bride wears a simple dress and not one with
hand-sewn crystals.
Next question: when?
Plan the right date and "pretty much everything else will
fall in line," Barker says. Consider: Does my religion prohibit
celebrations at any time and will my friends and family be able
to attend?
If finances are a concern, Barker recommends holding a

wedding on a weekday or Sunday, and not in the summer, so
that "you'll have a better choice in vendors, get the same ser-
vices, and it will probably cost a lot less."
Third: what do you want? Believe it or not, a bar mitzvah, a
wedding or a special birthday party is all about the bar mitz-
vah, the couple, the birthday girl. "Don't be overly concerned
about Aunt Lucy and Uncle Charlie and what they're going to
want; start thinking like that and you become an employee
of someone else. Multiply that by all the guests and you can't
win," Barker says.
"People will come whether or not they are served a four-
course meal. They'll come whether you have great entertain-
ment or not. Do what makes you happy and what you can
afford. People will enjoy your creative personal touch and be
happy for you."
According to the online research group The Wedding Report,
the average Metro Detroit wedding costs $30,530.Yet there's
no reason you have to spend anything close to that amount.

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