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The First Wedding
Sophia is being ordained this weekend and has posted his thoughtful Friday Five:"This has me thinking of the special rites of passage in our lives which we participate for ourselves or in which we support and bless others: baptism, confirmation, marriage, ordination, graduation, funerals, etc. Such important days, so exciting and joyous, but also sometimes anxiety provoking or deeply painful....So, this week, please share five memories of such sacred moments with God and her holy people from your life and the lives of those you love."1. I have vague memories of my first communion and confirmation, as when I had those rites I think I was in the 2nd grade? I know I wore a wedding type dress and had to choose a confirmation name, No memories of my baptism at all as that happened shortly after I was born, but I still have the shoes!
2.I remember my weddings, both of them. Since I'm a lesbian, the first, at my partners synagogue, was not legal. It has also been the cause of great discord over the years as, even though it was held at Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (they rented us the space), the largest lgbt shul in the world and the only one in NYC (and my wife's spiritual home) the head rabbi and the assistant rabbi would not marry us because I am Christian.
The second one was in Toronto and is legal in Canada. We still don't have the 1000+ legal rights that heterosexuals married in the United States have. This is made all the more apparent as we are buying a new place now and have to put in place all kinds of protections in case one of us predeceases the other (that leagalese for die,) sigh.
3 My cousin, Becky's funeral. She was 40 and the first of my generation to die. She had type one diabetes.
4.My godchilds wedding. It was in London, Ohio. So she can say she was married in London.
5.My graduation from Hunter College with a Masters Degree in Counseling. It was a part of the city colleges of NY. After they served popsicles! It was great!
