“Reciprocation is the glue that holds this community together.” Neil MacDonald
Remember : “It’s not what you’re looking at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau
The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
Although we think of arranged marriage as something that happened in Fiddler on the Roof, many cultures still adhere to the custom today, including Ultra Orthodox Jews. The following is a scene from my first novel PLEASE SAY KADDISH FOR ME. The year is 1902 and takes place in a little village in Eastern Europe.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
BEHIND THE VEIL
“Mama?”
White satin gleamed in the lamplight. Straightening to ease the ache wracking her spine, Fruma Ya’el set the gown aside.
“What’s troubling you, child?”
“This wedding’s a mistake.” Gittel knelt and laid her head in Fruma Ya’el’s lap.
Fruma Ya’el’s heart ached for her girls. Any fool could see Havah and Arel had fallen in love. What could she do? Betrothal papers were signed years ago.
She combed her fingers through Gittel’s auburn hair. “Some things cannot be changed. Arel’s love for you will grow over time, as will yours for him. You believe this don’t you?”
“Do you?”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
We call them arranged marriages, but really they’re forced marriages. Good one, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Dear Neil,
They are forced. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
ahhh – this was nice and had me thinking of Fiddler on the Roof
🙂
and cool photo
LikeLike
Happy New Year, Rochelle. This is a great snippet from Book1. Gittel always was one of my favourites. In the beginning I liked her more than Havah, who needed time to grow on me. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Gabriel
The irony with Gittel is that when I first conceived of the situation I saw her as being a shrew who would rub her betrothal to Arel in Havah’s face. From the first draft on, Gittel ‘wrote herself’ as a truly wonderful person. Through it all, Havah loved her and never blamed her. Admittedly, Havah’s not always the easiest person to like. While she’s not selfish, she is determined.
I’m happy you stopped by to read. 😀 Thank you and Happy New Year.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Rochelle. The difficult chatacters are the best and now I love her. It’s interesting how characters manage to write themselves and make the story even better.
LikeLike
I remember this three-way relationship, and the way each of them dealt with it, with sadness, regret and a sense of inevitability. Nice to revisit that period of the saga. Happy New Year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
Your sweet comments warm me on this frigid winter morning. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
The triangulation that sells in cinema, and a reality that messes up lives and relationships.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Reena,
Real life triangles don’t make for happy endings do they? Thank you for reading and commenting. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
They cannot, due to the imbalance.
LikeLike
The thought of arranged marriages makes me sad for all those that have to endure it. Great story, and Happy New Year.
LikeLike
Dear Jen,
I’m not convinced that all arranged marriages end in disaster. A number of love marriages do, though. Thank you and Happy New Year
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
Very true Rochelle. All marriage is susceptible to disaster.
LikeLike
I wonder how today’s young people see arranged marriages. Powerful story telling Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Michael,
I’d say that today’s young people would shun arranged marriages in horror. But the truth is that so many love matches sadly end in divorce these days. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
When arranged marriages was the norm, maybe love was the exception… but I do think that parents tried to weigh it in as a factor… maybe for some there was a comfort that they didn’t have to find a mate for themselves…. Have a happy new year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Björn,
I still don’t believe that all arranged marriage were or even are evil. There are probably many variables to consider. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Really great piece, Rochelle. Arranged marriages are still the norm is a few cultures. In a way it makes sense, since the idea was that offspring form alliances between families (and even nations). The concept of marriage being a legal contract that compels both parties to be happy is a relatively new one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear J Hardy
I’m not completely convinced that arranged marriage isn’t a better plan than the current trend of marry-in-lust-regret-in-disgust. But that’s just me. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Beautiful story.. bit sad.. but reality. Arranged Marriages are the norm in our culture in India. But, that doesn’t mean our family is against love marriages. Many in my family are having love marriages. Both have their own benefits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lata,
I love the perspective from the other side. I’m grateful for all of the different cultures represented in Friday Fictioneerrs. Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
A great “slice of life” scene and my heart aches for the person who marries with serious doubts like this. You have such a gift for lifting out a scene that will generate discussion. 🙂
Although I’m not at all in favour of arranged marriages, one can’t say that marrying for love is batting a thousand these days, either. The biggest advantage of arranged marriages is commitment to marriage as well as commitment to the person. In those cultures there’s seldom a back door, no OUT if it doesn’t work. (Which is the biggest problem if they end up hating each other.)
