“Don’t handicap your children by making their lives easy.” ― Robert A. Heinlein 
 
“Living in the past is a dull and lonely business; looking back strains the neck muscles, causes you to bump into people not going your way.” ― Edna Ferber 
 
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” ― Abraham Lincoln 
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)
 
This was Tod’s last meeting before leaving for Bohol Province, Philippines.
 
October 11, 11:30 AM, “40 Under 40” lunch at Hilton Garden Inn.   The Club has reserved a table.  Contact Cary.
 
District Conference is October 19-20.  See the District newsletter for reservations.
 
The Interact Race for the Crisis Nursery will be on Saturday, November 3.   Contact Michelle if you can help.
 
 
PROGRAM
 
Benjamin Lapid returned to give us a program on the “Customs and Traditions in Orthodox Weddings”.
 
Ben explained that Orthodox Jewish couples meet their prospective spouse through a matchmaker and there is a very low divorce rate among these couples.  The matchmakers match couples based on economic background and the level of religious observance.   When the girl agrees, the two meet in a public place and talk about their values and how they want to live.  
 
If the couple agree, their families meet to agree on a marriage contract.   The contract covers what wedding expenses each of the two families are going to pay for and how they are going to support the couple in the early years of the marriage.   Once the contract is settled, the couple are married right away.   A broken engagement would reflect poorly on both families.
 
The wedding photographs are taken before the wedding.  Because the bride and groom cannot see each other for two weeks before the wedding, her picture is later photoshopped into the pictures.  
 
The bride is brought to the reception by the two mothers.  The contract is read and the women break a plate to signify that there is no return.
 
Then the groom is brought in.  He does a reading and throws a veil over the bride’s face.  This is so that the people don’t focus on her exterior beauty, rather on the inner beauty.   Her father blesses her.   He is the only man allowed to touch the bride.
 
The groom is taken to a separate room where his tie, belt and shoe laces are loosened.   This is to signify that he has come “open” to the marriage.  The groom is blessed and both are lead to the Chuppah with two candles.  The bride goes around the groom seven times, a sacred number.  
 
After the ceremony there is a sermon and a glass is broken.  Then the couple go to a private room.  A silver spoon is placed at the door to symbolize affluence.
 
At the reception, the bride dances with all the women and the groom dances with all of the men in attendance.   After the solemn ceremony, this is a joyous and fun filled event.   
 
Thanks to Ben for an informative program!
 
SPECIAL NOTE 
Veterans Day One on One, a dinner event to honor veterans for their service, will be held on November 11th, 2018 at the Round Barn Banquet Centre.  The event runs from 3:00 – 6:00PM, with the program beginning at 4:00PM.  Tickets are $20 each for you and your veteran guest.  See Ata for further details.
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  Oct 4th Oct 11th Oct 18th Oct 25th
Introductions David Henry Mary Hodson Darrell Hoemann Larry Johnson
Reflection Paul Conforti Diana Dummitt Ata Durukan David Henry
Greeters David Henry Mary Hodson Darrell Hoemann Larry Johnson
Robb Patton Allan Penwell Ed Perry Rod Roberts
Song Leader Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton Allan Penwell
Notetaker Conforti Perry Penwell Hodson

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
October 4th – Todd Gleason, Media Communications Specialist, News & Public Affairs (Radio), University of Illinois Extension (Charlie)
October 11th – Nancy Fahey, Head Coach, UIUC Women’s Basketball (Mary/Jen)
October 18th – Kate Williams, Associate Professor, UIUC, and Abdul Alkalima, Professor Emeritus, African American Studies, UIUC, will discuss New Philadelphia, the early settlement in western Illinois  (Ed)
October 25th – Chris Gleason, Executive Director, Rosecrance Central Illinois, will speak about the heroin/opioid crisis in central Illinois (Phyllis)
November 1st – Kim Bryan, Executive Director, Rattle the Stars (Diana)
November 8th – Dr. Angela Williams, Associate Director, Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, UIUC (Bob)
November 15th – Bryan Medlin, Illinois Wrestling’s Regional Training Center (Charlie)
November 22nd – No Meeting – Thanksgiving
November 29th – TBD (David)
December 6th – TBD
December 13th – TBD
December 20th – TBD
December 27th – TBD