ANINEMar

For Your Next Joyous Occasion

came from as I moved to a new home
with my husband."
Since the cloth was too fragile to
mount on four poles, Lisa and Ira
used a lace chuppah and during part
of the ceremony, both sets of parents
held the heirloom, hand-embroidered
with coral and maroon flowers, over
the bride and groom.
Mrs. Weiss had survived the war,
survived Auschwitz and returned to
her family home in Hungary to find it
in ruins. But outside, in a muddy
puddle, was her mother's Sabbath
tablecloth.
"It was all that was left," Mrs. Weiss
recalls. "Horses had trampled it. I
washed it and ironed it and brought it
to America with me. When my grand-
daughter said she wanted to use the
tablecloth as a chuppah ..."

SHIRLEE
BLOOM
Traditional Jewish Cuisine

Assures A Successful Event

An ancient
ceremony links
history, spirituality
and beauty fir the
bridal couple.

DEBRA DARVICK.
Special to the Jewish News

he bedeken, veiling
ceremony, at a Jewish

arks back to

TOPPING IT OFF on page 17

• Reunions
• Baby Namings
• All Occasion Meetings
• Business Meetings
• Rehearsal Dinners
• Brisses

Only Kosher Products Are Used In The
Preparation Of All Our Foods. Everything
Is Made In Shirlee's Private Kitchen

WE DO COMPLETE CATERING INDOORS AND OUTDOORS.
WE SUPPLY EVERYTHING! YOU DO NOTHING

NO AFFAIR TOO
SMALL OR
TOO LARGE!

ASK ABOUT OUR
BEAUTIFUL
PARTY TRAYS

(248) 855-9463
(248) 855-0076

32418 Northwestern Hwy,

Tallit Of Memory

Oak Park residents Jerry Eizen and his
wife, Becky, exchanged vows beneath
his father's tallit. The custom of using
a prayer shawl as a chuppah dates back
to 17th century Germany and France.
In The Jewish Book of Why, author
Alfred J. Kolatch explains that it was
customary for the groom to spread his
tallit over the bride's head as a symbol
of protection.
"My father had cancer and attend-
ing our wedding was a goal for him,"
Jerry said. "He died six months after
the wedding. I wanted to create a spe-
cial memory for us all.
"Between the two of us, my wife
and I have four siblings. During our
ceremony, each of them held one of
the poles supporting my father's tallis.
Whenever there's a life-cycle event,
using his tallis is a way of keeping him
with us."
Even if you don't have a family
tablecloth or tallit to honor a beloved
relative, Esther Ross, of Garden of
Eden Florist in Southfield, shares this
sweet tradition:
When a Jewish person gets married,
above the chuppah hover all the souls
of those who are gone. When you look
at the chuppah, you have to imagine
all the souls from the past are watch-
ing. Even if someone isn't [physically]
there to be with you, they are there
saying, 'She's so pretty' or 'She better
be good to him.' "
When daughters Ashley and Lindsay
married within a year of each other

• Weddings
• Graduations
• Birthdays
• Bar and Bat Mitzvahs
• Showers
• Anniversaries

Between Middlebelt and 14 Mile Rd,
Farmington Hills

www.JewishCatering.com

NtW

ding c
Th e
much re' jotz
bride'
then he covers her face with her
veil. Either he or the rabbi recites
the blessing from Genesis that
Rebecca's mother and brother
gave to her before she left to
marry Isaac: "0 sister! May you
be the mother of thousan
myriads.*
Bedeken is held only for a
bride's first marriage.
If Esther Ross' wedding clients
are not farnilia.r with bedeken,
she explains the ceremony's
meaning and significance and
encourages them to consider
including it on their wedding
day. Ross owns Garden of Eden
Florist in Southfield. "I explain
that bedeken is such a beautiful,
fun moment. The bride is veiled.
LIFTING THE VEIL, on page 16

• Nuts
Dried Fruits
• Kosher Candy
• Sugar-Free Caridy

IBBLES & NUTS

AT THE VINEYARDS

www.N16lit esArtaNuts.com

Toll Free

77-GIFTS-88

248 737-8088

We Have All The 1
Needs For Your
Festive Event

„

32418 Northwestern Hwy.

between Middlebelt and 14 Mile Road

Farmington Hills

(248) 855.9463

Fax:

(248) 855-0076

www.877gifts.com
www.VineyardDeli.com

3/ 1 5

2002

C15