That was Irèn and Eyal just after they were married so Irèn had removed her veil. Soon after I moved onto the Moshav her mother turned up and asked if I would help Irèn with spoken English for her matriculation. I then got sort of adopted into the family and went to them every Shabbat and Chagim [Sabbath and Holy Days] there. When I moved to a different bungalow it was too far to walk. I was wearing my full leg calipers - the right one coming up to and around my waist, and I was hanging on to both bride and groom to make sure I did not fall down! I do not wear those horrid things any more because tbh wheels are much more comfortable. One of Irèn's brothers had taken me [and chair] to the wedding, and brought me home after the disco ended, and yes, I disco danced in my chair until it finished at 3am! This photograph is really embarrassing but the groom insisted I danced with him. On my feet. The bride's father disco-dancing with me [thankfully in my chair!]
Incidentally this was outside - the actual wedding was in Irèn's parents front garden where there were drinks and snacks, the actual ceremony having to be after dark - we then went on to the Wedding Hall where another few thousand were invited for the meal and dancing. I mean that really was some wedding! You would not believe it! And can you guess what was the last song played? And I did, oh boy did I!
There were so many photographers, both still and video, so instead of picking out some for me they gave me the lot. Quite a few DVDs! That disco was really incredible because the youngsters who had been waiting on the tables all joined in, and they just whirled and twirled me around. Some of the photographs were in black and white and this is my favourite. The only colour on me was a yellow flower on my hatband - which of course is hidden in this one and would not have shown in colour in any case! I cropped the photograph for some reason and am unable to enlarge it. Oh and that lovely hat cost all of 25 shekels in the shuk. That is ~£4.17 or $6.34
You look beautiful, Malka. And you seem to have had a wonderful time. Did the bride and groom do the chair dance?
Better explain. This Moshav is Orthodox but not Ultra - which is why Eyal danced with me [must have been late as he had removed his jacket, tie and shirt!] and why Shimon, Irèn's father held my hand to dance with me. And men and women sat together and Irèn had a short-sleeved dress and did not cover her head. But some do, some do not. And the chair dance is where the bride and groom are sat on chairs and lifted up and danced round the place. I have been to many weddings in various Wedding Halls including others in this Hall [although everything was outside in the grounds for this wedding] but this one was the one to beat them all. Something I will never forget.
We flatly refused the chair dance. My husband had visions of being dropped as he weighed over 300 lbs. He swore they wouldn't be able to get enough men around the chair to lift him and could see himself halfway up and being dropped on someone. I had to agree with him.
