On a trip to Israel, two couples explore new depths in their love and faith.
In a touching display of love, commitment, and spiritual growth, two couples renewed their wedding vows atop the Dan Family Aish World Center overlooking the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon. The couples, long-time friends Lauren and David Moss, and Michelle and Marc Mandelman, are participating in the Aish Destiny Couple's Mission to Israel.
The couples chose to celebrate their 30+ years of marriage surrounded by friends and fellow mission participants in a renewal ceremony that abided by Jewish law and represented more than just a reaffirmation of their love; it symbolized a deepening connection to their faith and a commitment to living more inspired, meaningful lives together.
Lauren and David’s Journey
The couple originally got married 34 years ago in New York. Since then, the couple has experienced significant challenges mixed with spiritual awakenings that shaped Lauren and David’s path to this moment. Lauren's journey, was particularly poignant, marked by a harrowing battle with acute myeloid leukemia just after she gave birth to her second child. After she recovered their eldest son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, and David was having some difficulties at work. “It was kind of everything happening all at once,” David recounted.
Years later, after Lauren’s recovery, David went on a trip to Israel that sparked a spiritual renaissance for him. “My friend from college brought me on this trip,” David recounted, “I wasn’t seeking any meaning, I just wanted to go on a great trip with him. We had been through a lot of emotional challenges and this was something that felt right.”
David’s newfound inspiration caused some tension at home, which eventually caused Lauren to go on a trip to Israel by herself, where she began her own spiritual journey. “I came back and embraced Jewish traditions with a newfound passion. That was how my Shabbat journey started.
“I knew I loved baking so I started with challah. The scent lured my family to the table. Then I started to light candles. I began getting my kids involved and they were somewhat open to it. It was slow and steady growth. Since I came back, I feel like this is just like a natural progression of how our relationship and our Judaism have been developing. Our renewal of vows, at this wedding, is an expression of that and of our deepening relationship with G-d.”
The Mandelmans' Path
For Michelle and Marc Mandelman, their journey to this renewal ceremony was equally meaningful. The couple began dating in college after they were set up on a date. Michelle’s family was well known for owning a restaurant on Long Island, New York. Michelle had cousins who were observant and while they were accepting of the Mandelman’s there was a bit of underlying tension in the family due to the different levels of religious observance. “Michelle has a small family and wanted to remove the tension, so she began to learn with her cousins, and that started her spiritual journey,” Marc explained.
In a pivotal moment, Michelle went on a trip to Israel and met her bus leader, Rachel Burg, the wife of Aish CEO Rabbi Steven Burg. “There is a stigma that religious women stay at home and are not well educated, yet here was this woman who was smart, funny, and seemed like she could connect with anybody. I asked her to be my study partner as I really love to learn,” Michelle recalled. The two women connected and developed a bond that would lead to Michelle making a much deeper connection with her Judaism. Upon her return, Michelle began to light candles on Friday nights and Marc began to make Kiddush. “I even started learning as part of Project Inspire with some Aish rabbis,” she added.
Marc emphasized the importance of continuous learning and growth in their Jewish faith: "When you know something, then you have to make an effort to do that. But if you don't know what it is that you are supposed to do, then how can you do it? What you can do is learn. By choosing not to learn, you're sort of turning away from it."
The Decision to Renew Their Vows
The idea of renewing their vows came about after David saw another couple get married while on an organized trip to Israel. “I thought to myself, here Lauren and I are going on this couple’s trip together, how great would it be if we renewed our vows and got married again while on this trip.”
David then suggested to Marc’s wife the idea to try to get her on board and make it a double wedding. “We’ve known each other for years, ever since our kids were little, and we are going on this trip together, what better way to strengthen both of our relationships?” Michelle loved the idea and jumped right in, her husband Marc, needed some convincing but eventually came around to the idea once he realized this was a meaningful way to elevate their marriage.
The Impact of Spiritual Growth
Speaking before the weddings, both couples emphasized how the renewal of vows and their second wedding has enriched their lives and relationships. Michelle Mandelman said, “I am a person who really likes to learn. This process has shown us that this [renewing of our vows] is the right step to take, for our family and for our home.” Marc echoed her sentiment and added: “This makes me feel more connected to my wife and to G-d. I feel proud that we are able to do this important thing, and to be able to do it surrounded by some of our friends here is incredible.”
The weddings were held on the spectacular rooftop of the Aish Dan Family Building (Tzipora Lifchitz Photography)
