The email heading yesterday was “Look what you started.”
Uh oh. I’ve tried to do my best in this crazy post-Isaias world. What had I done now?
Instead, alert “06880” reader Ken Kantor’s message made my day. If not my week, month and year. Sure, the bar is low in 2020. But read on:
Dan, I want to share a special moment from today that was partially your doing.
I am a Staples High School grad (Class of 1986). I moved back to Westport 10 years ago with my wife and 2 daughters.
I read your “06880” post this morning about charging stations and WiFi at The Conservative Synagogue. My family went over to charge all our devices and let our girls update their Tik Toks. The building was closed due to COVID-19, but they had charging stations setup under a tent outside.
I soon realized that we were at temple on our 16th wedding anniversary, standing under a tent (which can double as a “chuppah” — a Jewish ceremonial canopy under which a Jewish couple stands during their wedding ceremony). So, I thought: What a perfect moment to renew my wedding vows with my beautiful wife Rachel!
I knocked on the door to see if Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn would be willing to perform an impromptu ceremony. The staff said the rabbi had left, but they would call him.
He very graciously came back to the temple. During the mini-ceremony, Rabbi Wiederhorn noted that this is also the week of a small Jewish holiday, Tu B’Av. In modern Israel it is celebrated as a holiday of love, similar to Valentine’s Day. So, another good sign!
From right: Rachel and Ken Kantor, with Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn.
Thank you to Rabbi Wiederhorn for the wedding ceremony and the WiFi! Thank you Dan for unknowingly setting this up! And thank you to my wife for marrying me again — in a parking lot, while charging our devices, while social distancing, and while completely embarrassing our 2 teenage daughters, Ruby Kantor (grade 9) and Emma Kantor (grade 8)!
Happy anniversary — and Tu B’Av!
That’s finally an uplifting event. Congratulations from a non Jew.
What a beautiful and uplifting story..
The kids may have squirmed today but I wager they will remember this moment and smile when it is their turn under the “ chuppah.”
AUGURI and MAZEL TOV.
Best wishes to the newlyweds
Absolutely love this! Your hard work pays off regularly. Thanks for all you do.
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Happy Anniversary Ken and Rachel!
Beautiful Story! Thanks Dan
Many blessings to the Kantors!
What a wonderful story! Mazel Tov to the happy couple…and it will be a lovely memory from this crazy time (even for their daughters).
Love this! Great story!
Wonderful! Moments of joy in the midst of uncomfortable circumstances.
Just to addd one more layer: Alerted by your post, Dan, that the synagogue would generously be making its WiFi available, I headed over yesterday afernoon to witness a Zoom wedding on my laptop. Little did I realize as I sat on a bench watching a couple exchange vows under a chuppah in Greenwich that the charging tent in the nearby parking lot had been pressed into similar service just a short while earlier! Love was clearly “in the air” at the synagogue yesterday!
So cool! THANKS for letting us know!
It’s so nice to see a happy story amidst this years woes and isolation. Many more years of happiness to the Kantor’s.
Great to read some happy news. Wishing you many more years of happiness.
♥️
Precious! Thank you for this uplifting story.
Mazel tov and congratulations ❗️
What an uplifting story 👍🏼✨💕
Mazel Tov Kantors.
Stay healthy – wishing you more happy anniversaries – next year in Jerusalem.
I too thank TCS for the change and WiFi.
Dan, you bring us so many great stories but this will remain one of my faves. Wishing the Kantors many more happy years together in Westport. Mazel tov.
Mazel Tov. What a beautiful way to celebrate your wonderful anniversary vows. Wishing you a hundred more years is happiness
Mazel Tov! Beautiful and uplifting and so needed at a time when nearly everything we read is depressing and negative. Congratulations to the Kantors and “thank you” to Dan for sharing their love story.
Mazel tov!
And why do you only claim allegiance to Staples when you also went to Coleytown Jr HS..,and had at least 1 not so bad language arts teacher!?
What a fabulous story! As a former Westport resident belonging to TCS and so appreciating Rabbi Weiderhorn, it brought a big smile to my face and love in my heart. Dan you keep me connected everyday to Westport! Thank you for all you do. Mazel Tov to Ken and Rachel!