1. Family of Ten in Hillside Needs Your Help to Win a Clean-Up
By Susan L. Rosenbluth
The Jewish Voice and Opinion, Englewood, NJ
April 2014
When Rachel Fleisher, a member of the Hillside/Elizabeth-Jewish
community, heard about a contest run by the Scrubbing Bubbles line of
cleaning products, she immediately thought of her neighbors, the
Benkhen family. Through the contest, entitled “Let’s Bubble,”
Scrubbing Bubbles, manufactured by the SC Johnson Company, was
offering four deserving families or organizations a first-class
professional clean-up, including kitchens and bathrooms.
For Ms. Fleisher, the Benkhens—parents and eight children
ranging from 15 years to four months—more than fit the bill.
Immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Alexander (Sender)
Benkhen and his wife, Brucha, both work while all their children, some
of whom struggle with special-needs and challenges, attend local day
schools and daycare centers.
Yossi, 15; Avremy, 13; Devorah, 11; Yoni, 10; and Shayna, 7,
attend the Jewish Educational Center (JEC) in Elizabeth. Levi, 5, goes
to YBH (Yeshivat Beit Hillel) in Passaic, and Zalmy, 2, and Motti, 4
months, are in daycare at the YMHA in Union.
Chores Pile Up
The family attends services at Cong Shomrei Torah Ohel Yosef
Yitzchok, a division of Bris Avrohom, which was established to answer
the needs of the Russian-Jewish émigré community. The Benkhens
devote whatever free time they have to programs and events sponsored
by Chabad as well as the JEC.
According to Mr. Benkhen, the possibility of a professional clean-
up sounds wonderful.
“As anyone with kids would know, when household chores pile
up, they really pile up. With eight children, our home never stays clean
for too long. But our supportive community has rallied behind us to
give us a helping hand,” he says.
One in 1,000
Originally, the Benkhens were just one of more than 1,000 contest
entries, all nominated by people who thought their candidates were
deserving of a clean-up. A panel of judges from Scrubbing Bubbles
selected the nine semi-finalists.
According to Mr. Benkhen, the family was flabbergasted to learn
that they might be one of the four winners.
But in order for the family to win the prize, they will need help. All
that is necessary is to go to http://www.scrubbingbubbles.com before
the April 15th
deadline and vote for the Benkhens.
Since April 15 is the first day of Pesach, members of the Jewish
community will have to vote by April 14, before the holiday begins.
More than one observer noted that it would have been nice for the
Benkhens to win the prize before Passover, but that was not part of the
deal.
Competition
The family has some interesting competition, ranging from the
Marker Boys and Girls Club in Henderson, Nevada, which provides
local children with “a fun, safe place to learn and grow,” to the Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Central Florida
in Orlando.

2. Other contenders for the prize include the Latin Hispanic-
American Community Center in Harrisburg, PA; The Gathering Place
in Lincoln, NE, which serves free evening meals to homeless and near-
homeless individuals and families; the Joplin Humane Society in
Joplin, MO; Champ Homes in Hyannis, MA, a non-profit shelter
serving homeless men, women, and children of Cape Cod; Bryant
Center Association in Omaha, NE, which “keeps kids off the streets
and empowers their transition into adulthood;” and Girls, Inc of
Bloomington, IN, which “helps thousands of girls to grow in strength,
intelligence, and confidence as they prepare for a better future.”
The four candidates who receive the most votes will win clean-ups.
Charitable Company
“Let’s Bubble” is just one of SC Johnson’s projects geared to
impacting communities. In the last decade, the company has
contributed $210 million world-wide, in addition to donating thousands
of branded products each year.
Meredith Payette, a spokeswoman for Scrubbing Bubbles and the
contest, says the company is encouraging people to participate in
selecting the winners.
“All people have to do is go to the website and vote before April
15. For the Benkhens, messy bathrooms, cluttered kitchen counters,
and no time to clean are just part of life. But it doesn’t have to be that
way. With a little cleaning help, the Benkhens can sit back, relax, and
enjoy some quality time as a family,” she says.
S.L.R.