|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
How does a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony work?
 During
the wedding ceremony, the couple stands beneath a huppah,
which is a canopy supported by four poles. The huppah
represents the dwelling that the bride and groom will
soon share. After blessings are recited and the rabbi
has spoken, the couple drinks wine. The groom then smashes
the glass with his right foot, a gesture that may have
originated to frighten away evil spirits but has since
taken on numerous other representative meanings. He and
his new wife then retire to a completely private room
for a few minutes. They emerge to a festive meal, reception,
and exuberant celebration. One of the typical dances at
a wedding is called the Handkerchief Dance, in which the
bride and the groom are each lifted up on chairs, and
must each hold on to one end of a sole handkerchief without
dropping it while being paraded around the dance floor.
--How can I incorporate my non-Jewish relatives in my
Jewish wedding?
There are many ways to help family members of all faiths.
Poems, psalms, inspirational stories -- anything that
has meaning to the family and to the bride and the groom
can be recited at a wedding. The only restriction is that
the name "Jesus Christ" can never be mentioned
in a Jewish wedding. Since Jesus Christ is a central part
of Christian religious dogma, mentioning his name would
be contrary to the Jewish nature of the wedding. For the
most part, any and all parts of a wedding ceremony should
be discussed with its officiant beforehand.
|
|
|
