Every Picture tells a Story...Under the Canopy of Heaven

Early on I resolved never to blog about any specific religion. I think that was a wise decision. Unimaginable havoc continues to be wreaked on the world in the name of parochial religion. But this kind of conflict doesn't have to be inevitable just because faiths diverge. Our latest family wedding is proof of this and I'm delighted to be able to blog about it.

My grandson Ben is part of a devoted Jewish family. His new wife Teresa is from a devout Catholic family with deep roots in church and community. I've come to the conclusion the faiths of the two families are much more alike than different. This played out in a wedding that included two ceremonies celebrating two traditions.

First a beautiful Catholic ceremony full of pageantry in Teresa's home parish. Then a Jewish ceremony full of singing and dancing outside, under the chuppa or marriage canopy. Each was so wonderful in its on way---and so respectful of the other.

Teresa's family pulled out all the stops--and their checkbooks to give the kids a never-to-be-forgotten (or repeated) wedding. For their part, Jack and Carole tried to stay out of the way. They gave Ben an exquisite handloomed tallit (prayer shawl) for a wedding present. Stretched between four wooden poles held by brothers and sisters, it formed the marriage canopy. Later, (much later, we pray), Ben will be wrapped in the tallit for burial. Sorry if anybody finds this a macabre detail but I like the idea.

The other photos I'm posting this afternoon are pretty self-explanatory. If you can't figure them out, make something up. Or I will.