After spending the morning and early afternoon exploring old Jaffa and swimming in the Mediterranean, we returned to our apartment only to find that I had forgotten to pack my pants. We were near the beach with no men’s clothing store in sight. Slightly panicked, I set out on foot on a quest for dress pants in the 90+ degree day. I won’t go into too much detail other than to say that even using search engines and asking directions (oh, the shame) it took me about an hour and a half to find what I needed and return hot and sweaty just in time to shower, dress and meet the bus taking guests to the wedding about an hour north of Tel Aviv.
When we arrived at the wedding site, it was magical. My understanding is that it was the site of the kibbutz where the bride and groom first met. Situated on a low bluff directly above the sea, it was bedecked in white and lights cast against the green grass and the blue of the water, making the whole scene shimmer with a vitality that seemed perfect for the event to come.
Before the ceremony there were open bars and several stations serving Israeli noshes. Once we were asked to sit down, the fun really began. I have never been to a Jewish wedding before so I have nothing to compare it to, but this ceremony was special, a real celebration. The wedding party danced down the aisle, each couple to their own style, drums and rams’ horns announcing the groom and bride, blessings all around and all set in front of the sun setting over the Mediterranean. Absolutely gorgeous!
After the ceremony, the dinner continued the magic, there was seafood, steaks and seemingly every other dish you could imagine and it just kept coming. I think I could have eaten until I exploded.
The dinner was followed by dancing, lots and lots of dancing. We all got in the act, from disco to blanket tossing (I thought someone was going to be dropped on their head).
We had arrived around 6 pm, the ceremony started around 8, dinner at 8:30 of 9 and dancing about ten. When Holly and I boarded the first bus back to Tel Aviv at 1:30 am, the dancing was not only still going, but perhaps increasing in intensity. I had no idea that people could sustain that kind of activity for so long. Since we went to Jerusalem the next day and then directly back to Italy, we had no contact with the other guests, they may still be dancing for all we know.
Holly and I would like to thank the whole Chotzen family for including us in this very special occasion, one that will be a cherished memory for the rest of our lives.
What a wonderful experience!
What a privilege to be part of such a wonderful event! Wow!
Walking into a whole other world of tradition and culture. I love it!