What goes on at the kallahs tisch and the chatans tisch?
Since “tisch” is the Yiddish word for “table,” the terms “kallah’s tisch” and “chatan’s tisch” mean, literally, “bride’s table” and “groom’s table.” During the first half of the cocktail hour, Julian will mingle with guests in the cocktail room while Shanna entertains (and is entertained by) close female friends and relatives at a table in a private room. Here, she will attempt to give a d’var torah, or short lesson on Jewish law. The guests at the table will interject with jokes and songs, trying to lighten the mood and put Shanna at ease before the wedding. One of her guests will also lead the others in mincha, the afternoon prayers. After about 20 minutes, Shanna will be escorted into the cocktail room (with Julian safely out of sight) and led to a specially decorated chair—a symbolic throne for the bride, who is treated as a queen. The period which follows is known as hachnasat kallah (literally, “attending the bride”). Guests will greet the bride and close friends will receive spe
