| The Wedding Ceremony (Part Two) |
| CIRCLING (right) Before entering our chuppah, Dov and Leslie each circled the other three times before making a single circle together, for a total of seven circles. Echoing the seven days of creation and the seven blessings of our marriage, we created our own sacred space. This was also a declaration that our individual lives now revolve around each other. |
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| KIDDUSHIN/ERUSIN Originally, the Jewish wedding ceremony was divided into two parts that took place a year apart. Today they are combined, which saves the parents a great deal of money! Erusin (betrothal) began with the blessing over wine. This symbolizes joy in many Jewish ceremonies. We drank from the same cup, which was a gift from Dov�s coworkers at the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism in Israel. Through this act we affirmed that our partnership will double the sweetness and halve the bitterness from the cup of life. The legal formula of betrothal, in the presence of two witnesses, concluded the ceremony of betrothal, with both Dov and Leslie proclaiming in Hebrew: �Here you are consecrated to me with this ring, according to the law of Moses and Israel.� Traditionally the wedding ring is a plain gold band without any breaks or engravings, and it is a modern substitute for a gold coin that was used as a representation of commitment. Because of its circular shape, a ring has always been a symbol of eternal love. During the ceremony (right) the ring was placed on the right index finger as the traditional finger of intelligence (the finger that points at the words of Torah) and the finger that was thought to a direct connection to the heart. After the ceremony, we switched our rings to the left hand. |
| The Sheva Brachot are the heart of the marriage ceremony, thanking and praising God for this moment and its wonders, and expressing our hopes and wishes. We asked family members and friends to participate in this mitzvah by reading out the Hebrew and English verses. They were: (1) Randi Polinski and Jeni Statkus (2) Phyllis Sommer and Dena Kahn (3) Linda and Cal Rapp (4) Sarah Sirota and Yuri Hronsky (5) Shana Minkin and Tami Rock (6) David and Debbie Locketz (7) Rick Abrams and Jamie Harris Dov smashed a wineglass beneath his foot (left) at the end of the ceremony. This reminds us that even on days of rejoicing, we must remember that we live in a broken world. We will work together to repair it. This also symbolically affirmed that even in times of joy, we must recall the hardships endured by our ancestors, and the delicate fragility of life. |
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| NISSUIN AND SHEVA BRACHOT In ancient times, a year after the Erusin the bride was escorted to the groom�s home for the nuptials. Today, nissuin (nuptials) are symbolized by the chuppah, the home that we will build together. Our second cup of wine was painted by us, with our hand imprints touching around the cup, and the Hebrew and English date printed on the base. |