It was the final meeting before Talia* and Shai’s* wedding, which would be a couple of days later.
“So who will walk you down to the chuppah?” I asked Talia. “Is it your custom to have your father, your mother, or both?”
Talia looked uncomfortable. She finally admitted that she hadn’t spoken to her father in 15 years. When I asked what had happened to cause the rift, Talia explained.
“As a little girl, my father was my hero. He was an important army officer, tall, strong, and handsome, and had such an air of command about him that everyone rushed to carry out his orders. I looked up to him so much.
“When I was a teenager,” she continued, her voice breaking, “my father was involved in a terrible car accident that left him disabled. I couldn’t believe that my strong, powerful father was now reduced to such a pitiful state, unable to do anything for himself. It hurt too much to look at him, so I avoided him for as long as I could. Once I left home, I never called or visited. One month turned into two, and the years passed by without a single communication between us. The longer I stayed away, the harder it became to overcome.”
Talia lapsed into silence and stared down at her tightly clasped hands.
“Talia, you need to make amends,” I said, quietly. “You need to speak with your father and get his blessing before you get married. It will be hard, but the challenge will just be momentary. After the first few seconds, you’ll see how naturally you and your father reconnect.”
Talia was still hesitant.
“I’m afraid that I won’t be able to marry you without your father’s blessing,” I said, knowing she needed a bit of pressure to convince her.
Talia knew how impossible it would be to find another officiant so close to the wedding date, so with no other choice, she agreed to visit her father.
“You were right,” she told me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “It was really hard to knock on his door, but after that, everything was easy. We hugged and cried and made up for all the lost years.”
At the wedding, Talia’s father asked to be lifted up onto the table. He rained shekel bills down on the crowd, smiling hugely the entire time. Most thought it was just a father showing the usual joy at his daughter’s wedding. Only a few people knew just how joyous the occasion truly was.
