By COLlive reporter
Photos by Mendy Hechtman
The last hours before his wedding, Menachem Mendel Bocovza spent escaping tropical storm Irene on his way to Canada from New York, trying to make it on time for his wedding in Israel.
Bocovza was one of the three Lubavitcher chassanim who found themselves stuck on the U.S. East Coast as flights were cancelled, train service disrupted and electricity shut down by Sunday’s hurricane.
The three Israelis were in New York to spend the Shabbos before their wedding at the Rebbe’s shul at 770 Eastern Parkway, a custom kept even after Gimmel Tammuz.
After the fast of Tisha B’Av ended and the wedding season began, Bocovza, Azaria Aaron Bayev and Aaron Michaeli made final plans for their trip and flew across the Atlantic to New York.
On Friday, August 26, it became clear to them that all New York airports were closed, so they searched for other options and found an El Al flight number 304 that leaves from Toronto on Sunday.
As COLlive reported, right after Shabbos ended, Bocovza left in a car with two friends and drove across the US-Canada border. In the car, they spoke to El Al and managed to get book a seat.
At the same time, his kallah Shirli Pinchas was sitting in Israel and closely monitoring the flights and weather news.
“I am in immense stress,” she admitted to Akiva Novik, a reporter for Yedioth Aharonot. “Everything is ready. There is a wedding, but no chosson.”
Bocovza landed Monday morning and made it to his wedding a few hours later. It was held in the events tent in the Israeli village of Kfar Chabad with friends, family and a smiling kallah.
The other two chassanim were not so lucky. They didn’t manage to leave New York on Motzoei Shabbos and remained in Crown Heights, anxiously praying for the storm to end.
They ended up finding a flight that is scheduled to land in Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday afternoon, a short hour before the wedding.
Their families are praying for a smooth flight without delays and upon arrival will be rushed directly to the chuppah.
1)the mishnah says it is o.k. but the gemoro says that it is assur to do so and even though the reason doesn’t aplly based on the reason mentioned in the gemoro, but there can be many reasons, (we don’t want the shliach marrying her himself).
2) a shliach is only for erusin not nisuin.
No room in the car to Toronto?
this is crazy!
go #5
this is crazy!
go #5
can everyone stop saying nasty comments and just be thankfull that he got there stop looking at the negettive and think about the truth he wouldnt have wanted to miss his wedding talk nicce things and this will make the rebbe proud
moshiach now!
Kidskin with a shliach is only good for kesef and shtar, vehameivin yovin.
On the contrary: The KALLA should have have a Shlucha to represent her in NY…! I think this idea is as stupid as the previous comments…
agree….if you dont have something nice to say, dont say it!
mazol tov!
yes thank you. so easy to judge. y’know, even when you THINK you know the WHOLE story, you don’t know the half.
Moshiach NOW!
Why can’t Israeli chassanim get their aliya a week prior, instead of always traveling so close to their wedding?
I find it irresponsible to put themselves, the kallah, and their families under such stress.
I
The gemarah approves kidusshin with a shliach. Why would anyone makadesh with a shliach. Well now we know why… The chossen could watch the wedding in Israel on live video, and even dance with his chaverrim in 770.
finally a wise comment!
did you hear about this ???????
im sure he wanted to miss his wedding!!!!
please post nice comments on pple
It’s not like the storm hit by surpirse. There were enough advance warnings that it was coming and that the airports will be closed. They should have taken a flight before Shabbos to avoid this.
Even without a storm, it is risky to be across the Atlantic 2 days before YOUR OWN wedding!
They had almost a week warning… why wait until last minute to try to leave!?
What’s the problem. The Gemmarah in Kedushin says you could be mekadesh with a shliach.