By Ezra N. Rich
“Yet again it shall be heard in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem. The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.” (Jeremiah 33:10-11)
This weekend, we are spotlighting Ariel Marcus and Matthew Henechowicz, a special couple who will be standing under the Chuppah (wedding canopy) in Toronto on Sunday, with the joy of their adopted hometown of Buffalo extending across the border. Ariel and Matt met as undergraduates at the University of Rhode Island and have been together for nearly a decade. Matt grew up in Toronto while Ariel hails from East Northport on Long Island, New York.
After Ariel earned her New York State licensing certification in Communication Science & Disorders, the couple decided to settle in Buffalo in 2018 to be within the Empire State while being close to Matt’s family in Ontario. Since becoming members of Jewish Buffalo, they have been embraced by Temple Beth Tzedek as well as Nickel City Jews.
Ariel is a speech language pathologist with Beyond Boundaries: Therapy for Kids in Hamburg, where she conducts comprehensive evaluations and delivers therapy services to children and families in Western New York. She earned her Masters of Communicative Sciences & Disorders from New York University. Within Jewish Buffalo, Ariel is a youth educator, notably as Temple Beth Tzedek’s Tot Shabbat leader and Pre-USY advisor, as well as a teacher in the Community Religious School.
Matthew is a popular personal trainer with Dr. Derek Health & Fitness in East Amherst, where he works with clients of all ages to improve their quality of life and well-being while helping them maintain a high level of fitness.
As Rabbi Adam J. Rosenbaum of Temple Beth Tzedek noted while speaking at their Aufruf (a traditional Jewish ceremony prior to the wedding where the couple is called to the Torah for a blessing) at synagogue, their professions elevate the body and the mind. Ariel’s profession enables people to express themselves properly with their words, while Matt’s work helps people reach their physical potential. Likewise, may their marriage bring out the best of each other in a wonderful Jewish home together.
A relationship that set sail in the Ocean State is now proudly at port in the Queen City of the Great Lakes. On behalf of Jewish Buffalo, we wish Ariel and Matt a Mazel Tov and many wonderful years together!