As our cousin Rose said with a grin, “We’ve been married fifty years and never once talked divorce. Murder, yes. Divorce, never.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Christine,
I can so relate to your cousin Rose. 😉 No back doors. A good way to put it. Thank you for reading, commenting and complimenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy New Year Rochelle..star crossed lovers and marriages. So common in my country. Could relate to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Balaka,
Thank you for weighing in on the subject. It does seem that India’s in the lead for arranged marriages. I’ve heard both pros and cons. But then, the results of love marriages aren’t exactly glowing endorsements. 😉
Shalom and Happy New Year,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel for Gittel…the last line of the story is echoing in my head. How fortunate we are to be allowed to choose our own partners.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Magarisa,
One has to feel for Gittel. I sometimes wonder if we’re always better off left to our own choices. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
When left to our own choices, we have nobody to blame but ourselves. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
The arranged marriages in the novel laid a foundation for intrigue, love-hate relations and the possibility of many outcomes. Of course, that means you don’t want to lay the book down because you have to know what happens. Well, anyway, that is what happened with me. Great job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jan,
It makes me happy to know how involved you got in my stories. 😀
Thanks m’luv.
LikeLike
Arranged for reasons that the heart does not know. Everyone should be allowed to make their own mistakes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jane,
And we all make mistakes, don’t we? 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Decades ago I knew a young woman from India whose parents tried to arrange her marriage. She rebelled and complained bitterly but they asked her just to meet him and get to know him. She did and eventually they did marry quite willingly. Of course, I’m sure it doesn’t always turn out that way, and didn’t in the past.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear James,
As with any custom, I imagine there are both good and not so good outcomes. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your closing words suggest she’s not at all sure. Why would she be?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Keith,
The answers to those questions are found in my first novel, Please Say Kaddish for Me. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I could picture this scene in my head very easily. It’s actually lovely and warm even though Gittel is being pushed into a marriage she doesn’t want. This story felt real to me. That’s due to to some great writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Eric,
Many thanks for such a warm and lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure anyone really believes it will work out. I wonder how any marriage begun under such circumstances ever survives. Powerful drama Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Iain,
This situation does have a few surprises in the wings. 😉 Not the best situation in any case. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww my heart aches for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mine, too, Louise and I know where this is headed. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The thought of love growing to replace another is hard for a Westerner to comprehend, but presumably it does happen. As it does in your book, which I read with pleasure. Happy New Year, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Liz,
Nothing’s sweeter than another writer saying my book was a pleasure. 😀 Love did indeed grow between Arel and Gittel. ❤ Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Another thought-provoking snippet provided. 🙂
I chased my wife until she caught me. We’d been married about ten years, when I overheard her tell a neighbor, “I married him because he was very intelligent, and I thought that smart men made a lot of money.” Oh, you seductive vixen, you had me at ‘credit check.’ We just passed our 50th wedding anniversary, so I understand the ‘murder, yes – divorce, no’ idea. 😯
Happy and productive New Year, guys. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Archon,
Congratulations, you’re officially an oddity. Anymore 5 years is some kind of a record, let alone 50. We’re 4 years behind you unless one of us does the other one in. 😉 Thank you re my snippet.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
One of the benefits you gain from reworking these excerpts from your novels is that you have thought intensively about all the characters. They have back stories that are adequate for a novel. And that really shows in what you contribute to FF every week. Good writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Penny,
I am enjoying writing these little snippets for the coffee table books. After fifteen years of getting to know them it gives me a little extra time with them. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a sure recipe for regret.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Could be, Alice. 😦 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Rochelle,
You know… I figure there is a 50/50 chance that the marriage will work out. As mentioned above, more than half of the “love” marriages end in divorce. That said, having read the novel(s), I so know how this will play out 😉
Lotsa love,
Dale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale,
Marriage seems to have a revolving door in this day and age. No guarantees that a love match will work out. 😉 And I know you know…<3 Thank you for your constant support and your love of my loooong list of characters.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
That I do, my friend!
