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A Giving Hand Event - Full Coverage
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twins.
[Applause]
I told you this rabbi's energy Rabbi
Kador and because now his two twins got
married. Both of the twins after 12
years. So, okay, now you can sit down,
Rabbi.
Special.
You all came this morning
because you all love
Israel and we wanted to flourish. The
Torah tells us today be like mem
and gold.
What you two have built
is a legacy forever.
We all want in our lives. I'd like to
acknowledge the presence of my teacher
Rabbi Ha who I learned so much from
I can't say Joey it's not respectful
Rabbi thank you for being here Rabbi
Leon Con very happy for you Rabbi who
has the yeshiva now bless you and really
thank you guys for all coming out this
morning Mickey
the great Rabbi Nakman taught
that there's three things that take away
blessing. God always wants to givea like
the sun that's always shining. Sometimes
the clouds are on top. Sometimes things
block. Which three things take away the
baraka? Number one, if you're too
worried, someone who's too anxious, the
brain, the mind starts to contract.
Instead of expanding, it collapses. When
the mind which holds the soul is
contracting, there's no room for
blessing. Hashem says, "Trust me. I
created you. I take care of you. I love
you. You're my child. And therefore,
things that you can take care of, take
care of. Things that are in your hands,
take care of. But once it's out of your
hands, out of your head. Let go and let
Hashem take over. The first thing that
opens is trust that Hashem is in charge
and can and wants to give you
everything. The second thing that takes
away the blessing is when someone
becomes too obsessive and needy yet the
opposite of the creator of the world.
The creator of the world is not needy
and obsessed with anything but he's only
full and complete and giving. Says when
a person is lacking and feels and
complains and is too needy. Imagine
you're a businessman and you have a
product and you show it to the buyer and
the buyer says, "I'll get back to you
next week. I'm gonna show it to Target
and Costco. And you call him every day,
five times a day, and send him 50
emails. You know what he does? He cuts
because lack attracts lack. He says,
"This guy's desperate. I don't want
him." On the other hand, make one phone
call, you try. But after that, I trust
in Hashem. Whatever I have, I'm
complete. When someone feels
the opposite of lack and neediness is,
I'm complete with my life. What Hashem
gives me today, I'm so happy with happy
with my wife, happy with my home, happy
with my children, happy with everything
around me and I feel complete and that
opens up more. Hashem says, "Hey, you're
like me." What's the third thing that
takes the blessing? Even if you have no
worries, you're now not obsessed, you're
not needy, but you're withholding.
You're now the opposite of Hashem. When
Hashem gives you bounty, he gives you,
what do you do with it? You become a
senor means a pipeline. God says my rat,
my will. The will of God is the same
letters. Ratson is means be like me. And
when you take and you give to others a
giving hand, you don't withhold. Hashem
says you're just like me. I'm going to
give you more. So what are the three
things that cut the bounty? We call it
the negative wow.
W worried, obsessive, and withholding.
The opposite is what we call the TCL,
the trusting, complete in Hashem's love.
Hashem, I feel complete, I feel good.
And when you live large, instead of
withholding, you give out. TLC, trust,
love, live, and complete. A woman was
taking a class this year and she said,
"I used to be very needy. I needed to be
heard. I need my husband to apologize. I
couldn't sleep. I needed to be seen. She
said once I learned I don't need
anything except Hashem, I'm feel
complete. It was my 30th anniversary and
my husband tell me so what do you want
honey for the 30th? I said this year
nothing. I have everything. I'm
complete. He's like no no really tell
me. He said no I have everything. Rabbi
it works. He said I want to give you
double. I want to give you triple. I
said no no. He said wait till the office
10 times then take it. Until then hold
back. I don't need anything. I'm
complete. That's attractive because
you're like the creator of the world. I
was taking our children upstate to visit
my son in camp and we stopped by a ery,
a big place where the goim have all
their food under one of their stop
stations and you see shake and shack.
All kinds of foods the goim eating.
We're trying to get a drink and I hear a
woman behind me say, "Why is my favorite
food place closed?" I look up, I see
Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A, a big place.
And I'm looking at the sign. We are
founded in the 1960s. We are believers
in the creator of the world. Sunday is a
day to spend with your family and
worship and therefore we close. We'll
see you all Monday. I told them like
children, you see, they don't suffer
from the wow. Are they worried about
money? Not at all. If they were worried,
they'd open Sunday. They created
obsessive, needy, not at all. You need
us come back Monday. And they're not
withholding it all. They give their
employees. This is a universal rule that
Hashem created everywhere. They trust.
