Sabras, Cucumbers, and Horseback Riding

Akiva Werber, the Head of the Jewish Agency's Immigration and Absorption Department's Division for English-speaking Countries (say that three times fast), once told me a parable about Israelis.

He said Israelis are like the Sabra fruit, all hard and prickly on the outside but all soft-and mushy (and full of substance) on the inside. Then he continued. I seem to recall he was quoting his daughter. She said, on the other hand, in other developed countries people are more like cucumbers. Why cucumbers? Because they're all shiny and nice looking on the outside, but inside there really isn't all that much too them. (No offence to cucumber lovers).



Why do I bring this up? Well, there is a picture that is rapidly circulating around the blogsphere. I've been debating whether or not to post it here - but as it's likely you have already seen it anyway I'll just describe it instead.

So apparently at their wedding, a nice Jewish couple from Los Angeles, in what has got to be considered one of the greatest "shticks" (stunts) of all time, rode out on horseback after they were introduced at the first dance. Indeed from looking at the wedding pictures they posted online, the entire affair seems to have been quite as extravagant. And it's no secret, even if you haven't heard the "Wedding Song" on Abie Rotenberg's "Journeys II" album, that many Jewish American weddings tend to be more on the, shall we say, "shiny and good-looking" side.

Looking at those pictures got me thinking a bit about the pictures (posted right here at Kumah) of Yishai and Malkah's wedding in Chevron. Sure there weren't hundreds of fancy chandeliers hanging from the ceiling or polished brass hand railings. And there weren't any ponies either. But they were at Ma'arat Ha'Machpela! They were with our Fathers and Mothers!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe all this "horsing around" at Jewish weddings should serve as a wake-up call. Where are we now? Where are we headed? What is our goal as Jews?

What is really important?