Couture For A Cause Gala Raises $30,000 For Charity
Local News
By Rochelle Maruch Miller
on Friday, June 04, 2010

Not even the indigo skies and torrential rain that heralded the sudden late spring storm could deter the steady stream of guests. Within the gorgeous environs of Esther Silber’s Hewlett Bay Park home, the excitement was infectious, the mood celebratory, for this much-anticipated event—the Couture for a Cause third annual fashion show and raffle.

In 2007, good friends Esther Silber and Michal Weinstein, both of whom are devoted moms with successful careers, started Couture for a Cause “on a whim.” Charismatic and indefatigable, the dynamic duo put together a fashion show/raffle event in just three weeks that raised $20,000. Not content to rest on their laurels, they set the bar still higher the following year, putting on an even more successful event and raising $30,000.

Surpassing all expectations, this year’s event, Couture for a Cause Kids, featured an enchanting children-modeled runway show and a fabulous array of kid-related raffles: hand-painted furniture, custom-designed interiors, art lessons, glorious, sun-drenched days at the beach club, an i-Pad and Mac AirBook, the Nintendo Wii, a semester of gymnastics, SAT tutoring, and much more.

Orchestrated to perfection by Michal and Esther, this special event raised money to benefit Shlomzion, an exemplary Israel-based tzedakah dedicated to helping orphans and widows in Jerusalem. 100% of the benefit’s proceeds come from all those donating raffles, as well as the delicious desserts graciously donated by Le Chocolat. Couture for a Cause is truly a community effort; all costs are covered by the generous women of our community who are involved in this noble endeavor.

We spoke to Michal and Esther about the inception and development of Couture for a Cause, and how it has impacted upon their respective lives.

5TJT: What inspired you to create an endeavor for the greater good?

MW: Our good friend from high school, Sara Melman, made aliyah a few years back and asked if we could help her raise money in New York for a charity she started that helps the widows and orphans in her community. My father passed away when I was ten, so aside for wanting to help my friend, as a child who grew up with a widowed mother and who experienced firsthand how hard life can be with only a single parent, I felt a connection to the cause.

ES: I saw my father being very philanthropic. His philosophy is, “If you have then give” and I’ve adopted that same mentality.

5TJT: What should our readers know about you?

MW: I grew up in Far Rockaway and now live in Woodmere. I have four beautiful children who attend HALB. I started my own freelance graphic design business seven years ago and am, thank G-d, very busy with that. I also have helped put together two successful autumn sampler taster events for Chai Lifeline and Puah that raised tens of thousands of dollars for those causes. I used to do PR for Tahari and have a passion for marketing/PR and the Internet.

ES: I am the true definition of a mompreneur, which is a woman who is both a mom and entrepreneur. My role as a mother is first but I have taken my creative abilities and drive for success and recently turned them into a well-established marketing and PR company called Esther Inc.

5TJT: How has Couture for a Cause impacted upon your life?

MW: I find that when you come together for a greater cause you form incredible bonds and develop incredible respect for the people you work with. The past few years have not only given me a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction every time we pull off a successful, talked-about event, but it has also given me lifelong friendships with very special individuals who are willing to put themselves out there with their time, money, and creativity for less fortunate people. Plus, pulling off an event such as the ones we do for couture really is a lot of fun.

5TJT: What response has this elicited from your family and friends?

MW: My family and friends are very proud and always so supportive. They always come and generously give. They donate towards our raffles. They tell their friends to come. And this year, because it was a children’s fashion show, I was very excited to have my own children participate. I want them to understand that we are doing this to help the poor. My eight-year-old planned on spending her tooth fairy money towards the i-Touch raffle, knowing that whether she’d win or not, it would go to tzedakah.

5TJT: What can you tell our readers about Shlomzion?

MW: It is an organization in Jerusalem that helps the poorest widows and orphans, whether for medicine, electricity, or for an orphan who is getting married and has no money for a simple wedding. Our friend Sara Melman started this charity and I have seen firsthand the people she has helped, in our visits to Israel. Couture for a Cause, however, does not only raise money for Shlomzion. Last year, because of the economy, we opted to give our proceeds to the Eliezer Project.

5TJT: How do you contact the celebrities who grace your events?

ES: Because of the business that I am in, celebrities have not only become clients, but personal friends of mine, as well.

5TJT: What parting thoughts would you like to share?

MW: Anyone can make a difference. Anyone can get involved. You may not have the time or energy to run an event, but every single person who participated, from the woman whose father-in-law donated the printing for our invites, to the woman who talked to her boss about donating a semester at a kids’ mommy-and-me class, to the girl who got us a few goodies for the swag bags; every person helped make this event a success. So don’t shy away from getting involved just because you are busy. Even a few minutes of your time can make all the difference.

ES: I fell in love with this quote and it describes perfectly how I feel about giving charity: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Words to live by.

For further information about Couture for a Cause, please visit www.Coutureforacause.com. To learn more about Shlomzion, please visit www.Shlomzion.com.