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was symbolic of a seal on
his hand, and his heart. He
was now going over to his
bride and with this, would
always be a blessed and
honored member of his
family.
She then blessed me and
put a dab of henna on my
hand. Following this, our
parents and brothers and
sisters did the same. My
mother covered her hand
with a plastic bag. "Wait
'til I tell the girls at
bridge," she said, and
kissed us both. My father
asked for his first grand-
child before our first an-
niversary, as did most of
our guests. This, too, is in
keeping with Yemenite
tradition!
We continued dancing un-
til 4 a.m. when the last of
our guests departed. Look-
ing back now, a year later,
I feel that the "Henna" will
forever hold a special place
in my heart. In one brief
evening, I had experienced
the riches and flavors of
generations of Jews from a
place called Yemen. They
have now become my fami y
ly, and I am so proud — the
love, the ritual, still alive
after hundreds of years. I
knew no more of Yemenite
customs than my mother-
in-law knew of Canadian ice
hockey. But it was there, at
the "Henna," that two
worlds, so different, were
brought together.
My neck and back ached
for weeks and the henna
stains on my palms finally
faded. A henna for our
daughter? I cannot imagine
a greater honor, or a
greater joy. ■
Outdoor
Weddings
I
n the Middle Ages, the
wedding ceremony took
place in the courtyard of
the synagogue. It was con-
sidered a good omen for the
wedding to take place
under the stars, so that the
children of the couple
would be "as numerous as
the stars in heaven."
lb this day, the weddings
of Hassidic Jews are usual-
ly held outdoors. In parts
of New York City, a whole
street may be blocked off
for a Hassidic wedding.
Since weather is sometimes
an obstacle, there are wed-
ding halls patronized by
Hassidim that have a small
opening in the ceiling so
that the mitzvah of being
married under God's
canopy can still be
observed.
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