Jewish Wedding Traditions

A Jewish wedding is a holy union that signifies two Jews’ love and devotion to one another under God. Over the years, the ceremony has enshrined a number of rituals that symbolize the partners’ status as soul mates while offering them, their respective families and their guests a reason to celebrate.

The Jewish wedding ceremony

There are two distinct stages to a Jewish wedding ceremony: the “kiddushin,” which means the betrothal, and the “nissuin,” the actual marriage. The first stage makes the woman unavailable to all other men without a religious divorce, while the final stage actually brings them together. Before the ceremony, both the husband and wife sign the “ketubah,” the marriage contract in front of two witnesses. Then, under a canopy called a “chuppah,” the ceremony takes place. The chuppah is a symbol of the new home that the couple builds together as husband and wife. Ashkenazi Jews cover the bride’s face with a veil and say a prayer; Sephardic Jews do not. When the wife arrives at the Chuppah, she walks around the groom several times to symbolize the virtues of marriage; this, too, is exclusive to Ashkenazim. Then, the groom presents a ring to the bride; in some modern weddings, the bride and groom exchange rings, after which the Rabbi recites seven blessings. At the end of ceremony the groom crushes a covered piece of glass with his right foot. After this comes the “yichud,” the period in which the bride and groom are left alone in a private room for 10 to 20 minutes.

Same sex marriages and Judaism

Many of these rituals are specific to heterosexual unions. Jews are split over the issue of allowing same-sex marriage and these divisions occur along denominational lines; Orthodox Jews oppose it overwhelmingly, while Conservative Jews do allow celebration of commitment ceremonies and the Union for Reform Judaism supports its inclusion. Israel does not have marriage rights for same-sex couples because it has no form of civil marriage the way the United States does; only Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze weddings are performed in Israel, but it has recognized same-sex weddings from countries where it is legal. For same-sex couples to obtain the legal right to marry in Israel would require the chiefs of one of these religious bodies to allow it, which they currently do not.

The Jewish wedding is filled with tradition, dedication and spiritual significance. Legal changes and social factors have not affected it entirely, as they have still preserved the essence of what marriage is about: dedication to one another under God.