LikeLike
Like Dale, I know how it ends but it was a nice revisit. I love the question “Do you?” I played tennis with a young girl who was in an arranged marriage. She was happy and didn’t have any regrets (although she had a lot of children for her age) but I think these days she may well be the exception, especially in a western society.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Irene,
As you also know, not all of the arranged marriages in my books are miserable…not even Gittel’s marriage to Arel. 😉 I’m glad you enjoyed the revisit.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those last two words were so powerful–“Do you?” But I’ll bet the silence that followed was even more powerful. Very poignant, Rochelle. Happy New Year! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jan,
In the book there’s not a lot of silence following. However, Fruma Ya’el, who is in a loveless, arranged marriage, knows what the answer is. 😉 Thank you and Happy New Year. ❤
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This, unfortunately, is a very common occurrence still in our country also. Has been reflected in umpteen number of Bollywood films down the ages too as a result.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Anurag,
I’ve heard a lot about arranged marriages in India…especially this week. 😉 Both pros and cons. Sometimes I wonder if we wouldn’t be better off…either way, marriage is a hit or miss proposition, isn’t it?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good excerpt from your book, Rochelle. Fathers were trying to provide security for their children but it was as hard as life at the time. In some parts of the world, it still exists. In my husband’s family, the arrangement is with the consent of the woman and man and isn’t forced. Some make love marriages. —- Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Suzanne
It’s nice that, at least in your husband’s family, the arrangements are contingent on the consent of the couple. Sounds civilized. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe I should explain as the term “love marriage” isn’t used in the west. It just means two people fall in love and marry for that reason. The other type of marriage is the arranged marriage. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hear that sometimes love does grow in these circumstances, but I bet not always or even often. I guess it’s too hard for her to break away from tradition and refuse the marriage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Ali,
Gittel is a very obedient daughter. Breaking away from tradition and custom is almost unthinkable to her. Thank you for reading and adding your voice to the discussion.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a tough call. Many of us have a knee jerk reaction against arranged marriage, but who’s to say a well considered match agreed on all sides couldn’t be just as successful in the long term as a love match. Goodness knows most of those don’t work out! A poignant scene, Rochelle and I love how you’ve made it so for all concerned, conveyed the fact that there is an inevitability about such things as far as the characters are concerned. Brava!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lynn,
In my books I also have arranged marriages that did work out well. But I wouldn’t want to divulge too much. 😉 It is hard for us who have so much freedom of choice to imagine being subject to such ‘oppressive’ customs. On the other hand what we call love doesn’t always endure, does it? 😦 Thank you for your affirming comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re so right on all counts Rochelle. It’s impossible to predict which relationships will endure long term, arranged or otherwise. Respect, understanding, tolerance, all count for a lot even after the passion fades. A great read
LikeLike
My heart aches for Gittel. No one should have to go through this cruelty . However, in my part of the world it still is a common scene, you know, not allowing one’s sons and daughters to marry the person of their choice if he/ she is not ‘suitable’ enough.
Mine is an arranged marriage too but thankfully our hearts were still with us and we happened to like each other right from the first email.
I love your wonderful excerpt,Rochelle. Makes me want to know more about them and their future. Also , makes me think how love in a marriage is much more than mushy words and feelings.
A very Happy New Year to you and your family.
Best wishes,
Moon
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Moon,
Naturally I hope you’ll read the book to find out more. 😉 (And the other two after that. How am I doing on the pushy scale?)
I’m glad that things have worked for you and your husband. I don’t believe arranged marriage is all bad. It’s worked for many for centuries. Orthodox Jews in America still practice the custom.
Happy New Year to you and yours.
Shalom,,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Such a sad situation here. It makes me wonder how they all got on in the book. In India, arranged marriages still happen and people just grit it out. Love is not expected, and people perform their roles with a sense of duty. If love blooms, it’s a bonus. 🙂 I guess both kinds of marriages have their pros and cons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Joyful,
This has turned out to be an interesting topic of discussion this week. Love it! For Gittel it’s particularly sad because she knows her sister Havah is in love with Gittel’s husband to be.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Nice to see you back amongst us this week.
On the flip side, an increasing number of ‘love’ marriages end in divorce. Commitment is a word that is hardly understood any more.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am glad to be back too 🙂
LikeLike
I’m not sure I believe it! Great story, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Clare,
Fruma Ya’el doesn’t believe her own words. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
My first marriage was arranged at our births, so very close together. My first husband and I grew up knowing that we’d always have each other, all our lives. We didn’t think any differently and we honestly, truly, and whole-heartedly loved each other as friends long before the day of our marriage. It was our dream come true the day we said our vows. Two and a half weeks later, when we lowered him into the earth I wanted nothing more than to go there with him. Still, even today, when I think of him, my heart bubbles over with love and joy. I am beyond thankful for having him in my life. Not all arranged marriages are a negative experience. I so loved your story, Rochelle, and how they grew to love one another. 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jelli,
That’s so sad. But I thank you for your very different and loving perspective. I’m so pleased you read the book and know that they did grow to love each other. 😉 ❤
Shalom, my friend.