They feel complete. Live large. You know
the number one eery today is
Chick-fil-A. Everywhere you go, there's
lines all over. People in real estate
will tell you that these are the ones,
the triple A best tenants. Why? Simple
rule. Hashem wants us to be like him.
Connect. Become like me. Don't withhold
and much blessing will come your way.
Maya and Ga, what you've done the past
years is phenomenal. Someone in my own
family dear to my heart also was going
through the same thing. But you weren't
just there to help financially. You gave
them encouragement and it became like a
family. This is a family organization.
They reach out. They feel the love. They
feel the encouragement.
And this is something that is a
tremendous.
And their attitude was always Hashem is
good. Gamtova Gam is Ga and Maya. Mr.
Hara, Julie Hara, where are you? Mr.
Hara, Mrs. Mars, we want to thank you
really for opening your heart and your
home and every child that will come from
here is to your merit. Without further
ado, Maya, please come up.
Thank you, Rabbi, for those beautiful
words. Good morning, everyone. Thank you
so much for all being here with us this
morning. It's truly moving to see so
many faces, some familiar, many new.
Each one of you here today is part of
something much bigger than a breakfast,
bigger than even a cause. You are part
of building futures.
Whether you walked this journey with us
from the beginning or are just now
joining our mission, I want you to know
how much your presence means to us. It
means you're standing with us in the
most personal, painful, and ultimately
beautiful battles a couple can face. The
journey to build a family. Before we go
any further, I want to take a moment to
recognize two extraordinary individuals
who have opened not just their home, but
their hearts to all of us. Morris and
Julie Hara,
[Applause]
your generosity, your grace, and your
genuine care for our mission are simply
remarkable. Your kindness has set the
table literally and figuratively for the
miracles that will come from this
morning. And for the ones still to come,
we are deeply grateful. On behalf of the
entire Giving Hand family, thank you for
making this event possible in such a
warm and welcoming space.
Now, let me take a moment to share with
you what brings us all here together.
My name is Mayer Asher and I'm the
founder of A Giving Hint. But before I
was a founder, I was just a husband. A
husband praying every single day, hoping
and waiting for a miracle.
For nearly seven years, my wife Gold and
I have faced the painful, lonely
struggle of infertility. Let's break
that down for a minute.
Not only is it nearly 7 years, but 2,422
days.
It has been 342 Shabbats where we have
not been able to bless our children or
to light another Shabbat candle for our
children. And I want to be very honest
with you about how that really looks. It
is hard and it takes every ounce of
energy out of you. Infertility is not
just a medical diagnosis. It's a silent
ache that follows you everywhere. It's
walking into a sima smiling through
gritted teeth while inside you're
breaking because you're the only couple
without a stroller outside of the shul.
It's well-meaning relatives asking so
any news when there is news but it's
another failed cycle another loss and
another heartbreak.
It's the crushing weight of decisions.
Do we try again? Can we afford to? Can
we emotionally afford to? You try to be
strong. You tell yourself, "Hashem has a
plan." But some nights, you find
yourself in the parking lot of yet
another doctor's office, gripping the
steering wheeling, steering wheel, and
crying.
A man trying to be the rock, all while
silently crumbling inside.
This is what infertility looks like.
This journey is painful, isolating, and
for many, completely unaffordable.
Treatments can run tens of thousands of
dollars per cycle. Many couples are
already drowning in debt before they
even see a positive result. That's why
Giving Hand exists. We started this
organization with one goal. To make sure
no Jewish couple ever has to choose
between financial stabil stability and a
chance to build a family. Our mission
was never just to write checks. It was
to hold hearts to whisper you're not
alone. to say we believe in your dream
dream and we're going to fight it with
you.
Last year I stood on this very stage and
told you that because of your generosity
17 beautiful children had already been
born with the help of a giving hand.
Today I am overwhelmed overjoyed to
share that hashem that number has grown
to 46.
That's 46 cribs filled. 46 lullabies
sung and 46 families who now know the
joy they once feared they never have.
Can we even begin to imagine what that
means to them, to their parents, to
their family and friends? And it doesn't
stop there. Another 24 couples are
currently expecting 24 more miracles on
the way. 20 of them due before the end
of the year.
[Applause]
But behind those numbers, behind every
single baby, is a story of heartbreak,
sacrifice, and courage. A couple praying
through sleepless nights. A woman
injecting herself with medication while
holding back tears.
