ADDING ANOTHER LINK TO THE FAMILY TREE

As the years fly by, the family tree expands in ebbs and flows. Our son married in November 2017 and we just added our first grandchild in April this year. Now we’re about to add another son. Our daughter is betrothed and will soon marry her bashert. The nuptials will take place on the same date that my parents married in 1940. They’ll be married in West Orange, New Jersey at the Wilshire Grand event space on June 30. It’s at the same location where my husband and I married on June 15, 1975, at which time the catering hall was called the Town and Campus.

Our son Judd wears my father’s ring, Rina will wear my mother’s on her thumb as she walks down the aisle. Judd’s bride Dena carried my mother-in-law’s small white, leather bound bible down the aisle, the same one I carried on my wedding day. Our daughter Rina will hold the same Five Books of Moses along with her bouquet of white flowers. Zayda’s tallis (worn by my husband’s maternal grandfather) will adorn the chuppah as it did on Judd’s wedding day. We have a long history with the rabbi who will officiate. He knew our parents well and we’ll feel their spirit on that day.

After a honeymoon in Italy, the couple will be in New Jersey for a few days before flying back to their home in Los Angeles to start their married life together. Their flight is scheduled for July 15th, the date that Rina’s paternal grandparents married in 1938. May the angels fly with them and may they have a long and happy marriage.

We can sit back after all the planning and wait to add more members to our family tree in due time. We’ll be ready when they are. For now, we’re getting ready to celebrate!