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Published: October 30th 2007
Graceland
Home for Elvis Presley, tourist trap for the rest of us.Mazel Tov!
-- ‘Good fortune’ - a phrase that is often said frequently and loudly at Jewish celebrations.
The excited exclamation brings me back from my brief daydream, after a couple of minutes listening to a foreign speech that I can not understand. I look around and find myself sitting among a hundred enthusiast worshippers inside Baron Hirsch Synagogue - an intricate American Orthodox Judaism synagogue in the City of Blues - Memphis, Tennessee. The congregation hall is inviting, with stain glass windows hanging high, depicting several bearded men and various Hebrew inscriptions. High above at the ceiling, the familiar six-sided Star of David adorns the focal point of the room. Two nations flags - the U.S. Stars and Stripes flag and the Israeli flag - frame where the platform
Interestingly enough, it almost felt like a humiliating nightmare for me, when everybody looks at you as if you’re running around naked. How do I end up here - a naive Asian with a bright red
yarmulke skull-cap on top of his head, grinning ear to ear?
Our good friend Courtney has decided to do her wedding ceremony in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee and husband-to-be Lior has brought
Meet Elvis, the King
Elvis in his younger days, Graceland. her to become Judaism, one of the oldest religions in the world.
They have erected the
chuppah in the center of the podium for the ceremony - an open four-sided canopy, a reminder of Abraham and Sarah’s tent, a symbolism of building a home where all family and friends are welcomed.
It is interesting to see and learn on what they do in a Jewish wedding - including presentation of
ketubah - marriage contact which is written in ancient language of Aramaic, bride’s circling the groom seven times for good luck, the seven blessings, and breaking the glass - a reminiscent of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem.
Many of Lior’s immediate family have flown over from Israel for the occasion, so our six hour drive from Atlanta is definitely not worth of mentioning.
Other than the wedding, we manage to make a quick stop at the Graceland - the biggest tourist trap ever, in my opinion, where King of Blues Elvis Presley used to live. The high admission fee of twenty-five dollars hinders us from entering the property, so we have to be satisfied just looking the ‘mansion’ from a distance.
Memphis is
Elvis Prestley
Elvis' territorial - Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. entirely located in State of Tennessee, but right at the border of three states of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. We have a lunch at Memphis downtown at Beale Street, where the pedestrian friendly Peabody Place is located.
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