Under the Huppah...

It's Our 11th Wedding Anniversary

Maude & Bob--October 21, 2006
Beth Israel Worship Center
Photo by Patricia Ley

OUR WEDDING CANOPY

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

There was a grass-roofed shelter

along the Sea of Galilee

which reminded me of a succah

which reminded me of God’s covering over me

which reminded me of the blue and white tallit

I bought yesterday in Tiberias

Once I read an article in The Record

that stated being wrapped in a tallit

is like getting a hug from God

a statement that made me yearn

for a prayer shawl of my own

The very day after the article appeared

Rabbi Jonathan revealed

the newly designed Mizoram tallit to our congregation

with its colorful “Lamb within a Star of David” logo

representing Yeshua, our Jewish Messiah—

I gasped, when I saw it, assuming

one would be mine, my tallit, my hug from God

however, they were only presented to the pastors

which brings me to my marriage to Bob

just sixteen days ago

and that Pastor Steven graciously offered

to lend us his tallit to use as our wedding canopy

He gave us his traditional blue and white striped shawl

but Rabbi Jonathan said we would need a larger one

so Pastor Steven lent us his personal Mizoram tallit—

the very shawl that caused me to gasp, so long ago

Four ministers held up the corners of the prayer shawl

creating a fringed huppah over our heads

So, Bob and I stood under the covering of the Lamb

as we exchanged our marriage vows

At the conclusion of the ceremony

Rabbi Jonathan draped the shawl over our shoulders

wrapping us in a Heavenly hug on our holy wedding day

Maude Carolan Pych