Each of those stories began with a yes.
Each child exists because someone maybe
one of you sitting here today right now
said I want to be part of this and I
want to give and we need your help
today. I'm asking you to please give
boldly. Give generously. Give from a
place of love because that's what this
is really about. Today we are aiming to
raise several hundred thousands of
dollars not just to meet a goal but to
meet needs. I know it's ambitious, but I
also know the people in this room and
their hearts.
Hundreds of families in our own
community are struggling right now
quietly, painfully, and they're looking
to us, their brothers and sisters, to
help them bring life into this world.
Every dollar you give brings another
couple one step closer to hearing the
words mabuk. It's a boy or it's a girl.
Your donation is not just a dollar
amount. It's a heartbeat on a monitor.
It's a baby's first cry. It's a dream
come true for someone who thought it
would never happen.
And trust me, when you've waited that
long, there are no sweeter words to
hear.
To those here who are learning about a
giving hand for the first time, welcome.
You may not have known about us before,
but today you have the power to become
part of someone's miracle.
Let's leave here today knowing that the
next child born through a giving hand
will be because of your giving hand.
Let's be their miracle.
There's no greater act of charity, no
deeper reward than helping to bring a
Jewish child into this world. Every time
that baby takes a breath, every mitzvah
that child one day will do, you, the
donor, are part of that forever.
That is the power of your giving. That
is the legacy of a giving hand. I thank
you deeply for being here, for caring
and listening. And I ask you, let's
build the future together. May Hashem
bless all of you and your families with
health, joy, and abundant blessings. And
may we all be Z to see many more homes
filled with laughter, little footsteps
and beyond words. Thank you.
[Applause]
You know in life we have many
opportunities. Opportunities to give, to
achieve, to become great by overcoming
challenges. Each journey of infertility
creates endless opportunities. As the
couple has a decision to make how they
will emerge at the end of their journey.
When my wife and I refer to our giving
hand family, we don't use words like
client or patient. That would indicate a
sickness, God forbid, and has a very
cold feeling. That doesn't sit well with
us. This morning, Golda, with your
permission, I would like to introduce a
new term, warrior. By definition, a
warrior is someone who is brave and one
who gears up for a battle with the firm
belief that they will emerge victorious
at the end. When a group of warriors
stand together, there's no way that
Hashem won't bless them with success.
So, I ask everyone to please rise as we
welcome a true warrior to the stage to
tell her story for the first time, the
mother of baby number 13, Norma
Masserie.
before. Before I begin, I want to thank
Maya and Golda for this incredible
opportunity to share my story. If you
had asked me just two months ago to
stand in front of a crowd and speak
about my personal journey, the answer
would have been a hard no.
But something shifted for me. A few
weeks ago, I heard someone speak at the
concert on behalf of a giving hand, and
it filled me with a wave of inspiration.
At a leader date, I told her how guilty
I felt for turning down similar
opportunities in the past. Without
hesitation, she said, "Perfect. August
8th, I'm locking you in." And just like
that, there was no turning back. So,
here I am, and I'm grateful for the
push. Hopefully, through this, I can
help those who can relate to my story to
stop and get the help, the help they
need. and I can inspire support to this
amazing cause and help all those couples
who are so longing to hold a little gun
in their arms one day.
My story is a little different than most
and that's why I want to share it
because some of you might be going
through something similar and not even
realize it because I didn't.
I had my first three beautiful girls
naturally without any intervention.
After my third third daughter's birth,
though things had changed, I started
experiencing a range of difficult
postpartum symptoms. Weakening heart
palpitations, blood clotting issues, and
overactive thyroid, and a severely
irregular cycle that just never settled
down. For a long time, I ignored it, but
eventually it became much. I called my
rabbi and I told him I hadn't gone to
the mikvah in months and asked for a
hat. He said no.
you're going to get the proper help. He
sent me the number and made me promise
to call. Little did I know it was the
number of bonam.
At first, I was resistant. I thought,
"No way. Why would I call a fertility
organization,
but my strong belief in the concept of
trusting your rabbi overcame my
hesitation.
That phone call marked the beginning of
my journey. I explained my situation.
Multiple doctors had told me it wasn't
safe for me to have another child and
that I should be content with the three
beautiful children I had. So, I got over
the idea of having more kids a while
ago. However, at this point, I just
wanted to feel normal again. But to be
seen by a fertility doctor, I had to
actively be trying to conceive. So, I
went along with it. After extensive
testing, I was told I was going through
premature menopause. I had only a
quarter of the egg reserved. I should
have at my age. The odds of conceiving
naturally were so slim to none, and I
didn't technically qualify for IVF. But
Dr. Molinro at RMI fought hard for me.
