[COMMUNICATED]
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
Every time Esti Tefilinsky uttered these words on a shidduch date, it didn’t end well. The shadchan would call her up that night, uncomfortably making up a different excuse every time: “He’s decided that you’re not the same hashkafa.” “He just doesn’t see it.”
But when Esti told her dark secret to Shmuel Eisen, it was different; This time, she felt unafraid. Shmuel’s green eyes gazed quizzically into hers, and the little voices that usually took space her head, whispering words of warning, were stunned into silence by the warm and accepting expression on his face.
And Esti told Shmuel her secret. But instead of shock or horror, Shmuel’s eyes flooded with compassion.
“Wow,” he said quietly. “I can’t even begin to imagine how hard that must have been for you.”
And for the first time in Esti’s life, a man didn’t run.
When Esti and Shmuel announced their engagement to their respective families five months ago, Esti’s mother Ruchama couldn’t stop crying. Shmuel was just what Esti needed: He was gentle, caring, and endlessly devoted to her sweet daughter. But as she swept up the last crumb off the floor after the l’chaim, she sighed. Shmuel was overjoyed to marry her Esti; He didn’t mind that her father had suffered from a mental breakdown and abandoned the family eight years ago. But how would she manage to pull off the wedding financially without a husband’s support?
Today, Esti and Shmuel are counting down the days towards their wedding. But Esti doesn’t even have a wedding dress. In fact, she hasn’t bought anything for the wedding yet. All she wants is a simple life together with Shmuel but she has no father, and she can’t get married without a tremendous amount of support from the public. A Hachnasas Kallah fund has been set up by the Vaad HaRabbanim to help Esti get married and start a simple life with her chosson. Those who wish to participate in this rewarding opportunity to help a fatherless girl can do so by donating via Esti’s wedding fund for a limited time.
