Mark and I met on our Birthright trip to Israel in July, 2016. We hit it off while waiting for our delayed flight to Tel-Aviv. When first approaching the group, I noticed that Mark was the tallest guy on the trip. While this clearly caught my eye, I was drawn to the way he carried himself. Maybe I was already biased at that point, but he appeared to be at the center of the conversation with a group of people he had only known for a few minutes. When I finally got some time to talk to him, I found an opportunity to discretely reveal that having a shoulder to sleep on would make the 10 hour flight much easier! Alex and I tried to switch seats with a few group members on our flight so she could sleep on my shoulder, but unfortunately El Al airlines was not accommodating to Alex's request. We ended up sleeping on different ends of the plane, but once we landed we quickly found each other again in the group. After landing in Tel-Aviv, we had a three hour bus ride to the Golan Heights which gave Alex ample time to sleep on my shoulder. From that point on it was a done deal. Our feelings towards each other grew into something quite special on that trip, and almost five years later, our relationship has continued to blossom.

Ketubah A Ketubah is the traditional Jewish wedding contract. It was considered a great advance for its time as it provided women with legal rights in a marriage. Signed by us before the ceremony, the Ketubah also bears the signatures of the Rabbi and our chosen witnesses, and affirms our mutual responsibility and commitment to each other. Chuppah This is the canopy that symbolizes the beautiful home that we will build together. The Chuppah has no walls; the marriage begins with just a roof and a foundation. According to tradition, the bride and groom will build the walls with friendship, love, and deep mutual respect. Wine The ceremony begins with a blessing over the first cup of wine. We praise God, who brought us to this wonderful day, and drink from the same cup to represent the life that we will share from this day forward. The Kiddush cups we are using are family heirlooms. Wrapping the Tallit We will be wrapped in a prayer shawl, or tallit. The tallit represents the 613 commandments which are the pillar of the Jewish faith. The wrapping symbolizes the new family we will create together, enfolding and protecting us with the spiritual strength of Judaism. Sheva Brachot These seven marriage blessings are at the heart and holiness of the Jewish marriage ceremony. We celebrate the miracle of creation, pray for peace in Jerusalem, and express our hope that our lives will be filled with health, happiness and love. Breaking the Glass The ceremony concludes with us breaking a glass under our feet. According to one interpretation, the broken glass suggests that relationships are as fragile as glass and must always be treated with care. One contemporary interpretation is that sound travels through time and space to share our joy with all those who have loved us and who are absent today. This ritual concludes the wedding ceremony, reminds us that today is about the joy of our union. After breaking the glass, the guests yell, “Mazel Tov!” which means good luck.