Saturday, July 16, 2005

Jerusalem

When I was in India, 2 Chabbnic guys from New York, Mendi and Zalmi, arrived in Mumbai for 6 weeks. Last week, Mendi's sister got married, and I had the opportunity to play at her wedding.

The best part of the ceremony for me was playing a special tune as the groom walked towards the bride to see one another for the first time, as it is a custome to spend the last week of their single life apart from each other preparing for the wedding. The tune was composed by one of the first Rabbi's in Chassidic Judaism a few centuries ago.

The ceremony happened under the Chuppah outside of The Jerusalem Great Synagogue, and the festivities, singing, dancing, and feasting would continue in one of the banquet halls of The Great Synagogue.

Since there are so many weddings in Jerusalem every night of the week, the city enforces a curfew for weddings of 11 PM for non-family guests.


Narrow streets of Old Jerusalem Posted by Picasa Posted by Picasa Posted by Picasa Soldiers at the Western Wall



The Armenian Market Posted by Picasa Posted by Picasa Posted by Picasa Rabbi Yom Tov teaching in the AISH Library