He finally got the clearance to move
forward with treatment, but we had to
act fast. Given my hormone levels,
menopause could begin fully at any time,
and with it, any chance of pregnancy
would be gone. Then came the financial
reality. IVF medications alone cost
upward of 4,000. Treatment itself was
over 25,000. And that's not including
the $50 co-pays at every appointment, of
which were many.
Now, we hit a wall. Because I already
had three children, no one wanted to
help me fund the process. I felt invis
invisible, misplaced, misunderstood, and
honestly broken. Broken with the idea
that my body was aging beyond its years.
and with the fact that I wouldn't even
be able to give my husband the chance to
have a son, a son to learn Torah with, a
son to sing at the Shabbat table with, a
sports fan because he's the biggest
sports fan, or even just a father-son
companionship.
I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. All I
thought about was this. until one day my
sister-in-law
mentioned a friend she had connected
with over Instagram who had started an
organization. I told her not to bother.
No one wanted to help me but she was
relentless. She didn't want to give up
on me cuz she never does. And she made
the call. And that's when everything
changed without hesitation. The answer
was yes. I remember asking Goldar, "Are
you sure? I already have three kids."
And I'll never forget her response.
She's like, "You want it, right?" I
said, "Yeah." And that was that. Who
says it has to end here? We'll be with
you every step of the way. And they
were. I felt seen, encouraged, and
valued. A giving hand not only funds
fertility treatments. They hold your
hand through every single stage.
From organizing your medication
schedules to teaching you how to do your
shots, which believe me are no easy
task, to checking in on your emotional
well-being. This is true. Helping others
in their darkest hour while facing their
own similar struggles.
After many visits and daily 6 a.m.
monitorings, we went through one
retrieval which did not work out. And
that cycle was transferred into an IUI
which failed. But we couldn't and I
would not give up. So we tried again
with different meds and even more
prayers and hope. This time we got seven
eggs. This three survived the process.
One of which was a boy. Just the idea
that I retrieved one boy. Felt like it
was a sign from Hashem that it was meant
to be. Hashem. Today I have my beautiful
thriving thriving one-year-old son. A
living miracle from Hashem. A gift I
look at every day with awe and
gratitude. He would not have been
possible without a giving hand.
Without the dedication,
heart and vision of Meer and Gold, you
are more than just founders. You are
angels.
[Applause]
Whether you're someone whether you're
someone silently struggling or someone
able to give this organization changes
lives. It changed mine. So I urge you
support this organization.
Donate. Sponsor a couple. Make a
difference. It's the chance for someone
to hold their baby in their arms one day
and say, "You are worth every moment of
the fight." and make a couple's dream a
reality.
Shalom.
Each child is an entire world, a dream
in one heart. Thank you.
[Applause]
[Music]
Every person they yearn for children,
for a future, for a legacy. And some
people go through this test of not being
able to bring children right away. And
the scary part is it's a test that seems
like it's never ending. When will my
Yeshua come? When will the children
come? Is there light at the end of my
tunnel? They don't know and they go to
sleep every night praying for a miracle.
>> The house is so quiet and it's lonely
and there's no there's nobody to
continue that legacy with.
>> It took maybe 2 years, maybe more, with
nothing.
Finally, I'm like, you know what? Let me
just check myself out. So, of course, I
did. And they said nothing. They said
it's just unexplained infertility.
For some reason, that word unexplained
didn't help me very much. It just made
me feel like, so I understand that I'm
going through, you know, infertility,
but why?
My husband and I were married for 5
years, uh, without any success of being
of becoming pregnant on our own. After
about 3 years, I would say, we went to a
specialist and they ruled out that it's
just um unexplained infertility. There
was no reasoning. There was no way to
describe or fix or go to somebody that
could help. It was kind of like it's
unexplained and there's nothing you
could do about it. Like good luck. all
the different medical procedures and
medication other than IVF. Uh the the
bills were adding up and um we're
talking about 70 $80,000 before we even
get to IVF, which on its own is a 30
$40,000 process
>> from the blood tests to the monitoring
to the pills. We did everything. It's
hard to hold on to that hope without,
you know, worrying, will any of this
eventually work?
