Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li, Made Real
Elul is an acronym; Ani L'Dodi V'dodi Li: "I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me."
With it,
the sacred loving relationship of G-d and His people is metaphorically described, in this
most
auspicious month, the last of our Jewish year.
This year, indeed this Shabbat, this tender theme turns personal for a once 14 month
old baby
who arrived
to Boynton Beach
24 years ago. He was then the only child of Rabbi &
Mrs.
Sholom
& Dinie Ciment. He c
ompleted
their
trio
of pioneering Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim
who came
to establish, in the "no-mans land" of that time -
central Palm Beach County - Judaism's
first,
and only,
traditional Jewish presence.
This little, long curly haired boy, is today Rabbi Menachem Mendel Ciment. This Shabbat,
Mendel
will
begin
walking to his
Chuppah by first being called-up, "uf Ruf " receiving an
Aliyah to the
Torah,
followed by a showering of sweets onto him by all in attendance.
Notably, Mendel's "uf ruf" will take place in The Rebbe's private study at 770 Eastern
Parkway,
opened each
Shabbat for such services. Mendel, as a newborn child arriving home from
the
hospital, merited to have been brought before The Rebbe who by then had suffered a major
stroke. The Rebbe was seated at the entrance to this same study as he closely followed the
newborn
child being held in father's hands with his
irrepressible,
renowned, holy
blue eyes.
Monday, September 3 at The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenwich, Connecticut, Mendel
will
G-d willing marry his
beloved
bride,
Mussie Kantor, in an auspicious hour. Mussie is also
the oldest child in
her family. Her parents, Rabbi & Mrs. Yehuda Leib Kantor are the Chabad
Shluchim to Westport, CT.
Mendel and Mussie will be making Elul's promised blessing
of "I am to my beloved and my
beloved
is to me," come alive. On it, they will begin building their new home in Israel on the
everlasting
foundation of Hashem's
Torah
and Mitzvot as they are illuminated by the beacon
of G-dly light,
the teachings of Chassidus.
May the new couple be blessed with only joy, good health and prosperity - materially and
spiritually -
as they prepare to bring into the world the next generation of Chassidim; G-d
fearing
Torah scholars, dedicated to Judaism and to our people, committed to
Torah and
to its Mitzvot. May they be blessed with their every
need, always.
Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov!
Mazel Tov to the Ciment and Kantor families and Mazel Tov to the entire Jewish community
of Greater Boynton Beach, who are all
considered extended family.
