New York – Despite the imminent arrival of Hurricane Sandy, numerous simchos that are planned for the greater New York area are scheduled to go on as planned. While some caterers and wedding halls are scrambling to secure generators, others are confident that things will proceed smoothly although some of tonight’s simchos will be starting earlier than originally planned.
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“We expect a bigger turnout because of the weather,” caterer Schulem Schwartz told VIN News. “We are thirty six years in the business and we found that in bad weather more people are likely to come because people feel bad and the men are all home.”
Schwartz has three simchos scheduled for tonight in Brooklyn at Ateres Chaya, Torah V’Yirah and The Palace. He has two generators on standby and says that The Palace has its own energy booster.
Yanky Hirsch who caters at both Ateres Avrohom and The Continetal had two simchos on his schedule for tonight. While tonight’s wedding at Ateres Avrohom has been rescheduled for Thursday, workers at The Continental are busy preparing for tonight’s wedding.
“We pushed up the start time for the wedding at the Continental and the generators arrived at approximately noon,” said a spokesperson at Ateres Avrohom. “All the employees were put up in local hotels and we ordered extra food in case we need it. We had people get stuck at Ateres Avrohom during the December blizzard of 2010 and we want to be prepared in case it happens again so that we can treat our guests right.”
For others it is business as usual, despite the high winds, anticipated rainfall and the closure of New York City’s mass transit system as well as the Brooklyn Battery and the Holland Tunnels.
“Hashem makes the plans, not me,” said Mr. Lieberman at Ateres Chynka. “I didn’t make the chosson and kallah and I didn’t bring the wind. I am just the middleman. The simcha is bashert, the place is bashert and the time is bashert. Rabbos machshovos b’lev ish, but it is the thought of Hashem that counts. The wedding will take place tonight, at the scheduled time, b’shaa tova u’mutzlachas.”
In Lakewood, the manager of Lake Terrace called today’s weather “no big deal” despite their proximity to the location of Sandy’s anticipated landfall.
“We got a generator yesterday and the chosson, who is from Monsey, came down yesterday. The hall is safe, the waiters are local and the food is being made now. The family wants the wedding to go on tonight, as planned, and b’ezras Hashem, all will be beautiful.”
Further north, caterers at the Atrium in Monsey anticipate smooth sailing through tonight’s wedding and have no plans to secure a generator. A wedding in Kiryas Joel has been moved up to a 2:30 start time.
Singer Simcha Leiner, who sang at a wedding last night at New Rochelle’s The Surf Club, said that despite the weather, the beachfront wedding was very well attended.
“It was a full house and some people came to the wedding with carry on suitcases in case they got stuck in the hall overnight,” said Leiner.
If you are making a simcha tonight and would like to notify our readers of any changes to the scheduled plans, please leave us a note in the comment section and we will be happy to publish it.
“Very smart” of them. Hopefully we won’t have to hear stories of people becoming stranded, hurt or worse, maybe they can rely on “shomer pesaim hashem”.
Does anyone know what time the mishaan/sutton wedding tonight is scheduled for? Is it cancelled?
The height of irresponsibility is to go on with these simchas in light of the current situation.
Nowhere is it written that one must risk life and limb to attend ‘Simchas’.
Common sense seems to be in short supply.
I would urge the Baleh simchas to reconsider.
Great Article – I remember being at a cousin’s simcha at the last big snow storm a year ago – the catereres provide baruch hashem.
I’m not in this predicament having to decide whether to cancel a simcha or not. But my only point is…and without criticizing, that it seems that the caterers and for that matter the baalei simcha are only taking into account whether they can get the simcha up and running in as far as catering, photography, flowers and band etc. But no one seems to take in account what it could mean for the many hundreds of people that wish to attend and that ultimately make the simcha. Common sense seems to suggest that traveling in these conditions are very dangerous.
They might be able to get there but how will they get home if they live in Brooklyn??