Molly Haber uh suggested that we reach
out to Mayer Asher and just have a
conversation with him. And I remember
reaching out to him and you know, I was
scared because when you're first
reaching out to somebody, you seem like
you're you're in a dark tunnel. You seem
like this is a you problem. And why
should somebody else have to step in for
you? And I remember uh calling him and
he didn't make it sound like a you
problem. He made it sound like an us
problem.
>> Literally anything you can imagine. They
know what to say. They know exactly what
to do. Hashem blessed them with the
ability to be able to connect to other
people that are going through this.
>> So I reached out to Gold. Within 30
minutes I get a phone call back and she
said, "You're good to go. You're
starting a cycle tomorrow." Said, "No,
there's no way. What are you talking
about?" She said, "No, a giving hand is
we got you. It's all good." I never felt
such a relief in my life. I
>> I think that was the first time I
actually took a deep breath and said
that that we're going to get through it.
>> Just from listening to the calls, I
remember people would call in and
sometimes they start the calls by
crying. They're very emotional. Um it's
very hard to open up about things like
this. Could sense that immediately when
they heard Meer or Gold's voice, they
were calm like right away. Their entire
voice changed.
>> They were there to drop off things, to
take me, to pick me up, to see how I'm
going throughout the whole cycle, to
check in on me, to go out to dinner,
just to lift off my mood.
>> Every step of the way, we were we were
be being taken care of.
>> Now we have our beautiful Joyce SAL, who
brings us so much joy, and we couldn't
be happier.
>> She's our blessing. She came from such a
beautiful organization that I would not
be able to bring this girl if it wasn't
for them.
>> There's nothing more that I could say
but thank you.
>> No matter how much challenges came along
the way, everything was taken care of
from A to Z, from a giving hand.
>> As somebody who went through it, as
somebody who's gotten the help, I urge
that you allow them to continue to do
the great things that they're doing.
It's beautiful to help any cause, but to
bring life into the world. There's
nothing greater that we could ever do.
And what Meer and Gold have done is
nothing short of miraculous,
of heroic, of taking pain and turning it
outward, turning it into a source of
blessing for other people, going through
the same exact thing that they are going
through. And they decided, let's help
other people build. There should be a
for everybody and as well for gold
admire and we should see many many
children and generations to come. Amen.
[Music]
Mrs. Mastery, where are you?
That was truly spectacular. Hashem bless
you to see Nahhat from all your
beautiful children and your husband and
your entire family and your
sister-in-law too. A lot of blessing.
I'd like to acknowledge the presence of
Rabbi Faro
came to be with us to support us. So
happy you're here. Rabbi Kiote, Rabbi
Zatuni, Rabbi Ariel, Magnificent. Thank
you for being here,
Rabbi Joey. Really, Hashem
Gro Hashem speaks through you. You give
so much to everyone everywhere I go. I
have an Ashkan sister-in-law lives in
Lakewood. Do you know a rabbi? His name
is Joey. I said he's Joey. Yeah, we love
him here. Everywhere you go. So really,
please come up and give us some. Thank
you.
Thank you, Rabbi, for that warm
introduction.
You know, he said, "Rabbi Maka said
before, I'm his rabbi. That is the most
false thing in the world." And the proof
to that is that his beard is way wider
than mine.
What the real story is is that 30 years
ago, we were kabu taught together for a
whole winter. And it was one of the best
and most enjoyable learning we ever had.
And I got married that time. And one day
he says, "Joe, I'm going to teach you
how to dance." And he brought me
upstairs and he literally taught me how
to dance for my wedding. So I love Rabbi
Mala and I love his vibe and I love his
lash shim. I love his attitude and his
graciousness. If every rabbi could be
like you, our community would be an
incredible place.
Wow. This is an inspiring morning
and a powerful morning.
I almost cried already six times today
from Maya talking and then from Mrs.
Massie talking and then seeing the
little baby
and watching those video of those three
families discussing their story.
You know, today's a beautiful day. Look
outside like this is a picture. And
every person's plan pretty much after
this is you're going to go home.
Maybe you have a pool or brother or a
sister or a pool that you own to sit by
or maybe you're going to go to the ocean
and you're going to sit in your
backyard.
Your kids are going to run around. If
you're old enough, you're going to have
grandchildren coming in and out of the
house. Maybe while you're cooking, maybe
while some Maza is being delivered and
some people are going to go swimming and
other people are going to be playing
ball and other people are coming and
going getting ready for Shabbat and it's
going to be hectic and you're going to
tell one person, you know, be careful
where you're walking and don't walk on
the carpet or take your towel away from
the pool and that's what's going to be
happening in your house
and you're going to love every minute of
it.
