Chicago, IL – Couple’s Wedding, Outdoors Chuppah Goes On Despite Blizzard

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    Chicago, IL – The Wednesday evening nuptials of Sarah Finkel and Shmulie Schochet gave new meaning to the term “white wedding.”

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    The bride, a Skokie native, and the groom, who hails from Toronto, had decided to hold their marriage ceremony midweek so that out-of-town guests could then enjoy a long weekend in Chicago, explained Phil Finkel, the father of the bride.

    Many of the out-of-towners — and even some of the Chicago-area guests — never made it because of the history-making snowstorm. But Phil Finkel said most of the “main players” managed to be on hand. Luckily, that included the groom’s grandfather, Rabbi Dovid Schochet of Toronto, who performed the marriage ceremony.

    The couple, both 21, even followed the Jewish tradition of setting up their wedding altar, or chuppah, outside under the stars — though the guests watched from the warm confines of the Westin O’Hare hotel in Rosemont.

    And despite the disappointment over loved ones who missed the blessed event, the families refused to view the storm as a damper.

    “It’s a happy occasion that the snow cannot deter. The snow does not change anything,” said Bernie Finkel, of Evanston, the bride’s grandfather. “There is thought in the Jewish religion about luck: the dew in the spring at Passover, the rain in the fall during Sukkot. And now I am saying snowfall is lucky too. This is a special time. There should be a special time to pray for snow.”

    The weather did lend a modern touch to the traditional Orthodox ceremony: The groom’s sister “watched” through a laptop Web camera from out of state, since she couldn’t make it to the ceremony.

    And, as Phil Finkel pointed out, there should be no trouble remembering their anniversary.


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    7 Comments
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    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    13 years ago

    Mazal tov

    Oldtimer
    Oldtimer
    13 years ago

    Mazel Tov. May they build a Bayis Ne’eman B’Yisrael.

    maitiv
    maitiv
    13 years ago

    The Schochet family are very highly regarded in Chabad circles but originally they are from the town of Telz in Lithuania, and are of the family of the Alter from Kelm.

    13 years ago

    Mazel tov! Glad that the wedding went on. Back in ’96 blizzard, the wedding here was almost cancelled. Their caterers weren’t able to come that day so the bar mtizvah dinner was given to them and invited local residents while their out of town guests weren’t able to come. Yes, something to remember on that day!

    BeKind
    BeKind
    13 years ago

    The Schochets are an illustrious family, replete with Rabbis and scholars. Hashem should bless both families. Amen.

    Gabbai_Rishon
    Gabbai_Rishon
    13 years ago

    Rabbi Dovid Schochet is the senior Chabad rabbi in Ontario.

    rivky
    rivky
    13 years ago

    The Schochets are the best. They took in my daughter who was stranded at the Chicago airport for many many hours because her flight was canceled. They gave her food and a place to sleep and personally took her under their wing. I was then thanked for giving them an opportunity to do a Mitzva. Thank you so much Mrs. Schochet and family.