By COLlive reporter
A photo of a unique Lubavitch-themed wedding proposal went viral this week in Israel, leaving many wondering what was the story behind it.
The photo shows a construction site filled with colorful balloons with a wide hand-written poster hanging over it, reading “Shterna Sara, will you open a Chabad House with me?”
On Tuesday morning, journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir wrote that she succeeded in tracking down the happy couple behind the proposal: Ofir Cheldi and his kallah Shterna Sara (her surname was not provided).
Cheldi said he grew up as a secular Israeli in Tzur Yig’al, a town in the Central District of Israel that has since merged with Kokhav Ya’ir. He learned in the Beit Berl high school and is currently studying construction at the Ariel University.
“It was here on campus that I met Rabbi Sasi Karmel, the Chabad Shliach, and through him I have become close to Judaism,” Cheldi said.
The location of the proposal in the photo was a project site for a new shul that he is managing. After dating his kallah, Cheldi was ready for marriage. With the help of friends, he created the sign and inflated the balloons.
“I am not a conventional person, so I didn’t want to write ‘Will you marry me’?” the chosson said. “I thought to myself that how the goal is really for our home to be a Chabad home, a house of Shlichus that is open for all,” he said, explaining his unique choice of words.
Mazal Tov Ofir and Shterna Sara, may you indeed build a wonderful Chabad House!
Mazal Tov Mazal Tov !
Chabad never did proposals. The first step to being a shliach opening a Chabad house would be to learn the ways of a chosson. Such proposals would not fall into that category.
HUH?
Mazaltov!!
I agree, not chabad wayזה לא דרך חבד
הוא בהחלט בחור טוב מזל טוב
Mate!!!
The Chabad way is not to put this person down. Do you know him?
Do you know her?
Do you know where they are holding in Yiddishkeit?
Where you are holding in Yiddishkeit?
Dont ever put other people down.
Sorry for sounding harsh, but what you wrote is not right.
Mazal Tov Mazal Tov. May they build a Binyan Adei Ad together and be a shining light for Klal Yisroel.
Love,
Your Bubby
Back in the day a chosson would propose by asking his kallah to be, “Do you want to write to the Rebbe?”
Cute idea!
To those who say the proposal is not the Chabad way….you must not have read the article where it says the chosson was raised in a secular family. Hello people. He is frum now and iyh will build a bais Chabad. Who cares if this is “not the way its normally done”
It’s time for some people to get over themselves and see what’s really important.
My “proposal” 5O years ago …..
“Should we write into the Rebbe” and I said “Yes!” 🙂
You really manage to find the negativity in everything.
This is a beautiful thing, a marriage proposal to build another Bayis Neaman BeYisrael- and yet you manage to see some bad in it???!!!
What does it matter how it was done, as long as its done in the proper way- Plus he asked her to build a Beis Chabad with him, what can me more beautiful then that.
Its time to see the positivisty in everything!
maybe you are the one seeing negativity? why cant you be dan the negative commentator who you have a problem with lkaf zchus and see that he is just trying to stick to mesorah and halacha? halevai we should be so oisgehalten moshiach now