Bonei Olam, Building the Future in Deal, NJ

The record keepers at the Guinness Book of World Records may not know it, but there is one married couple that has more than 2,000 children. Not only that, but their children live on every continent and speak different languages. They are not the biological parents of these children, but through their organization, Bonei Olam, Rabbi and Mrs. Schlomo Bochner have facilitated the births of these children and are building future generations of Am Yisrael.

Members of the Deal community recently gathered to meet this unique couple at a dinner to benefit Bonei Olam, the renowned organization that assists couples with infertility and other child-bearing challenges. The event was hosted by Michael and Samantha Harary in their home in Long Branch, NJ, and was held on a magnificent veranda, where a delicious dinner was served under a very rainy sky. The words of inspiration delivered by the guest speakers created a unique and enjoyable evening filled with a sense of purpose.
First noting that the evening was dedicated to the memory of Joseph Harary A”H, the beloved brother of Michael (better known as Bobby) and Jerry, all sons of  Leon and Cynthia Harary, guest speaker Rabbi Joey Haber spoke about the pain of a childless couple. He described how their heartache is renewed each time they come home to a quiet house or see signs for back-to-school sales and their siblings and friends shopping for their children’s clothing.

“Their pain is unique in the sense that they don’t receive comfort from family and friends,” said Rabbi Haber. “People are unsure how to relate to such a sensitive and private matter, so they tiptoe around the issue while these childless couples suffer in silence.”

For many of these couples, Bonei Olam becomes a source of comfort, guidance, and financial assistance. In the words of the renowned reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Richard Grazi, who came from Manhattan to speak, “Staff members at Bonei Olam are sharp and capable professionals that have the respect of my colleagues from around the world.”

This respect has allowed Bonei Olam to advocate effectively for patients. Doctors are known to reschedule their appointments to see patients referred to them by Bonei Olam. Some doctors will even fly across the globe to treat patients at Bonei Olam’s behest. Much attention and care goes into procuring the correct doctor and scheduling, and follow-up for each individual case by the staff at the organization.

Bonei Olam is best known for the financial assistance they provide to cover the prohibitive costs of infertility treatments.

“The most common and effective form of treatment can cost between $15,000 and $18,000, payment must be made upfront and some couples need two or three treatments,” Rabbi Bochner explained.

Dr. Grazi elaborated that the treatments are a delicate and costly process which require staff observation every day of the year. The medical equipment must be state-of-art to meet infertility specialists’ high standards. Add to this the huge expense of malpractice insurance, and you get an extraordinarily high cost for infertility treatments. Further, insurance companies are reluctant to cover infertility treatments, and will classify them as vanity purchases, like plastic surgery operations and cosmetic improvement procedures.

Thousands of couples have turned to Bonei Olam for help in covering these astronomical costs, and none have ever been turned away. The success rate has been astounding. To date, more than 2,150 babies have been born through the assistance of Bonei Olam. Hashem  must be smiling.

There are many wonderful and vital hesed organizations, but Bonei Olam is unique because they’re the only one to turn to for assistance in child-bearing issues.

The outpouring of support on that rainy night was extremely gratifying. As Danny Massry called out the pledges, the dinner attendees opened their hearts to partner with Bonei Olam in its mission. These generous financial response will enable Bonei Olam to continue helping couples in all child-bearing issues.

Bonei Olam appreciates all those who gave their time and resources to make this event a success. They  extend a heartfelt thank you to host and hostess Bobby and Samantha, for putting together this gorgeous event. Samantha Harary and Caroline Dweck created an elegant and stunning atmosphere for a magnificent cause.  

Thanks go to Sherryl Betesh for chairing the evening  so skillfully and seamlessly. Many thanks also go to committee heads Sherryl Betesh, Harry and Sandy Esses, David and Rochelle Rudy, as well as to the rest of the committee members for participating in the enjoyable and successful night for the benefit of those in need. Bonei Olam would also like to thank Danny Massry for jumping in spur of the moment to handle the fundraising.

Bonei Olam thanks its sponsors: Louis K. Vellious of Avenue J Konstatinos Floral Decor and Design Group, as the flowers and décor were gorgeous; Simon and Morris Productions—aka The Fax Brothers—who provided smooth music for a pleasurable night; Almar Party and Tent Rentals, for covering everyone in the rain; and Gary Zindal Photography for capturing the hesed in pictures. Thanks go to Foremost Catering for providing fresh and delicious food, and to APC parking service, who even provided umbrellas for the rain. Lastly, but most importantly, Bonei Olam thanks all those who attended and responded so generously. May Hashem bless you with good health, prosperity and nachat.

To learn more about Bonei Olam and the services they offer, or to make a donation, visit boneiolam.org.