CHAPTER FOUR - The Question of Marriage

C: EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

35. Glassbreaking!
(An hour to an hour and a half) [Section 9k]

The aims of this activity are:

• To focus in depth on one particular detail of the ceremony;
• To raise questions about the meanings behind the ceremony;
• To discuss the importance, or non-importance, of keeping the traditions;
• To explore and understand the symbolic meaning of these traditions.

• Trigger activity:
A glass is wrapped in some kind of thick cloth; it is put down on the floor, clearly and deliberately; and one of the group is invited to come and smash it.

• Ask the group where we see this strange ritual being enacted; if it can be assumed that they know the answer, they should also offer the reason for this action.

• Write up any responses on a large sheet of poster board. (The most likely response is that which relates the glass to the destruction of the Temple.)
• Assuming that not all the four answers suggested in the background part of the chapter are mentioned, explain that very often there are multiple reasons for doing something and that different interpretations of this ritual have been put forward.
• Split into small groups - their task is to see if they can suggest up to five serious, possible reasons for the ritual.

• The entire group comes back together and presents their different ideas. If they did not offer some or all of the reasons brought in the background section, this is the time to add them:

Besides the remembrance of the destruction of the Temple, they are:-

• A warning against too much levity: a wedding is a serious affair.
• A warning concerning the fragility of human relationships and a suggestion that the couple will have to work hard to make the marriage hold firm.
• A reminder of our commitment to Tikkun Olam – to repairing the evils of the world.

• Each person now chooses his or her two favourite reasons from the list, and writes them down, with explanations.

• Going around the group, participants explain their choices.

• Main focus:
If the idea of glass as a symbol of destruction of the Temple and a reminder to all of us that our situation as a nation is far from ideal, how does the shattered glass serve as a symbol of our collective plight?

• Is it a suitable symbol?
• Why? Why not?

• Opening up the issue:
Divide into small groups and ask the following quesiton:

• Given that the Jewish People now have a sovereign state of their own, has the time come to drop the idea of the breaking of a glass in memory of the Temple?
• Each group has to suggest a number of reasons for dropping the traditional interpretation and a number of reasons for keeping it.

• Closing the issue:
A discussion is held on the issue, involving all of the group.

• At the end a vote should be taken to see whether the majority of the group favours this ceremony, or not.
• For those who believe that the interpretation should be dropped,:
  • Should the whole tradition of breaking the glass be dropped?
  • Or should it continue with a different primary interpretation?
  • If so, which?