On Jewish weddings

Dear Editor:

In major recent Jewish publications, much has been written on intermarriage. It is important to respect the love between two people and honor the choices couples make in their lives. With that said, I love Jewish weddings and soon I will be attending my nephew’s rescheduled Jewish celebration delayed by the pandemic. 

Jewish weddings are joyous, energetic and connect Jews across generations. There is traditional and soulful Jewish music. Many brides adopt the custom of circling the groom seven times. Marriage contracts or Ketubot are works of art.

The sheva brachot, or “seven blessings,” said over the bride and groom refers to the first couple Adam and Eve united by God with the sky as their bridal canopy. When the glass is shattered, the past merges with the present as we recall the destruction of the Second Temple. We quote Jeremiah’s glorious prophecy that Jerusalem will rise again: “Those will be heard once more, the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and groom.”  

Jewish tradition saw Jewish marriage as a metaphor for the covenant or the mutual love between God and the Jewish people. Judaism is God’s call to celebrate life. I hope God gives me many more years to celebrate many more Jewish weddings and other Jewish lifecycle events. 

Bruce Hoffen

Lake Mary, Fla.