Imagine if none of that is there and
it's just silent
and you come home,
talk to your spouse a little bit
and you just sit there on the couch and
there's nobody here
and our friends are going to their
mother's house with their two kids
but we have nobody.
The feeling,
the pain, the loneliness is so intense.
You know, Rifka was one of our imot
our matriarchs.
Do you know where she talks in the Torah
that she passed away?
Go look, look it up. Try to find it. You
can look from here to tomorrow. There's
no puk in the Torah that talks about her
passing.
man was a whole story
the purchase of Christ
nothing
there's one puk that the Torah says
alludes to the fact there was a girl
named that was Rifka's maid and or nurse
and she passed away and in that pasuk
there's a hint to the fact that Rifka
passed away
so Rashi asked the obvious question why
why are we hiding
I think this has such a powerful and
important message.
She says
the Torah purposely hid the day she
passed
so that people shouldn't curse her and
say
this is the woman who gave birth to. So
because we don't want people to talk
about her as the woman to give birth to
is therefore her passing was kept secret
says
therefore the Torah also said we're
going to keep it quiet.
I don't understand that she had
therefore we have to keep it silent. So
she had a challenge said I man who had
so many challenges so many she was in
world wars she was taken from her
husband twice she was in famine she was
What? What? What do you mean?
We're not scared to talk about Sah. Why
are we scared to talk about?
And the answer to this, I think, is very
important and very apppropo for today.
Sai man who had big public challenges.
Big public challenges. When you overcome
it, you are a hero. Sai man who passed
away, a conquering hero because of all
of what she accomplished in her life and
all of what she endured.
But if Gaim Manu had a private
challenge, her son, it's a private
challenge. And a private challenge, you
don't feel like any hero. Instead, you
feel alone.
And having no children is the same.
Having no children and not something
people talk about and they say, "Wow,
you're so impressive. I can't believe
it. You're 5 years without any kids.
Look how you're handling it." No, that's
not what happens. People might tell you
if your mother's not well and you're
going to the hospital. Wow, you're such
an impressive son or such an impressive
daughter.
But this kind of challenge, it's just a
secret. Everybody knows and nobody says
a word. The pain is alone.
And most times when a couple doesn't
have children for three, four years,
the couple's brothers and sisters have
never spoken to them about it once.
The mastery story was unique.
how much your sister-in-law cared. But
most times no one says a word.
Sometimes they talk to their own parents
and sometimes not even that.
And there's this private personal lonely
pain that's so deep and so intense
that literally the great that we talk
about forever. The Torah says she's
embarrassed for anybody know she left
this earth.
And there are so many people that are
embarrassed to go outside. I used to
think infertility was an individual.
There's some people with infertility.
The amount of people with infertility
challenges in this community is I can't
you can't imagine it.
And you don't always know it because
your circle is a hundred people that you
know well. outside of those hundred
people. You don't know if that couple
that just came here today doesn't have a
child. You don't know if that couple
that showed up to the bris doesn't have
a child. You don't know if at a wedding
you were dancing with someone and that
man himself, he doesn't have a kid. You
don't know. Or you don't know the
struggle they're going through. You
don't know what it's like. And the pain
is so intense which is what makes meer
and gold so ridiculous
because Mayer and gold eco club Mayer
and gold take
their own pain and not only comfortable
to talk about their story but they said
let's bring somebody else into our story
and their openness their vulnerability
their sense of sharing is so powerful
ful.
It's not a secret. It's not your fault.
It's not your problem how Hashem
constructed your body. It's not your
fault why Hashem makes for some reason
sometimes the man or sometimes the woman
or sometimes both have it difficult for
your system to create children. It's not
your fault. Just like it's not your
fault if you're tired. It's not your
fault if you're hungry.
It's not your fault if your body has
can't do this so easily and so naturally
and so simply.
And so the pain is so deep and yet your
ability to share your cycles and your
stories and your hopes and then your
dashed hopes and then your hopes again
and then your dashed hopes again and
then your ups again and then your downs
again. The process is so impossible.
Most people in your scenario would go
home but say you know what just forget
it let me put my pillow over my head and
do my thing and survive the day like man
or why does anyone have to see me and
anybody have to know
instead
140 couples are being helped by this
wonderful couple Mayer and golden
and half of those couples exactly half
70 either have a child or have child on
the way. 46 that are born and 24 that
are on their way. How unbelievable is
that? How incredible is that? How
inspiring is that? Because every single
one of us have a challenge. Some of us
are not as healthy as we'd like to be.