Agreed. I’m not sure going on as though things are normal is something to be proud of. It’s ironic how sheltered these communities are when it comes to ‘the world’, yetbwhen for their own safety the city begs everyone NOT tongo on as usual, YES to take/be sheltered, this is when they dont. It’s actually an embarrassing (as I’m somewhat clumped with the general chassidic group) fact that chassidim seem to think they’re above the law, above nature, etc.. Hello, G-d is sending these warnings you too! Ushmartem es nafhoseichem, whatever you need ton hear, but Gd wants things NOT to go on as normal. Don’t seek to b different in life and death matters. And no, paying heed to city warnings and requests in uch a situation is NOT tantamount to having faith in Hashem, so please don’t even go there.
The winds are going to be KNOCKING DOWN TREES TONITE! If one person is injured or CH’V KILLED all of the PR fluff of the caterers counts for nothing.
And if the power goes out, chas v’sholom, are these catering halls properly equipped with functioning emergency lighting so that guests and employees can find their way to the exits so that 600 people don’t all make a mad rush for the doors at the same time?
I would urge the Baleh simchas to reconsider.
ok, keep the simchos going as planned. it may not be so bad this afternoon, but tonite its going to be catastrophic. its 4:00 and the wind is picking up to extreme speeds. who is going to be able to come? the trees will be coming down and the cars will get smashed. people will be stuck at the hall overnite. good luck ober chochoms
I don’t understand if u feel it is dangerous stay home don’t ruin other peoples simcha. It is none of your buissness if people choose not to cancel their simchas.
The participants need to use common sense if they should attend, mostly local only. The balei simcha are making it earlier and quicker to finish before the brunt of the storm hits so people can get home safely. They are not forcing anyone attend and will be happy with minyan. If you were the kallah would you want it postponed with all the logistics, halachos involved? I’m talking about weddings only here.
Most people with common sense would cancel a simcha under these circumstances for the reasons already mentioned. People with no common sense should ask a Rav what to do.
BTW, has anyone heard from any of the Rabbonim any reasons for why Hashem Yisbarach is sending this terrible storm? Usually we hear all of their theories after the event. I was wondering if anyone heard anything before the storm.
Chupah at Continental in Williamsburg is going to be taking place at 4:30 pm
It’s hard to have a choson and kallah wait, it’s also hard to reschedule. With now the bridges and tunnels closed or closing it’s truly a dilemma. However one thing is certain, If the caterer cancels the simcha he/ she will not get paid. What should prevail is safety. Even if it is a local event there are still falling branches and power lines ( unless your simcha is in midtown Manhattan…..however there is a crane in Manhattan the is falling down)
It’s up to the Vaad of each community to use common sense and cancel and then workout with all parties how the financial loss be divided
But if they are saying this storm is like no other why compare to previous storms. And if all the bridges and tunnels are closed, how are people supposed to get to these simchas. Not that it’s anyone’s fault but these weren’t planned on the worst night of the year, this ends up being the worst night of the century.
Can someone (or the editor) please comment re Marina del Ray?
The bridges are all going to be closed soon.
Why not put all your guests in danger for the sake of money and use narishkeit to justify it all?
Obviously, it would make sense to cancel and reschedule the simchas. If c’v even one person is seriously injured in seeking to attend, the chasan/kalah will have the rest of their lives to explain why they selfishly insisted on continuing with their simcha and ignoring the risks they were imposing on others.
everyone is using their brains and dont generalize Chosidim. Plenty of jewish and nonjewish that choose to listen or ignore these safety rules. If you got steam about chosidim dont use it at any given time. After all Me kaomcho yisroel!! Fact!!
I just got home from a beautiful wedding in boro park. Chippah was 4:00 and it was so amazing that we forgot there is a storm outside!!!
Come rain come shine, noone stops the kosher caterers.
You have to be crazy to have your friends and relatives go out in this weather. There are trees falling down all over, 5,500,000 homes without electric, etc… Very irresponsible of all involved. Especially parents with children being left with a 16 year old babysitter who will have no idea what to do in the event of an emergency.