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have it on my nook and am re-reading what I have. Still waiting to hopefully get the last one you wrote. Maybe later this month. Got a grocery card for Christmas…not arguing as it was what we truly needed.
Shalom, Jelli
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle
Arranged marriages, forced marriage, whatever the marriage, there is nothing forced about this prose. Delightful writing, jam packed with vivid emotions. One of my favourite scenes from Please Say Kaddish For me.
Shalom
Kelvin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Kelvin,
Of course it makes me really happy that you enjoyed this scene in the book. Such a challenge to distill it down to 100 words. 😉 Thank you for your generous comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
i have several friends whose marriages were arranged. they don’t seem to have any regrets. to each his own, i guess.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Plaridel,
I think as with love marriages, there are good and bad situations. Thanks for coming by. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Countess Purpulla W(T)F,
Do any of those cultures have arranged divorces? It seems they should at least have to renew their marriage license from time to time.
Just a thought,
Stevie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Stevie,
That’s actually not a bad idea. I mean we have to renew our drivers’ licenses, food handlers permits, liquor licenses…why not marriage licenses? I wonder how many renewals there would be. Thoughts to ponder. Thank you for stopping by. Don’t forget your tube of Preparation H and grab some Fruity Pebbles on the way out. (Made with real pebbles).
Shalom,
Countess Purpula W(T)F
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just a word of forewarning . . .
I’m turning Criminal Mimes into a longer story (possibly novella length). In addition to stealing the invisible box and Do Not Remove tags, our little white-faced fiend (that’s right fiend–not a typo) is a cereal killer. Naturally, she only finishes off varieties that are high in fiber and taste like hay–talk about one sick individual.
Even if Lowry does catch her, I’m not sure what kind of institution they’ll put her in.
I sure feel sorry for her poor, long-suffering husband. 🙂
Perhaps we should collaborate on a children’s version of this. You could do the illustrations and I write the story. Together we could be Dr. Sheesh. What’d ya think?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Euell Gibbons ghost! It sounds like an interesting plot. Great idea! We should sell upwards of ten copies. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, that’s double figures. Pretty impressive, if you ask me.
LikeLike
Such a painful yet loving moment between them. I feel for her, forced into a marriage she had no want for. So very well told Rochelle. This moment is very poignant
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Laurie
Actually Gittel has accepted this marriage for half of her life. She knows that Arel’s in love with Havah. Such a tangled web. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my…I feel for Gittel. I’m afraid I don’t believe that old tradition and it appears, neither does she. Poor girl! 😢
LikeLike
Dear Kat,
It would be a tough situation to be in, but Gittel’s a very obedient daughter. Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I visited with one of my Indian work partners a year ago. I live in US. The topic was arranged marriage. It still happens, it still works. I found it interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dan,
As you can see by going through my comment section, this has stirred up quite a discussion. For many in India and in Orthodox Judaism, this custom still works. And we can see just how many love marriages end in divorce. Thank you for reading and commenting. Always appreciated.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Such a tender and poignant story – I feel for Mama and for Gittel. How does a mama pass on the entrenched rules to her daughter ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Francine,
I think it was difficult for a woman to break away from tradition. Obviously the mother feels as trapped as her daughter. Thank you for your kind comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The sense of trepidation and mistake in both mother and daughter is so strong – Gittlel’s last question so poignant and telling. So sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sarah Ann,
Mother and daughter are, at this stage, prisoners of tradition. 😦 Thank you so much for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I must be missing something cause I’m confused. Who is marrying whom?
LikeLike
Dear Connie,
I’m sorry if it’s confusing. Gittel is betrothed to Arel,, but and her mother both know that Gittel’s sister and Arel are in love. So Gittel is trying to back out of the marriage which is to be the next day for Havah’s sake.
shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
A good tale. So sad though- like going to prison!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Vivian,
Any marriage can seem like a prison, can’t it? Certainly one a person is forced into. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good as always. I am so happy we don’t have the betrothal worked out by parents. While I, at times, regret my two marriages, having my father choose my bride would have been dreadful.