Some of us are not as smart as we like
to be. Some of us have a child that's
not where they need to be. Some of us
have a parent who doesn't feel as well
as they need to. And some people think I
need to hide and I need to shy away.
No. Why do you have to shy away? If you
did a colossal, terrible thing, if you
hurt somebody, you should be shy.
But if Hashem made a decision to give
you a struggle, there's no embarrassment
in that. There's only heroism in
overcoming that and dealing with that
and facing that and talking about that.
Which is what makes this morning our
responsibility.
Our responsibility here this morning is
to step up and look at this couple and
say, you know what, you're not alone.
You shared with us, we're going to share
with you so that you could share with
them.
You shared with us, we're going to share
with you so that you could share with
them. All those people, all those
couples out there that are still
embarrassed.
And I want to conclude with this.
A lot of times an organization like a
giving hand
gives a lot of publicity and the whole
talk is the beauty of having a baby.
Oh, it's so much deeper than having a
baby.
It's having everything.
The baby doesn't stay six months or six
years. The baby turns into a teenager.
The baby turn gets married. The baby has
children of her own or of his own. The
baby turns into a family. The baby turns
into grandchildren. The baby turns into
your legacy on this earth. It's not just
a baby to play toys with, which is
phenomenal, but it's so much more than
that.
You know, I once went to Israel
and visited this famous rabbi. His name
is I went to him a number of times. Some
of you probably went to is known Rabb
Gaml Rabanovich.
If you ever go to visit Rav Gaml
Rabanovich,
he pulls out a picture and he's talking.
I brought boys to him and he's excited.
He gets very animated. He takes a
picture, a little broken picture, broken
frame. The glass is broken. And he says,
"You see that little boy?"
You say, "Yeah, it's a boy in the
picture." Maybe the boy is six, seven
years old. He says, "That boy is my
father. My father was an orphan when he
was basically that age."
He says, "Well, my father passed away at
94 years old and he left a thousand
descendants."
1,000. And he kept screaming,
"One is a thousand.
Elf, one is a thousand.
One baby that you produce here today.
Could be a whole Yeshiva one day. Could
be a whole school could fill a whole
shoe. Could fill a whole wedding, one
baby. So you're not producing one child.
You're holding the hands of Maya and
Golden and allowing their pain to be
able to be other people's salvation. And
it's our hope Maya and Golden. We didn't
come here today just to support you. We
came here today to love you. We came
here today to share with you. We came
here today to feel what you feel. We
came here today to hold your hand. We
came here today to pray for you. Because
as much as you're using your journey to
help elevate somebody else's, it is our
hope that one day Hashem brings this
back to you. If it needs a miracle,
Hashem do a miracle. A woman just stood
here and said she basically her body was
about to say never again. And then
Hashem said yes again because of you.
Please the amount of children that
they're bringing into your world, the
amount of worlds that they're bringing
into your world, the amount of thousands
that they're bringing into your world
eventually.
Please bring a baby into their world.
Please bring two or four or maybe even
six or maybe even more. Please,
give them the give them the strength,
give them the power, give them the
courage, give them the miracle to be
able to go home one Friday in a few
years from now and see children playing
in the pool and kids running in the
house. We all want it. We all hope it
for you. And this morning, every single
one of us supports your ability to take
your pain and share it with others and
take that sharing
and build a thousand families and build
a thousand children because every child
that is born because of today will be
yours, will be ours.
Thank you.
No steps. Go straight up.
>> Yeah.
Thank you, Rabbi, once again for your
beautiful, heartwarming, and inspiring
words. I think that touched all of us
today.
Before we get down to the reason why
we're all here today, I want to
introduce a new initiative that we
launched that we're launching this
morning. It's called celebrate each
child born. The way this idea, this
initiative works is that we want to
offer the community the opportunity to
celebrate every child born with us.
The way that that works is we're looking
for individual pledges
every time a child is born to commit to
a certain amount, whatever you're
comfortable with. This way every single
time a child is born you celebrate the
true sim with us.
I think it's a beautiful beautiful
initiative.
Um I'm very excited to share it with all
of you. I want to of course acknowledge
the presence of all the that are here
with us today. It's truly to have you
with us. Thank you rabbis.
