As the number of terror attacks against Israelis across the country continues to climb, it is very difficult to find a ray of light amidst the pain that many feel as a result of these attacks. Karmey Chesed is working to change that by diverting whatever resources are available to helping newlywed families begin their new lives with some financial assistance and peace of mind.

Aryeh Weingarten, Director of Karmey Chesed, told Breaking Israel News about the work that the organization is doing to help couples who are just starting out, and who are in financial need of assistance. “We help families who are just starting out on their way, with furniture and electrical appliances, and sometimes loans or food,” he said.

In Israel, most newlywed couples are not in a strong financial position, so much so that it is the custom to not bring gifts to weddings, but to bring checks instead. The checks are partly meant to cover the costs of the wedding and partly to help the new bride and groom to get a leg up on the cost of living together as a family.

Most newlyweds in Israel cannot afford to purchase a house and need to rent for a long while after their wedding. Often newlyweds cannot even afford to purchase appliances such as refrigerators, ovens and washing machines. In such instances, family members often step in if they can, but when they can’t the couple must find a way to make things work with less while they are building up their financial independence. Needless to say this can cause quite a bit of tension among newlywed couples.

Karmey Chesed has so far furnished the homes of hundreds of newly married couples, many of whom are IDF veterans who have not yet begun their professional careers or are just begining them. The couples have all been thankful and have shown their gratitude.

“We help couples by providing them with furniture and major electrical appliances,” explained Weingarten to Breaking Israel News. “By doing this we hope to alleviate some of the hardships and tension that occur when a couple is just starting out. It can mean the world to a couple who come from a low socio-economic background, to not have the burden of worry on their shoulders,” he said.