They say knowledge is power, but ignorance can also breed knowledge.

     With as crazy as my life is, I try to take things as they come up, rather than stress about fitting them all in my schedule.  From weddings to graduations, no matter how organized we are, we still seem to end up with some sort of conflict.

     As the invitations came in, I glanced at them, marked my calendar, and filed them away.  I didn't look closely to the venues, but I could figure that out later.  One wedding was the son of my friend who's Jewish, so I assumed it was at a synagogue somewhere.  I've never been to a Jewish Wedding and I was anxious to learn more about the culture.

     My friend had told me the wedding was in Grand Rapids Ohio, and suggested I give it a "dry run" to make sure I could find it, but I had my handy GPS; I had it under control.

     The day of the wedding I typed in the address and hit the road; still anticipating a Jewish wedding.  It turns out it was being performed at the Nazareth Hall.  I had never been to this hall nor did I read much into the name, but it sure didn't sound Jewish.

     Seeing the outside, it also didn't look like a synagogue, but who was I to judge...

      As I was escorted in, I noticed this looked more like a church than I would have thought...

     It wasn't long before I discovered the bride was Lutheran and the service was Lutheran as well.  It looked like I wasn't going to experience a Jewish wedding after all.

                              
     The Reception hall was beautifully designed and indeed vintage.

     But I had no knowledge about this historic building.

     The detailed architecture looked as if it could be over a hundred years old; with finely crafted moldings, not found in modern day construction.

     As the night went on I learned this establishment used to be a boys military school back in the early 1900s.  I became more and more intrigued about the history behind this place that I had for some reason never been to; though I've lived around 25 miles away all of my life.

     When I first arrived my mind was more focused on other things, rather than the building it's self, but as I was leaving I paid closer attention to the  artistic design of the building and found it amazing.

      The next day I knew I had to learn more about this hall, so I did some research, and learned it was built in 1929 and indeed was a boys military school run by catholic nuns; incidentally, I went to a catholic elementary school, back in the days where nuns were teachers.  After about seventy years this military school was closed down; though a decade later became the hall it is today; hosting weddings and many other events.

     So I went expecting to gain some knowledge; however my ignorance caused me to gain some wisdom I wasn't expecting.  Oh... at the end of the ceremony, they did break a glass and shout "Mozel Tov", which is a Jewish expression meaning "good luck".  So I learned a tiny piece of Jewish  tradition after all:)

     This only proves; just because you don't know everything doesn't mean you don't have the power to learn it:)


Have a great weekend!!


Christine:)