A major new initiative aimed at easing the financial burden of weddings in Crown Heights was announced today by Keren Hachomesh in partnership with Oholei Tola to offer all-inclusive and affordable wedding packages at the beautiful Oholei Tola Ballroom, leveraging some of the wedding industry’s most exclusive and sought-after vendors, COLlive has learned.

After months of discussion and delicate planning, today they are announcing a selection of all-inclusive wedding packages priced at $29,500 ($14,750 per side), nearly half the cost of a typical wedding of this size.

The formal agreement was completed in recent days, with Keren Hachomesh, a foundation established by the Rebbe and managed by Machne Yisrael, partnering with Oholei Torah and assuming exclusive operational responsibility for the Oholei Torah Ballroom, long considered one of the region’s most elegant wedding venues.

After speaking with many Crown Heights residents about what a typical wedding entails, Keren Hachomesh realized that a carefully curated roster of vendors was key to maintaining consistent quality while achieving affordability through economies of scale. Exclusive agreements with carefully selected vendors allow us to keep costs down without compromising standards.

That’s why we choose Crown Heights’ most popular and top-rated vendors for our wedding packages. The vendors are partnering with Keren Hachomesh and Oholei Torah Hall in this groundbreaking initiative. table one catering has been commissioned as our exclusive catering partner and brings a reputation for excellence, presentation, and the finest kosher cuisine. Clients will now be able to select industry-leading vendors for their simchas. chaney greenbaum events etc. debbie event design Based on this initiative, we will act as the official wedding florist. Photo provided by CJ Studioclients will choose from top-notch musicians including: Choni Milecki, Mendy Kraus, Yossi Cohen, Simon Broad and Fitsche Benshimon.

A single flat fee covers the halls, with top-notch vendors providing catering, flowers and decorations, photography, music, and other hand-picked wedding essentials. If you wish, you can also receive the services of a wife. Deborah Benjamin It also includes a wedding planner who will guide and ensure the smooth running of your wedding. Additional details will be published by 15 Shevat. The package includes a setup for 275 guests, the average size for a wedding at Oholei Tola, and includes the option to upgrade for larger weddings.

The goal is to make beautiful, honorable, and classy weddings more achievable for all Chabad families and Shluchim, as well as families in the broader Anash community, including those outside of Crown Heights, and to do so without incurring tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

rabbi Sumaya KrinskyKeren Hachomesh, executive director of Makne Israel, told COLlive.com that the move was based on years of first-hand experience from families struggling to come up with the costs of holding dignified weddings. “Many families who are just getting by financially and doing well find themselves in debt again in their 50s when it comes to weddings,” he says.

“Supporting Kallah and Chasanim has been a core mission of Keren Hachomesh since its founding and is rooted in the Rebbe’s instructions after the Rebbetzin’s death,” said Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky, who oversees and spearheads the program.

What began as simple financial assistance has now been developed by Mahane Israel’s leadership team into a structured, proactive solution to a growing community need.

While a typical Crown Heights wedding can easily cost more than $50,000 to $60,000 for what is considered an “average wedding,” the new model will cut costs in half, without compromising standards. Organizers emphasized that this is not a “takana” or discount hall or new lower-tier solution, but a framework designed to balance sophistication and affordability.

As part of its mission to support Chasanim and Kalos, Keren Hachomesh is investing in enhancements to the already beautiful space. Planned upgrades include new mechizzos, improved serving and buffet stations, and additional aesthetic and practical improvements.

The goal of this initiative is to make weddings more accessible and affordable, and financing and payment plan options are being explored to further ease the financial burden on families.

Keren Hachomesh stressed that in addition to the Selected Wedding Package, the Ballroom at Oholei Tola remains available for weddings that do not choose to use the Selected Package, and that families who wish to rent their own hall and select their own vendors through Keren Hachomesh can continue to do so in accordance with the venue’s standards and conditions. Organizers emphasized that the goal was to expand choices, not limit them.

The motivation behind this effort is two-fold and is in line with the Rebbe’s instructions to Keren Hachomesh and Chassidim. The first goal is to support Chassanim and Kalos financially, consistent with the mission of Keren Hachomesh as directed by the Rebbe. The second goal is to help sustain weddings in Crown Heights. “The Rebbe strongly emphasized the importance of having access to a dignified wedding ceremony locally and encouraged local leaders to secure venues for it,” the rabbi said. schnurr brookKeren Hachomesh, administrator of Makne Israel and involved in the development and formation of the initiative. “In recent years, rising costs have driven many weddings away from the neighborhood. This initiative aims to once again ensure couples have a viable option to celebrate their wedding close to home, at Crown Heights’ premier venue.”

Brooke said the local Crown Heights facility and Moisdowa will continue to have access to the venue for communal events, subject to scheduling guidelines and limited blackout dates.

“Our ballroom has always been a community service,” said the rabbi. Yehoshua LustigMenahel Kurali of Oholei Torah. “The Rebbe expressed his deep desire for Crown Heights to become a place to celebrate Chasna and all simcho with the assurance: ‘כאן צוה ה׳ את הברכה.’ We are proud to be a driving partner in efforts to reduce financial pressure while preserving the dignity and beauty of all simcha, and we are committed to its success.”

The initiative will take effect from Rosh Chodesh Sivan, and a dedicated reservation website will be launched in February. In the meantime, all reservations for events held after Rosh Chodesh Sivan should be sent via email to: [email protected].

as a rabbi Yehuda KrinskyChairman of Makne Yisrael, Vice President and Treasurer Keren Hachomesh said, “The Rebbetzin embodied grace, dignity, and sophistication in all aspects of life. This commitment is a direct result of that legacy of ensuring that affordability never comes at the expense of dignity, kavod, and beauty for young couples as they begin their lives together.”

If you would like more information, feedback, or ideas, please send an email to: [email protected] .