An Act of Chesed: Teens Organize an Entire Wedding for Strangers

“We went through plenty of bumps along the way,” says Ohad Dovrat, “but the moment you see the glowing faces of a couple standing under the chuppah, knowing you helped organize their wedding from beginning to end, makes everything worth it.”

Dovrat is only 17 years old, an 11th grade student who lives in Mevo Horon. As he recalls the weeks leading up to the special mission he undertook with his friends, his voice fills with excitement.

A Dream to Do Something Meaningful

“When I started working as a counselor in our local Ezra youth movement chapter, I had a dream of organizing a big project together with all the counselors and teens,” he explains. “There were many weddings taking place during that time, so the idea naturally developed in that direction. But what I really wanted was for us to give of ourselves to others.”

The Ezra chapter in Mevo Horon includes around 300 teens, and Dovrat hoped they could all take part in an act of kindness that would leave a lasting impression.

“I wanted them to experience what chesed really means,” he says. “To understand that the more acts of kindness you do, the more good you bring into the world.”

The counselors gathered for a large meeting and began brainstorming ideas.

“I suggested that, with Hashem’s help, we organize an entire wedding for a couple who didn’t have the means to afford one. Everyone immediately connected to the idea. We divided up the responsibilities and got to work.”

Beyond the goal itself, Dovrat wanted the project to teach the teens initiative and creativity.

“We didn’t just want to approach donors for money,” he explains. “We decided to organize events that would raise the funds ourselves.”

Fundraising With Creativity

The team organized several community events to help fund the wedding.

“We held a women’s fundraising evening and invited an engaging speaker,” Dovrat says. “There was an entrance fee, and people could also buy coffee and pastries.”

In addition, the teens created a festive community fair inspired by a Purim market, but with a wedding theme.

“All the games and stands were wedding related. Thank Hashem, many people came and supported the event.”

Despite the success of the events, the team realized they had reached only half of their financial goal.

“We had managed to raise 10,000 shekels, but our goal was 20,000.”

To close the gap, they launched an online Headstart campaign.

“We shared the story everywhere we could. Within less than two weeks we reached the full amount.”

At the same time, the group searched carefully for a couple who truly needed help and would feel comfortable receiving it.

Eventually they found a suitable couple, set a date, reserved a venue, and began organizing every detail of the wedding.

“We thought the hardest part was behind us,” Dovrat says with a smile.

They were wrong.

The Phone Call That Changed Everything

“Everything was already arranged,” Dovrat recalls. “The date was set, the hall was booked, and we had arranged catering, a photographer, a band, a magnet photographer, and wedding favors.”

Then an unexpected phone call arrived.

“A friend of the groom called me and said the couple had already received help from other people and no longer needed our assistance.”

The news came as a shock.

“We were stunned,” Dovrat says. “But after a moment we understood we had to act quickly.”

The wedding date was only three weeks away.

They had volunteers, a hall, food, and service providers. The only thing missing was a bride and groom.

“So I posted the story on Facebook and explained the situation,” he says.

The response was overwhelming.

“Within a few days I received nearly 1,000 calls. Matchmakers called. Friends of couples called. Even marriage counselors and psychologists called because they thought I was the one canceling a wedding. They tried to convince me not to give up.”

Searching for the Right Couple

With so many calls coming in, the organizers had to create clear criteria.

“We narrowed the options down to five couples,” Dovrat explains. “But none of them could make the date, and we couldn’t move it because all the vendors were already booked.”

Just when it seemed impossible, another call came in.

“A woman who helps couples starting out heard the story and told us about a couple she believed would be a perfect fit.”

The organizers contacted them, met them, and quickly realized it could work.

“When the first couple canceled we felt deep despair,” Dovrat admits. “We even said that if we didn’t find a couple within a few days, we would cancel everything.”

But once the new couple agreed, everything changed.

“The moment we found them, we were filled with new energy. We went all in on the mission and even added things we hadn’t originally planned.”

A Community Comes Together

When the wedding day finally arrived, the sense of accomplishment was overwhelming.

“One of the most exciting parts was the generosity of the service providers,” Dovrat says.

The caterer, the hall, the photographer, and the band all offered large discounts after hearing the story.

“The catering manager, for example, only charged us for the cost of the ingredients and didn’t charge for the labor at all. People really wanted to help.”

Members of the community also joined in.

“People baked cakes, prepared gifts, and kept asking how they could help. It was very important to us that the couple would not feel this was a charity wedding, so we paid attention to every detail.”

A Wedding to Remember

The couple themselves were deeply moving.

“They are baalei teshuvah who live in Jerusalem,” Dovrat says. “Both are around 40 years old, and it was the first wedding for each of them. The groom learns in a Haredi yeshiva in Jerusalem.”

Although Dovrat does not know every detail of their situation, it was clear they genuinely needed help starting their new life together.

On the day of the wedding, the entire counselor team arrived to help.

“Some of us worked in the kitchen, some served the guests, and others focused on dancing and bringing joy to the groom.”

Dovrat also invited friends from his yeshiva so the groom would be surrounded by energy and celebration.

“It was a relatively small wedding with about 170 guests, so we wanted to make sure the groom felt truly happy.”

Both families attended as well, making the moment even more emotional.

But the most powerful moment came under the chuppah.

“You suddenly see the couple standing there, and it hits you,” Dovrat says. “You realize that we actually organized this entire wedding from nothing. From start to finish.”

For Dovrat and his friends, the experience left a lasting impression.

“It also sent a beautiful message to so many people about what kindness can do.”

Encouraged by the success of the project, the group has already made plans for the future.

“Thank Hashem, the project was such a success that we decided to make it a tradition. This coming summer, with Hashem’s help, we hope to organize another wedding like this.”

He smiles.

“When something good happens, you have to keep it going.”