Bonei Olam’s New Building to Serve as a Local Headquarters to Bring Dreams to Fruition

Avi Shiff

Some people call it a new home.

Others call it new offices.

The headline here calls it a building.

Of course, it is all of those.

But in truth, it is so much more.

It is a repository of innumerable dreams, wishes, and prayers.

It is a virtual storehouse of brachos, yeshuos, and refuos.

It is a house of miracles.

A harbinger of miracles

Indeed, the brand-new Bonei Olam headquarters in Lakewood represents decades of miraculous births and long-awaited salvations.

Dealing with infertility can be overwhelming. Since its inception, Bonei Olam has stepped in to help couples with grants and interest-free loans, making the daunting expenses of infertility diagnosis and treatment manageable.

But though providing funds is a major part of what Bonei Olam does, it’s not just about the money.

There’s the emotional toll. And the physical one as well. And the guidance and encouragement that are so sorely needed.

With Bonei Olam’s medical knowledge and research, the organization is recognized in the worldwide medical arena for its leadership role in reproductive medicine, research, and technology.

No matter where a person is in their journey, it is a vulnerable and difficult time. Bonei Olam’s trained volunteers are there to support couples with sensitivity and compassion.

“That’s the Bonei Olam magic,” say one couple who have been zocheh to the birth of two children with the help of Bonei Olam. “Bonei Olam has helped couples like us nurture their dreams of parenthood while protecting their dignity and privacy.”

With the help of Bonei Olam, couples are given the greatest chance, b’siyata diShmaya, to hear the precious sounds of a crying baby, a giggling child, and a laughing toddler in their own home.

Bringing miracles to Lakewood

Bonei Olam was founded 22 years ago, and several years later, the organization opened a Lakewood branch, where dedicated Bonei Olam counselors could assist the local community. Still, Bonei Olam never had an official building in the burgeoning Ihr HaTorah. This sometimes made things difficult, as couples must often meet face-to-face with rabbanim, counselors, and medical personnel. The needs kept growing, especially in light of the fact that a third of all Bonei Olam couples are from Lakewood. But Bonei Olam continued to operate without a place in Lakewood to call home.

Until now.

This past week, Bonei Olam unveiled its beautiful new headquarters, lovingly dedicated in memory of an unforgettable couple, Benny and Malky Weisz z”l, who tragically perished in the Surfside building collapse. The new Bonei Olam building serves as an everlasting tribute to Benny and Malky, whose good cheer and willingness to always help others will be remembered amid Bonei Olam’s life-altering work.

Medical advocacy and guidance

Infertility is not as rare as some might assume. In fact, readers of this article may be surprised to learn that it is a challenge that affects one out of every six couples.

“It is Bonei Olam’s mission to provide the means or resources necessary for every couple experiencing infertility to pursue their dream of parenthood,” says Rabbi Shlomo Bochner, founder of Bonei Olam. “We are here to help every step of the way with medical referrals, counselor support, insurance advocacy, financial assistance, and more.

“We guide couples along the confusing and often traumatic process of the consultation, expediting their appointment and providing guidance and support through a diagnosis and beyond, utilizing our organization’s leverage and prominence in the field to expedite the process.”

Additional consultations are facilitated for a second opinion when necessary, as well as follow-up conferences and discussions to help clients make sense of their diagnosis and chart an appropriate course of treatment.

Financing

As mentioned earlier, Bonei Olam does so much more than just provide financing. But money is a big part of what Bonei Olam does—and for good reason.

“We believe that money should not be an obstacle for a couple who yearns for a child,” says Mrs. Chanie Bochner, wife of Rabbi Shlomo Bochner. “Based on a client’s level of need and particular condition, our medical-funding programs provide direct funding for doctor’s appointments, pharmacy costs, treatment, and hospitalizations. In addition, by providing large-scale funding for fertility treatment and research, we are making sure that couples that desire a family can do everything in their power to reach parenthood.”

Genetics and medical research

Bonei Olam’s commitment to doing whatever it takes to help couples yearning for parenthood is unrivaled. Indeed, it has been called by some admirers “one of the wonders of the world.”

When it comes to genetics, Bonei Olam is innovative and forward-thinking. Through its Center for Rare Jewish Genetic Disorders, Bonei Olam has made considerable inroads in the field of advanced genetic research and development, identifying and preventing genetic disorders associated with ethnic Jewish populations, many of which are not detectable through pre-marital screening. Bonei Olam’s in-house staff of genetic researchers have earned the highest regard of global experts in the genetic and fertility arenas for their insights, opinions, discoveries, and expertise, which have been published in prestigious medical papers and journals. These include various breakthroughs in the detection of a hereditary cancer predisposition in specific genetic mutations.

Amazingly, thanks to the efforts of Bonei Olam, a woman in the frum community had a baby thanks to a transplant that the organization researched and facilitated. This was an incredible medical achievement for the 40-year-old frum woman who doctors had said had “zero chance of having baby.”

Insurance

Bonei Olam’s insurance advocates are well versed in mandated coverage guidelines and up to date on state laws. Using their leverage and proficiency, Bone Olam’s advocates are ready to advise couples on selecting a proper plan and expediting approvals for procedures to which they are rightfully entitled.

Pediatric development

Bonei Olam’s work often begins early on. A parent’s most fervent wish is that their children develop healthily and normally. When a parent or doctor notices differences in a child’s makeup, growth, or development, they usually seek a specialist’s advice. Bonei Olam’s medical team has fielded thousands of calls regarding pediatric and adolescent development cases and can help find sensitive, skilled medical professionals that can guide clients through proper testing, diagnosis, and treatment options.

The path to parenthood

For couples that have endured long years of dealing with infertility, the challenges often continue even after the issue is resolved, when they are confronted by risks as a result of their age or other complexities. The path to parenthood can be fraught with worries, further testing, and high-risk concerns. Bonei Olam provides crucial resources such as counseling, financial assistance, and every possible means of support to bring about the desired results.

And now, a Lakewood home to call their own

With the opening of the new Bonei Olam building in Lakewood, a kevias mezuzos event was held with the participation of the rosh yeshivah Rav Yeruchem Olshin. Rav Olshin remarked that Torah is acquired through a tzibbur, and a tzibbur is an entity that is nosei b’ol, feels the burden and concerns of others. It is so appropriate, he said, for a town like Lakewood to a have a center that represents nesius ohl.

The gathering was also addressed by Rav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz and attended by Lakewood rabbanim, including the Skverer Dayan of Lakewood, Rav Moshe Zev Feldman, and Rav Eliezer Gewirtzman. As it was Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the Tefillas HaShelah was recited in unison by all in attendance.

The rabbanim were given a tour of the magnificent new building, observing the strong focus on privacy prevalent throughout, with many different entrances available to visitors. The building has various conference rooms and presentation rooms for rabbanim and counselor education, with plans for a laboratory to be constructed on-site.

In the Lakewood area alone, Bonei Olam has thus far facilitated the births of over 1,000 babies—1,000 babies who bring the sound of joy to their parents, 1,000 babies who fill their homes with the priceless sounds of childhood.

The new home of Bonei Olam in Lakewood will enable the organization to continue to bring those happy sounds to others who need assistance, helping them to realize their very own miracle, with the help of Hashem.

We pray that Bonei Olam be given the wherewithal by the One above to continue changing the face of Klal Yisrael one couple at a time, one miraculous, precious baby at a time.