And of course one last time again a big
thank you to our generous hosts Mr.
Morris and Julie Hara who
it's not only about just opening your
home but it's with love. Everything that
we envision for this morning was not an
there's truly coming from a heart from a
place of love and from a beautiful
place. So really Mars and Julie all of
the that's given today should be in your
zoot. Every child that is born because
of today should be in your zood forever
should bring you naka for your children
grandchildren for all days. Thank you
again.
Without further ado, it's my humble
honor. I am not worthy, but I'd like to
call up community leader Mr. Harry Ame.
>> Okay,
I see we have a big big crowd.
It's a great morning because we're alive
and well. It's also a great morning
because the sun is shining and Shabbat
is on the doorstep. We're about to enter
the Shabbat. I apologize to the rabbis,
to Meer and his wife for being late, but
um because I love to hear the speeches
and get
energized from everything that we listen
to. But I was at another event for
actually an organization that just
launched, Ry's Care. Yes, she's
unbelievable. Randy, she's incredible
and she's doing so much for our seniors
and the people that are left behind. We
heard some great speeches. We raised
some money and we um had Charles bring
me here. It' be difficult otherwise
finding a place to park every time. So,
we thank him also for helping me.
It kind of goes unnoticed probably by me
too, but it shouldn't be because nothing
that we do, not me, not Meyer, not our
great rabbis, should ever be taken for
granted, should ever go unnoticed
because we're working hard and we're
doing it for you. We're doing it for
this community and for one reason and
one reason only. We love you all. We
want everybody to be well, to thrive.
And most importantly, this morning
standing here, we want every couple,
every couple in this community that
wants, and I think that means everybody
to have a child and children should be
able to have that. This giving hand
organization, as you've heard, is making
that possible. They're doing that. I'm
on their WhatsApp website and every time
I pop it open and it's becoming more and
more and more often that we're seeing
the incredible work that you all are
doing and uh that too will never go
unnoticed from the hard work that you're
doing that you're going to continue to
do. We want to shower you all the rabbis
of this community, myself from my humble
blessing to have the same joy for
yourselves as everybody else that you're
giving and bringing joy to in this
community. You're not leaving anybody
behind and that also will never go
unnoticed. To the Hara family, you heard
me. I too want to say thank you for
opening up your beautiful home to this
organization.
They have a zoot but you also have a
zahoot.
Before I do the fundraiser this morning,
two more things I want to say. There is
nothing nothing better than looking out
here at next year's host and hostess. I
don't know who you are. I only know one
thing. It's not easy. We get nervous.
It's a great joy. It's a challenge. We
all want to succeed for the organization
that we're going to stand behind. In
this case, it's a giving hand. But
whoever and wherever you're going to
open up your home, your backyard in this
glorious New Jersey that we come here to
spend our summers, some of us choose to
live here. And that's a good thing, too.
I will tell you that. It's becoming a
very good thing to choose to live here.
This tent is gorgeous. I believe Norma
McCain was involved. No,
>> it looks like her involvement, but it is
beautiful.
>> Who is it?
>> Ogax. Okay. So, Ogafax,
my friend Morty.
should be well. But she's talented. This
is beautiful and we want to thank her.
Lastly, I said I had two things, right?
The uh concert. You saw me in the I
don't know where you put me. Third,
fourth, fifth row. I didn't want to be
in the first row. That's the worst seats
in the house. You got to put your neck
up the whole time. I learned that from a
Broadway show years ago. You don't sit
in the front row. But, uh, we had a good
time. You guys, you pulled it off. Par
excalance.
Whoever
I brought my whole family. Whoever
wasn't there. Okay. Hopefully, if a
giving hand decides to do it again and
the speakers and the singers and the
event and the way that the two of you
spoke and it was your birthday that
night and it was just a beautiful,
beautiful night. So, um, how am I doing
this? There's dollar amounts.
I walked in that night even before the
event that I gave you a donation because
I wanted to make sure you didn't charge
me. So, I wanted to make sure I paid my
due.
Let me let me um let me call off a
couple of pledges. Then what I'm going
to do is what I'm honored to be able to
do. I will go around like I did last
year and please look at me. I will come
over to you. You'll give us your name,
the amount of money you want to
dedicate, donate. Just know one thing.
Stretch yourselves. Whatever you're
doing, you are putting it in the
greatest bank, the greatest reward that
you could ever get is putting money into
the giving hands hands. No pun intended.
There's nothing that I could think that
is better than helping them to do what
they do.