One morning last week, three fathers brought their babies to a Crown Heights home to meet a man who had never had a child of his own, but had a large part in helping the three, and thousands of others, have their children.
One morning last week, three fathers met in a Crown Heights home. What brought them together was not their age or profession but something far more precious. Each of them came in with a baby in their arms, and each of those babies had been born after years of struggle.
There was a fourth person who entered that home, and while he personally was never blessed with a child he had a large part in helping the other three have their children. This was the founder of Bonei Olam, Rabbi Shlomo Bochner.
Over the past few years, Bonei Olam has taken an ever-increasing role helping young Crown Heights couples navigate the complexities and exorbitant costs of dealing with infertility. Last year alone, eighty four Crown Heights couples received infertility treatment thanks to Bonei Olam, and from those treatments twenty four babies were born.
As Rabbi Bochner recalled at this meeting, he has a special connection with the Chabad community going back decades, and he has helped countless Chabad couple that have come to Bonei Olam for assistance. But as the needs of the Crown Heights community grow, Bonei Olam Chabad has become a division that stands on its own, relying on the Crown Heights community to support its own young couples.
One of the babies that morning was a newborn, yet to celebrate his Bris, and the new father let him know about the upcoming celebration. Rabbi Bochner said he’d try his best. “My schedule is not always under my control,” he said, “but just so you know, there is one custom I absolutely love about the brissin in Chabad, something I haven’t seen elsewhere, and that is the Birchas Kohanim that is given to the young child.”
Rabbi Bochner then gave this boy his own Birchas Habonim. “I’m no Kohen, you know,” he said with a smile, “just a simple Yisroel.”
The fathers departed with their children, beginning their days that have thankfully become so full. Rabbi Bochner stepped into his car, in a rush to get to another meeting to continue his work.
Please join Bonei Olam Chabad as we make dreams come true for so many more couples. Donate today at charidy.com/bonei/chabad.
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