Watch: One Wedding. 36 Brides

"Shelubot" – a small organization with a big mission, is dedicated to integrating girls with Down syndrome into mainstream society. The organization was founded by three 18-year-old seminary girls who saw the challenge for activities available for teenage girls with Down syndrome in society and decided to do it themselves. They organize meetings, birthdays, camps, regular gatherings, and are always available to support, help, and encourage the girls.

The initiative is managed thanks to donations that the organizers succeeded in raising from kind-hearted people who were touched by the idea.

During the summer vacation, "Shelubot" operates a camp. On one of the camp days, they decided to hold a "wedding." Initially, they thought three girls would be "brides" and the rest "guests." Nechami Breuiner, who owns a bridal salon, prepared three wedding dresses, but she soon realized that all the girls wanted to feel like a bride for a day.

Nechami arranged 36 beautiful dresses for everyone. The charitable man Chana Deutsch devotedly took on the task and transformed the event into a real wedding at the "Beit Israel" halls.

Below is the post from Nechami Breuiner, the bridal salon owner:

Friday evening, I'm organizing the bridal salon after another week filled with celebrations, another week where white dresses with black edges are returned to me after burning up the dance floor at weddings, every night a different wedding.

But on Wednesday night, 36 white dresses returned to me, from 36 brides who danced all evening, danced and rejoiced with happiness that reached straight to the sky, 36 dresses of brides who sat under the chuppah and prayed, and tore the sky, 36 dresses now being cleaned in the salon, each dress brings me back to the sea of emotion that flowed at their wedding.
No, there were not 36 halls nor 36 grooms, there were only 36 brides, in one big hall, without a groom, 36 brides of "Shelubot".

36 brides whom my daughter has been embracing for two years, and we with her embrace, tear up and rejoice.

Two years ago, my 18-year-old daughter adopted these special girls, those who are all kindness, with various syndromes, making them even more special, and established the "Shelubot" organization for them.

So for two years, she organizes trips, unifying Shabbats, summer camps, and offers a warm embrace every day, my door is also open to them, if their families want to travel for Shabbat, my Shabbat table welcomes their child happily.
They are Shelubot, they are special, and they also see the dresses in my salon, they also want to get married, and thus the idea came up, to throw them a wedding party on one of the camp days.

From an idea to action, I found myself recruiting 36 wedding dresses, one phone call to the charitable man Chana Deitch turned the evening into a real wedding with an orchestra of top Jewish music and singers from Arik Dvir, David Ha’ler to Ahrela Samet, and Beit Israel hall donated a grand feast, and an amazing photographer, Sheindy Sadowski captured the event in photos I keep looking at over and over, and can’t stop crying, so much emotion overwhelmed me that day!

My salon moved to the school where the camp was held and became a command post, led by Sarah Yasharun, 36 Shelubot brides received pampering makeup, stunning hair styling and slipped their hands into white sleeved dresses that made them the happiest people on earth.

They are brides! And they danced with indescribable happiness, and at the chuppah, they covered their eyes and prayed and I looked at those sweet little hands covering their eyes, and my heart almost couldn't stand the rush of emotions, I found myself announcing the names of those in need of salvation out loud, because there was no doubt that it was a moment when the heavens were open, and everything went straight up without any delay.

There is no word to describe this experience

Thank you, my daughter, for sharing your special initiative with me, thank you for your compassionate heart, I'm so proud of you. Thank you to all who joined and participated in this emotional day. I had the privilege, and the feelings will accompany me for a long time.