On the eve of a new millennium, the Jewish wedding ceremony has been updated in many different ways, yet the heart and soul of its rituals still persist. To this day, each Jewish marriage sanctifies the union of husband and wife, in the same way that the Nation of Israel was consecrated to G-d when they accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai. The bride and groom stand divinely protected under the chupa, as they dedicate their new life together, blessed by their families and friends. The wedding is an acknowledged turning point in their lives, an exciting new beginning, a voyage into the unknown and a time when the present steps aside in deference to the future. The Jewish bride of today reminds us, dressed as she is in pure white, that marriage is about renewal, about the simplicity of true love and about creating more space in our lives for others and for G-d.
Every bridal gown is a tapestry of hopes and dreams on the threshold of reality.
Each and every bride floats towards the chupa, in an eternal moment embracing all brides that have come and all that are to be. The Jewish bride of the nineties is still the inspired matriarch of her home and family - a force for change when need be and a voice of encouragement when change seems impossible. She and future brides, will always proceed to the chupa, dressed like queens, facing eternity and inspiring us to follow. Lecture edited by Elizabeth Fried, Program Coordinator, the Jewish Renaissance Center in New York City.