If there’s one thing you need to know about Jewish wedding celebrations, it’s that they are incredibly energetic and ceremonial occasions. From the elegant decor to the rituals performed by each unique branch of Judaism, there are so many Jewish wedding traditions that have stood the test of time and continue to be integral to the spectacle today. No matter whose wedding you’re in attendance for, if there’s Hebrew heritage of any kind involved, you’re certainly likely to witness customs that are special to those families.
In this article, we’ll explore the wide variety of global Jewish wedding traditions that exist in different parts of the world, as well as a few cross-cultural customs that have developed as more Jews have moved to various areas outside of their original geographical sphere.
Ashkenazi Jewish Wedding Customs
Some of the most well-known Jewish matrimony rituals stem from the Ashkenazi Jews, and these are often the ones you’ll see or hear about in many pop culture references. One of the most prominent symbols in their ceremony is the Chuppah, or wedding canopy, which is heavily decorated with fabrics and flowers and remains open to the wedding guests to showcase their invitations and hospitality to all. It also acts as an ode to the home this couple will soon build together.
The Badeken is also one of the crucial Jewish wedding customs of the Ashkenazi that will be noticeable to all the attendees because it involves the veiling of the bride before the ceremony. While signifying commitment and modesty, it’s actually a direct reference to the Old Testament when Jacob is deceived into marrying Rachel instead of Leah. In this case, it shows the groom’s willingness to accept the bride for both what he has seen and what he is yet to see from her, swearing to love her unconditionally every step of the way.
This finally results in the “breaking of the glass,” which will typically be met with a resounding “Mozel Tov!” for good luck. This represents the fragility in the world, and the willingness of the couple to stick together through all adversity.
Sephardic Jewish Wedding Customs
The Sephardim are actually quite a diverse subset of Jews even within their own context, as their migration to many different sections of the world has resulted in varying Jewish wedding customs depending on their exact locations. However, there are some specific rituals that have certainly remained static no matter which cultural setting a wedding is conducted in.
The bridal henna ceremony is one of the most fun-filled events during the lead-up to a Sephardic wedding, and it’s usually met with music, dancing, and, of course, lots of food. This intricate art adorns the bride’s arms and hands, symbolizing protection and good luck ahead in her future marriage. Taking origins from its Middle Eastern roots, this custom likely crossed over from the Muslim ruling period in the Iberian peninsula prior to the 15th century.
Another popular tradition in Sephardic weddings is the circling of the groom, which calls for the bride to walk around her husband seven times in order to formally show the fulfillment of the union of marriage. This was originally intended to represent the act of becoming intertwined in a new family, as well as portraying the symbolism of protection for this new couple. The African, Middle Eastern, and Spanish cultures all have contributed to the unique rhythms and melodies that have become traditional in these matrimonies, and the broad range of music is a testament to the vast cultural influence these particular Jews have made across multiple regions.
Mizrahi Jewish Wedding Customs
While Mizrahi was a term originally coined to refer to Jews of Eastern origins, today, it largely refers to a variety of Jewish people who live across northern Africa as well as other countries east of Israel. This would come to include Egyptian, Iranian, Turkish, and many other Jews who had, at some point in time, been eradicated from their native lands and moved into new areas. In present times, we’d most closely relate them to the Sephardic Jews, whom they actually still identified with at the formation of Israel in 1948.
Modern times see the Mizrahim not just separating themselves from the Ashkenazi or Sephardim but having entirely different Jewish wedding traditions of their own, mostly taken from their local historical origins. Something that especially sticks out in comparison to other groups is their extravagance and attention to artistic detail. Not only is there a lot more focus on elaborate presentation, but colorful textiles, detailed garments, and more unique cuisines are prepared depending on the cultural customs and regional influences of the couple.
While the attire and other ornamentations give each ceremony a local identity of its own, there are also additions to the function that highlight traditional customs that originated with certain subgroupings of Jews. For example, the Shoshanim is a common practice in the Yemenite Mizrahi community, which translates to “evening of roses” and consists of a traditional song and Hora dance, aka the chair scare, that are often seen across a number of Jewish populations across the Middle East.
