If I had told myself five years ago that I would dance in circles of men at a Chabad wedding to the sounds of Chassidic songs, I would have said I had completely lost my mind and there was no way it would happen.
I met the bride’s father, Rabbi Shneur Kurtz, the Rabbi of the Chabad community in Metar, nine years ago when I became interested in the mitzvah of laying tefillin. As a kibbutznik, Jewish religious laws were distant from me, but somehow, I found myself entering the Chabad House in Metar, where I met the Rabbi.
The wedding was very special with unique Chabad customs. After the chuppah, we separated into two halls (men/women) and began the meal, fit for a king. Then the wedding singer brought in the groom to the men’s side, and great joy filled the dance floor with Chassidic melodies. And there I was, a former kibbutznik, integrated into the dancing, holding hands with others wearing black and white, and I felt completely part of the celebration. We looked different but we all shared a great and common joy.
People from different backgrounds wished me “Mazal Tov”. There was a great shared joy that temporarily overshadowed national mourning and scars of reality. Our enemies, the murderers, did not distinguish between religious, haredi, or secular when they attacked us. Even the soldiers of the IDF and security services fought side by side from all segments of the beautiful Israeli population.
In these challenging days in our buzzing country, it’s advisable to find connection and closeness and avoid deepening the rift and baseless hatred (we’ve had enough of that). It’s time for unconditional love because that’s the only way we’ll win. May we experience beautiful and joyful days.
Adapted from COllive
