Marrying Traditions

Untitled chuppah, 74" x 78", wool and wool/silk yarn on 14-gauge Aida cloth.  Designed and hooked by Lynda Latner, Ontario, Canada, 2010.

The traditional chuppah (Jewish wedding canopy) had its genesis in early biblical times. My particular journey did not begin quite so long ago. After 40 years of enjoying a wide variety of hand- and needlecrafts, I decided that creating a chuppah for my second daughter’s wedding would provide the central symbolic feature for her traditional Jewish ceremony. It would be a keepsake that could be used for generations by my children and grandchildren.

Originally, it is believed, a chuppah was fabricated from a tallis (men’s prayer shawl) and was held up over the bride and groom with four posts. It represents the Jewish home that the couple will create together. Some suggest it represents Abraham’s tent, open on all four sides, offering hospitality to his guests. 

This article is from the June/July/August 2012 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.