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2018/01/05/disappearing-act/
Scott
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Scott,
I have to confess that I wonder what might have happened if my parents had chosen my husband. 😉 Best to leave those thoughts in the ‘leave well enough alone.’ Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
For me, might not have been worse in the end, but still…
LikeLike
This is so sad I can feel the pain myself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Linda,
Sorry you’re sad, but I’ll take it as a compliment. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Fully intended as a compliment. It’s very good writing when the reader can experience the sorrow of the characters–but you know that 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I completely understood that, Linda. It’s what we want to do as authors, to make the reader feel what our characters are feeling. One of the best pieces of advice I received in a workshop was, “Don’t make your characters cry. Make your readers cry.” Again thank you. There really was no misunderstanding. I apologize if I sounded sarcastic. I didn’t mean to. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, not at all. I was concerned that you may have felt I was being critical 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are a lot of love triangles in opera, too, but not many happy endings there. When Aida’s lover, General Radames, refused to marry the princess Amneris, he and Aida were buried alive and left to die.
Free will is always better 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jan,
I can’t say that this love triangle has a completely happy ending either. 😉 Free will is definitely better. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very nice excerpt from your book. Forced marriages where the bride (or groom) is coerced into marrying someone is always wrong. And so is marrying a stranger (and now we have reality TV shows that do that).
Thirty years back who would have thought of marrying someone you’ve known only through the internet.
And what is love? Is it really denied to people who get thrown together by matchmakers? If you cannot communicate with your partner the marriage will fail – love or arranged. But a triangle always complicates things – to the delight of the author ;-).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Subroto,
If there’s one thing I have no use for it’s “reality” TV. Of course before the internet there were mail order brides and people did meet through correspondence. I guess we’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places for centuries. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I am not against arranged marriages. It is a big part of muslim culture. Although most marriages in my community are love marriages. And yes, many of these love marriages do end in divorce. Arranged marriages, if performed when both parties are adults, have the benefit of objectivity which long term partnerships require. Love marriages could benefit from the brutal honesty that objectivity lends, sometimes love is all about what we wish to see in another person instead of what is really there.
Lovely sketch, Rochelle, I am intrigued!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Fatima,
I think when the marriages are between two consenting and, hopefully, objective adults there are pros and cons on both sides of the issue. 😉 Thank you for comments and perspectives.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartbreaking last line…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mission accomplished! Thank you, Dahlia.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have worked with people of other cultures where marriages were arranged and some seem to thrive as well or better than those of choice. The marriage relationship is complex. The reasons two people chose each other are not always for the best. Good story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Susan,
As Westerners who have been fed a steady diet of movies and love stories, it’s difficult to fathom that an arranged marriages might actually work. Although, in the 19th century, mail order brides weren’t unheard of and today there’s eHarmony. 😉 Just sayin’. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I really like the way there’s knowledge that is shared but can’t be spoken
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Rachel. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Happy new year 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Count. To you, too.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shalom is a very definite goodbye
LikeLike
Nope…shalom is peace…hello and goodbye…and an open ended farewell at that…
LikeLiked by 1 person
ooooh… I thought it was only goodbye, I’m clearly mistaken
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful writing as ever, Rochelle. Not all arranged marriages are bad. Mine’s an arranged marriage as well. (Half of the statement has to be validated by the missus :D) Cheers, Varad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Varad,
While I always enjoy compliments on my writing, what I’ve enjoyed most bout this week has been the feedback and discussion sparked by my little snippet. In my novels there are good arranged marriages as well. 😉 At any rate, I love the cultural exchange and am happy to know that your marriage is one of the good ones. 😀 May it always be so. Thank you
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
But it worked out for them, albeit in a tragic way.
I’ve read a few books where the marriage was arranged and it seems people mostly grow to love one and other. I wonder what the real percentages are. I have married twice and didn’t choose well either time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dawn,
There are no guarantees, are there? Even when you’ve married the love of your life. Poor Arel really did love both Gittel and Havah and I’m sure would have stayed with Gittel…but, hey, I’ve already given too much away. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely excerpt. I can feel the Gittel’s sadness.
Like you, I don’t think all arranged marriages are necessarily bad. It gives a couple an opportunity to be friends and friendship can last a lot longer than lust. Considering that I write a lot of romances, that viewpoint might seem ironic. 🙂
LikeLike
Brilliantly told as usual Rochelle. I don’t how it all turned out but it can’t have been good with a start like that
LikeLike