[Miscellany]

I think I might have been Jewish in my past life. I like Fiddler on the roof, I know all the words to hava nagila (hebrew), I can pick up the dance steps like a pro, and aparently Rabbis *do it* for me. I also like saying "maseltov" though sometimes I get it wrong.

random: "hi what's your name?"
moi: "MASELTOV!!!!!!!!"

yeah.

I have a few Jewish friends but S is the only one who has gotten married in an orthodox ceremony. S isn't actually an orthodox jew and her husband is against religion (neither of their families are orthodox either). It's funny how tradition plays such a big role in weddings though isn't it? They both quite happily chose the orthodox way of getting married. I don't know if you've ever been to a Jewish wedding ceremony but they are awesome! I am impressed by the difference in ritual and ceremony - well compared to the Catholics anyway. There's: Walking rings around your husband to be (love it! - surely you can do it once because the rest of the marriage it'll be the other way round, eh? eh?), glass smashing (love it!), Kippah (hilarious item of clothing - love them!), Fiddle player at the synagoge (LOVE, now I want my own personal fiddler - err- who follows me around everywhere), Jewish dancing (suspect am a star at it - or just really deluded), Rabbi (the funniest front man I've ever seen in a wedding ceremony. I was in tears!).

Weddings are fun but unless you actually love the person who's getting married they're a bit of a yawn fest (especially the ceremony - which unless the priest/rev/celebrant has a gift for humour (doubtful) then you're stuck high and dry reading ahead in the program hoping it will all be over soon. I wonder if the Jews would take me in? I can get that rolling of the tongue gutteral thing going, I know all the words to "Tradition" from Fiddler and enjoy a bit of melodrama every now and again (or always). Perhaps I've finally found my faith. Yeah, okay maybe not, but I can admire the glass smashing from afar.

The reception was an afternoon affair in a trendy part of town where within 2 minutes of sitting down we were asked to get up and shake our Hebrew dancing shoes and get down to Hava Nagila. I've been to weddings where there has been some mighty fine robot moves, and weddings where the nutbush was king, and weddings were you had to partner up (ugh - come on! have some sympathy for the pathetic spinsters damn you!). I grew up with circle dances so they're no big deal but boy do I love them. I think it's the community it creates. You're all in there holding sweaty hands with someone you've never met before but there's no awkwardness. It feels just right. I guess I wish life was more like a circle dance - one in, all in - who cares what religion/race/size/gender/sexuality you are. It's just very human. It's just very fun. But I guess life isn't really like that. Life is standing in your respective corners and looking over at the other groups with curiosity and suspicion. It doesn't have to be like that. But it is..look at the current conflicts going on.

The whole day was very fun. F was there and brought the new baby along. I think I'm in love - he isn't the little scrawny thing that came out of her a few weeks ago. He's chubby and adorable. I was completely captivated but his gorgeousness (we're actually talking baby pagent type gorgeous here). B also had her little rugrats there and they kept everyone amused with their funny dancing and peek-a-boos. The one thing that upset me was E's behaviour toward M. I adore E - she's a special, super intelligent, gorgeous, giving, fun, straight shooting and kind girl - but she's also a show pony and loud..sometimes too loud. For instance, when you're saying your good byes the last thing you want to hear is E shouting something not very nice across the reception ballroom about M who has taken the high road and chosen not to say or do anything. Now, the high road is also a bit passive aggressive at times but at least it isn't mean.

Apart from that: Mazeltov!

posted by M at 7:24 pm 8 comments