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1 Couple, 2 Weddings

A bride and groom plan an impromptu
marriage ceremony for a special guest.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

StaffWriter

F

or a West Bloomfield couple who became
engaged on eBay, it seemed appropriate
that Brooke Lipman and Matt
Weingarden's wedding also be the product of some-
thing a bit unusual.
So when Matt's mom, Meryl Weingarden,
became ill and feared she may not be well enough
to attend the couple's June 19 wedding, they
planned what Brooke refers to as "wedding number
one" in the courtyard of the Heartland Health Care
Centers in West Bloomfield.
"Meryl understood how much we wanted her to
see us get married," said Brooke, a student at Nova
Southeastern University College of Osteopathic
Medicine in Davie, Fla. Once she agreed to the
suggested early wedding, plans were made to hold

the ceremony the very next day, April
10.
In less than 24 hours a wedding was
arranged, to be officiated by Rabbi
Daniel Nevins of Adat Shalom
Synagogue, where Meryl was a frequent
Rabbi Nevins and Rabbi Berkun o ciate at the wedding of Brooke
Torah reader, and Rabbi Jonathan
Lipman and Matt Weingarden.
Berkun of Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
where Brooke's family are members.
at the facility. Brooke hopes it will inspire others to
"We had my bubbie and zayde's wedding kid-
bring their simchahs to family members in similar
dush cup and a cup Meryl gave us for our shower,"
circumstances.
Brooke said. "My mother put together a small
The June wedding at Shaarey Zedek will still go
white bouquet and some candy to throw."
on "at the insistence of my mom," Matt said. "She
With guests apparently concerned about the lack
wants us to have the wedding of our dreams —
of a ring, Brooke said, "Each person at the ceremo- •
whether she can be there or not."
ny showed up with rings for us to use."
Brooke added, "June will still be very meaning-
They chose Meryl's wedding band for Brooke,
ful, when we will be with our friends and extended
and Matt's late bubbie Estelle Weingarden's for
family. But this intimate, spontaneous ceremony
Matt.
was so worthwhile because of how.happy Meryl
Guests at the ceremony included Matt's parents,
was."
Meryl and Sid Weingarden; Brooke's mom, Randee
Brooke and. Matt will continue to do the 'uncon-
Lipman; father and step-mother Sander and Lynn
ventional. During the first years of their marriage,
Lipman; and sister Alexa, all of West Bloomfield;
Matt, a part owner and vice president of marketing
and Meryl's mother, Beatrice Faitler of Farmington
for I-dealoptics in Ferndale, will remain in West
Hills. Also present were Matt and Brooke's cat,
Bloomfield while Brooke continues her studies in
Sophie, one of Meryl's regular visitors, and a dove
Florida. Frequent visits to one another included a
which sat in her nest in a nearby tree.
Passover trip by Brooke to attend a seder for Meryl
"After the ceremony, Meryl's friends and more
at Heartland. Her room there was filled with pic-
family showed up spontaneously to share the cele-
tures of her son and daughter-in-law's wedding —
bration, the deli tray and. a few l'chaim shots,"
that she attended.
Brooke said. "Matt's mom did the HaMotzi and we
danced around her."
Editor's note: Sadly, Meryl Weingarden passed away
Staff at Heartland peeked out the windows dur-
May 14.
ing the wedding, which they said was the first ever

❑

Wedding guests dance around Meryl Weingarden.

April 26
Nicole (Farber) and Barry Goodman
of Farmington Hills announce with
love the birth of their son, Jacob Lev
(Yaacov Zev). Welcoming him home
with hugs and kisses are brothers
Noah and Aaron and sister Rebecca.
Sharing their joy are bubbie Evelyn
and papa Fred Farber. Jacob is named
in loving memory of his paternal
grandfather Walter Louis Goodman
and his maternal great-grandmother
Zelda Gordon.

March 21
Staci (Redisch) and Jamie Wittenberg
are thrilled to announce with love the

5/26
2005

62

birth of their daughter,
Arielle Cate (Hadas).
Sharing in their joy are
proud first-time grand-
parents Joni and Steve
Redisch of Farmington
Hills, Mollie
Wittenberg
Wittenberg of
Huntington Woods
and Howard
Wittenberg of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Delighted great-grandparents are
Cantor David and Margaret Gutman
of Oak Park, David Redisch of
Southfield and Freda Spector of Oak
Park. Arielle Cate is named in loving
memory of her paternal great-grandfa-

Cher Charles Spector. Her Hebrew
name is in loving memory of her
maternal great-grandmother Myrtle
Redisch.

March 14
Douglas and Liat Rosen, formerly of
West Bloomfield, now of Plantation,
Fla., are thrilled to
announce the birth of
their son, Shawn
Dylan, (Shai Liron,
"gift of happiness").
Welcoming him home
with lots of love are
big sisters Nicole, 6,
Rosen
and Kerri, 2. Happy

maternal grandmother is savta
Shoshana Almog and maternal great-
grandparents are Esther and Moses
Chechanovitz, all of Tel Aviv, Israel.
Thrilled paternal grandmother is Judy
Rosen of Southfield. Shawn is the
paternal great-grandchild of the much
missed Esther and Manny Sterns and
great-great-grandchild of the late
Daniel Temchin.

Sept. 12
Leah (Greenblatt) and Joel Barson
welcome with love their son, Oliver
Philip (Oren Chai). Sharing in their
joy are grandma "Robbie" Roberta and
grandpa Sheldon Greenblatt of White