j est
2013
A Clean Sweep
With the marriage of our last child
came something unique and fun.
Shelli Liebman Dorfman I Contributing Writer
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PAUL CAMELLO, CAMELLO PHOTOGRAPHY, BROCKTON, MASS.
ix-and-a-half years ago,
the Yiddish song, "Di Mezinke
my husband Michael and
Oysgegebn."
I flew to Rhode Island,
In Yiddish, the floral crowns
donned new, hard-chosen formal
worn during the dance are called
wear — one of us also wore high- krenzels and are typically a cir-
ly uncomfortable, but perfectly
cular wreath of flowers, often
coordinated shoes — and, sur-
attached with various lengths
rounded by our closest family and
of ribbon that hang down the
friends, took turns grabbing the
back. Alane made ours, weaving
handle of a broom and sweeping.
together blue, purple and white
Much to our enlightenment,
silk flowers, instead of real ones,
we had become involved in what
so that our granddaughter, Shira,
turned out to be an endearing
then 4, could keep them for dress
Jewish tradition highlighted by the up. Because of the crowns, the
symbolic sweeping of our home
Mezinke is sometimes called the
after leading our last child to mar-
"krenzel dance."
riage.
During the Aug. 12,
2007, reception that fol-
lowed the wedding of
our son Rick to Penina
Schreiber, daughter
of Alane and David
Schreiber of Sharon,
Mass., we were seated
and crowned with floral
wreaths just before the
sweeping began. We were
then introduced to the
Mezinke dance, involving
guests holding hands and Shelli and Michael Dorfman enjoy the festivi-
moving in a circle around ties while the broom is handed from the bride's
us, while we swept.
sister, Adina Schreiber of Boston, to the new-
The lively, admittedly
lyweds' brother-in-law, Bryan Schon of West
unusual tradition was cre- Bloomfield.
ated as a way to honor
parents for raising their children
Not a Jewish law or even a
to the day they were married.
religious tradition, the Mezinke
Through the years, the Mezinke,
is thought by some to have been
Yiddish for "youngest daughter,"
based on the blessing for Jewish
has been modified to refer to the
children to grow up to be brought
last child to be married, including
into marriage; the dance then
sons.
bestows honor upon parents at
Surrounded by the dancers,
this milestone.
Michael and I stood and took
After Rick and Penina's wedding,
turns sweeping with a comi-
the broom was given to them to
cally painted, colorful broom, pur-
use in their home, now in Boca
chased by Penina's mom at TJ
Raton, Fla. While some may save
Maxx, on which she added rib-
theirs to re-use when they are hon-
bons and flowers. Members of our
ored during a Mezinke dance of
family also swept, participating in
their own, there's not much chance
the celebration.
in this case — not since the fun
Brought to America by Eastern
and colorful sweeper was discov-
European Jews, the Mezinke is
ered by their almost 3-year-old son,
danced to music that begins slow- Noam, who, like many kids his age,
ly and speeds up in tempo, often
loves to clean. ❑
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