My First Chasidic Wedding

 

Right now I'm sleepy and it's long past my bedtime, however, I wanted to share that my first Chasidic wedding was amazing. I definitely cried and had moments of being overwhelmed with the beauty of it all and with the thoughts of my own future.

Judaism is filled with so many lovely rituals and customs and this wedding was simply beautiful  and filled with so many memories.

A couple special things, in brief.

I of course danced with the bride. I was told it is a special blessing to dance with the bride. I am quite suprised at what good friends Adina and I have become. She is an amazing young woman who I am not only proud to call friend but blessed to have in my life, truly. She is someone I can learn from when it comes to being a person who is illuminated with love and warmth.

During the reception, when her father gave a speech, he shared that his wife had asked when they might write their own Sefer Torah (a mitzvot to fulfill in one's life). They both had hoped to write it when they were in their 50's. As a suprise, a table draped in a Talis (prayer shawl) with the beginning of a Torah was brought out. And right there, for Adina's wedding, a brand new Torah was began. Adina's new husband wrote the first letters in it. How amazing and special! 

A video was made of the Zadie's (grandfathers) of both the bride and groom. It was a lovely way of including them in the celebration. I didn't realize this but both families were directly involved with Schneerson when he was alive.  The groom's father was sent by the rebbe to be the head Chabad rabbi of Winnipeg. See, Adina is smart, she married a Canadian.

And, with all this joy and beauty, I did a little mitzvah. As I was waiting to retrieve my car a young woman asked me if I knew when the last shuttle bus to the airport was coming. We were only a couple of blocks away from the airport so I introduced myself and offered her a ride. It ends up she was Adina's roommate for two years in NY and flew in that same morning and had to return home for work in the morning. What an amazing friend to do all that traveling in one morning/evening! 

All in all, it was quite an evening. So much more happened and was lovely like the food and really everything...but I must sleep now, so enjoy a handful 0f the photos on Flickr in the meantime.