Wednesday, August 25, 2004

What's In A Name?

Found the source for the contemporary minhag of naming new kosher wedding halls in New York Ateres whatever." Its based on the bracha of Kiddush Levana where it says: "Shetischadesh ateres... sheheim asidim l'hischadesh k'mosah."

Seriously, why do people feel compelled to name every new hall Ateres??? In the last few years we've gotten Ateres Chaya, Ateres Shlomo, Ateres Avrohom, Ateres Charna, and Ateres Chynka. If it hasn't happened yet, then its only a matter of time before a lot of people show up at the wrong affair.

Incidentally, I know of instances where musicians got confused and went to the wrong hall. For example, several years back, I was playing at Le Chateau and a trumpet player who was supposed to be at El Caribe walked in and joined us for the badekin.