The Brideside Project

For the past nine years, The Brideside Project has been providing financial and other support to orphan brides (& grooms) and to others who lack the usual backing when embarking on married life. Family is the fulcrum of Jewish life. In our tradition, it is a supreme Mitzvah to "support the kallah.” The reward for doing so, our Holy Sages promise, is realised in both this life and the next. Brideside’s founder & director, Morasha Freund, was herself an orphan. After marriage, she and husband Shmuli remained childless… until she became inspired to help other orphan brides. Within a short time she conceived naturally, and from this was born not only her daughter but also The Brideside Project. There is a continuous stream of requests for assistance, as many as 10 brides in a month. The recent upheavals in Israel have only added to the demand. Brideside has become a vehicle not only for its recipients to transition to family life with less stress, but an opportunity for donors to participate in a worthy mitzvah and realize its benefits in their own lives. Brideside helps brides with needed funds but our support goes way beyond that basic function. We assess the full spectrum of her needs, and the timing, and offer auxiliary support wherever there is a gap. This can include guiding her in ritual matters, in sourcing clothing, in providing professional counselling… to name but a few. Each case is ondividually assessed and supported. Funding is tailored to address the wedding and associatrd costs, and, importantly, the first year’s living & housing budget. Thus we try to provide a comprehensive service for our client brides, and all is done with an emphasis on her privacy and dignity. Donations to Brideside are tax deductible in the US, UK and Israel, and can be made in honor or memory of a loved one, or with a specific purpose in mind, such as having children.