Rochester, MN – What was believed to be Rochester’s first Hasidic Jewish wedding Monday brought centuries-old religious traditions to Peace Plaza, where Doba Greene of Rochester and Yossi Schlass of Jerusalem were married.
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Guests were given a booklet, described as “our playbill of sorts,” to help explain the customs, and anyone who happened to pass by was welcome to stay and watch.
“A Jewish wedding in Rochester is rare, but an orthodox, traditional, Hasidic wedding hasn’t been done,” said the father of the bride, Rabbi Dovid Greene, co-director of Chabad Lubavitch of Rochester. “Our goal was to make each stage of the wedding both understandable and meaningful, as each ritual is filled with so much significance.”
The wedding was held outdoors as a symbol of God’s promise to Abraham that his children would multiply like “the stars of heaven.”
The Peace Plaza, which has been rented for weddings before, proved to be the perfect location, not only for its proximity to the Kahler Hotel, where the reception for 300 was held, but also because people of all races and religions pass through.
“It’s nice for people to see a Hasidic ritual,” said Doba Greene, 21, who said her family was sent to Rochester by a rabbi to serve Jews who come to the city for medical treatment and the wider community.
It’s tradition that the bride and groom don’t see one another for a week before the wedding, but Greene and Schlass, who owns a pizza shop in Israel, where the couple plan to live, haven’t seen each other since they were engaged in May.
The couple was reunited just before the wedding ceremony when Schlass placed a white veil made from cloth passed down through generations over Greene’s face. The veil has several meanings, including that her husband is not solely interested in her physical beauty, but her inner beauty as well. It also provides the bride with privacy at this propitious time of her life.
The ceremony ended with the groom stepping on a wine glass in remembrance of the destruction of Jerusalem and its Holy Temple. With that the guests began to clap and sing.
“Everybody should get up and dance,” the rabbi told the crowd. “It’s not a request. It’s an obligation.”
A fast-paced song began to play and Greene removed her veil, revealing a wide smile as she hugged her family and friends.
“It’s always fun to see a wedding,” said Lindy Phannestiel of Colorado, who was among the passers-by who stopped to watch the ceremony. “It reminds you of your own.”
“It’s great that they did this in a public place,” said her husband, Eric Phannestiel. “So the public can celebrate with them.”
Nonsense, jews and frum jews have lived in rochester for over 100 years. Every year there are frum weddings that take place there every year, and im sure there were even “chassidic” ones in years past. Its definitly not the “first for rochester”.
It doesn’t seem to me that this is much different than a regular frum wedding, so aside from it being outside in downtown rochester, I don’t understand why VIN is reporting on it.
Is VIN going to give updates from every wedding in the usa now? Please let us know.
Its realy Rochester, mn
I am so happy for the Chossen and Kallah. The Greene’s made it possible for me to stay at the Mayo Clinic for 10 days. They fed me gave me and place to daven and show the true definition of hachnasas Orchim and Bikur Cholim. Everyone should support this Chabad house. Mazal Tov!
Shaya Gold
mazal tov!
great family, i know the rabbi & wife and they are there to spread judaism & to help any jewish person regardless of their color & backround.
tnx
from a postville friend !!
(reply to #1 ) so cynical. In any case Mazal Tov to the Green & Schloss families!
If you would have bothered reading the article you would have seen that it was in Rochester, MN not Rochester, NY. I doubt there are frum people living there other than Chabad.
The true chesed in rochester, MN is actually done by a couple, Dr. & Mrs Kriger, who do tremendous chesed while shunning publicity.
And please don’t forget a hearty Mazaltov to the Berel Raskin families too!
#1 really really mustv’e thought the article meant Rochester. At first I also thought so, as Rochester NY is so well known versus Rochester, Minn. Obviously a very interesting tidbit from the local paper in that city. Skoach Vin 🙂
While not in anyway criticising anyone directly, I’m of the opinion(and I’m sure some will agree) that we don’t have to do everything outdoors for anyone and everyone to see and hear what’s going on. A wedding does not belong outside for all the goyim to be part of, I think it compromises a little on tznius. The goyim don’t need to see and read what an orthodox wedding looks like, its really none of their business. Again I think it was wrong to make this a public spectacle.
Mazal tov mazal tov
To rabbi and rebetzin greene
The wedding was amazing the chupah out door at the peavce plaza was wonderful I saw people looking out from all the windows
And may hashem bless the young couple to build a. Ayis neemon in the jewish and chssidic ways of life and raise children and grandchildren in the ways of torah
And do chesed as their parents from both sides do dovid and chanie in rochester and the shlass at the kosel
And may we all merit the ultimate kindness with moshiach now
Rochester, Minnesota – the first Chasidic wedding, and one of the first Frum weddings to take place there!!
WOW!!!
Kidush Hashem!
Moshiach Now!
Rabbi Dovid And Rebitzin Chani Green, Shluchim (emissary’s) of The Lubavitcher Rebbe to Rochester, Minnesota.
They live there with MesiRut Nefesh to help other Yidden.
They were zoche to raise Frum Chsiddic Children in this Dessert of Yidishkeit! And to make the first Chasidic wedding!
What a GREAT Kiddush Hashem!
Please Hashem – send Moshiach Now!!!
thank G-d that there are pepole folowing the footsteps of Reb Dovid And Chani Green and are ALSO doing Chesed in Rochester.
I had the zechus to join the Greene’s for Pesach and ate with them 1 shabbos, they deserve to acknowledged for their gret work and of course Jonathan the driver
rabbi Greene is a real tsadik
cool masmid…every lubavitcher chuppa takes place outdoors. that’s the minhag…even in a blizzard, we get married outside, it has nothing to do with making the chuppa a public spectacle, it’s just the minhag.
to # 21
Jewish custom teaches us to make a chupa outside. Over the years, Jewish events made in public have drawn many unassociated Jews to their source, Judaism. the approach of making events away from the public eye stems from an insecure feeling in Jewish pride.