When my ancestors escaped Aleppo decades ago, settling in what is today’s 60,000-strong Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn — they had left Syria behind, but brought with them our language, food, and values. For the community’s women, the expectations were clear: Women wed young, had children, and became shaatras — the ultimate homemakers. While our…
Among the most memorable Jewish wedding traditions, “breaking the glass” ranks near the top. Traditionally, at the end of the ceremony, the happy groom stomps a shrouded wine glass with a satisfying crunch, everyone yells, “Mazel Tov,” and the party begins. But if you’re looking for something different, something fresh and modern, here are a…
It’s 8 p.m. in a basement apartment on 54th Street, a sleepy residential block in Boro Park. Several Hasidic women sit on a sofa, surrounded by strollers and plastic bags from the Oh Nuts! candy shop on 13th Avenue. Every so often, they peek into the next room to watch Mrs. Ehrenfeld at work. The…
Israeli fashion has become a hot commodity of late. Specifically, Israeli bridal fashion. When it comes time to find that perfect bridal look, celebrities like Beyoncee and regular people on reality shows like, “Say Yes To The Dress,” are consistently drawn to Israeli designers like Inbal Dror and Pnina Tornai, respectively. Here are 5 Israeli…
It’s basically summer, and you know what that means: wedding season! Before we get caught up in the effusive happiness and romance that’s just begun to spring forth from every corner of your core friend group, we need to take a step back and take a long, sobering look at the most annoying part of…
Serving as a bridesmaid in a Jewish wedding is not cheap. “It cost me about $700 per wedding, when I calculated cost from the day the couple gets engaged till the end of their sheva berachot [traditional post-wedding celebration],” said one woman in her early twenties. Often, a bridesmaid is obliged to purchase a kitchen…
The chuppah, the traditional Jewish wedding canopy, is commonly thought to represent the home the bride and groom will create through their marriage. And in recent years, more and more couples are putting thought into how to make that chuppah more indicative of who they are personally, both as individuals and as a couple. This…
When my husband and I started to make wedding preparations for our August 2017 wedding, one thing was evident: We would try to do as much as we could ourselves, to alleviate expenses. Some solutions were simple, and even fun — after discovering that the rental cost of a chuppah from a florist would start…
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