Ethiopian Jewish Wedding Customs
When branching out to the Jewish wedding customs to the south in Africa, Ethiopia presents one of the most interesting Jewish populations, who actually weren’t even widely known to the rest of the world until the 1980s when famine struck the area. It was only then that both these African Jews and the European Jews became aware of their vastly different cultures, which certainly gave us much to learn about the unique traditions that were customary in Ethiopia.
The origins of these black Jewish tribes date back to the Old Testament when the prophet Isaiah referred to them as the people of Cush, which is now present-day Ethiopia and the Sudan. This religious transfer occurred during their exile and settlement that took place at some point in the early first millennia, which has led to centuries of Semitic rituals resulting in a defined heritage. However, these Jews didn’t speak Hebrew, but their native language of Geez instead, and many practices of Oral Law under the Jewish order were not followed strictly due to lack of awareness.
Arranged marriages were largely practiced up until the modern day, but because this sect of Judaism has been mostly advised by their priests, or kahen, a lot of Ethiopian Jews follow the instruction of religious leadership. After learning of the land of Israel, many of these Jews have begun to adopt modern lifestyles after resettling there. However, they’ve brought their cultural ways with them, presenting a classic display of their personal style, cuisine, and overall conduction of festivities, which usually involved more indigenous elements and rites to the mix that were very unfamiliar, if known at all by most of Jewish society until now.
Indian Jewish Wedding Customs
Indian-Jewish ceremonies truly embody what we’d consider to be a truly global Jewish wedding. They’ve also become somewhat of a trend in recent times, even being dubbed “Hin-Jew” by some marriage bloggers. Although there has been a Jewish population in India since ancient times, they make up a small minority, so many Indian-Jewish weddings are interfaith in nature. However, this combination of two vastly different cultures allows for some very unique adaptions while also adhering to each party’s traditional asks.
On many occasions, the couple will dress in Hindu garb, with the bride wearing a lehenga or saree and the groom sporting a sherwani or bandhgala suit. The couple will most likely still gather under a Chuppah for the celebration, and oftentimes, there can be both a Jewish and Hindu portion of the service in order to touch on the spiritual upbringing and coming consecration of each individual’s faith.
Different prayers and blessings from both faiths are often recited, and if the Indian person is Jewish, they may only need to be read in multiple languages so that the two sides of the family are included in the procession. Oftentimes, it takes the cooperation of both families to decide which customs are essential for the big day, and things like food, music, and pageantry all fall into place thanks to how vibrant each culture is in its own right. With practices like the henna and the breaking of the glass still present, these sorts of Jewish wedding celebrations only appear different from the outside.
Modern Adaptations and Fusion Customs
It’s not unfair to say that Jewish matrimony rituals look very different today, even compared to about 50 years ago. With many people becoming open to the idea of cross-cultural and interfaith relationships, Jews have been openly embraced in various communities around the world. Modern technology, transport, and professional opportunities have brought people of many backgrounds together, and Jews have found themselves marrying into all sorts of cultures as the world becomes more diverse by the day.
In this day and age, traditional aspects of Jewish weddings are still very common in ceremonies but may just take on a new look for those in attendance. Today, things like dress code, venue, and especially vows and matrimony proceedings are much more informal and personal, often taking each other’s special consideration into account when being written for an audience. This leads to more heartfelt reactions and memorable moments rather than just redundant formalities.
In the end, the wedding day is supposed to be a lively, collaborative celebration between a couple and their next of kin, and the acceptance of compromise when planning and executing these monumental life moments leads to greater happiness for all involved. The more personalization a couple is able to have on their big day, the more included and excited everyone is likely to be because the vision has been fulfilled.
The Universal Themes in Jewish Weddings
Even if you don’t use a traditional Ketubah at your wedding, a marriage license is still indicative of the bond that’s been eternally formed through the officiated matrimony. This legal and spiritually binding commitment holds the most value out of all the things you achieve through your marriage, apart from God and your partner themself. This union is further consecrated by whichever blessings are chosen to be the most appropriate for the couple, and the eventual celebrations and surrounding support that the newlyweds receive from their peers is arguably the most crucial component of all.
With a strong emphasis on community and traditional values being the focal point of any Jewish wedding, you can guarantee that the festivities will be lively, cheerful, and especially entertaining because most of those invited will have been anticipating this day since the original betrothal. No matter which of these traditional or modern Jewish wedding customs you choose for your own celebrations, you can rest assured that you can always implement the Jewish identity and heritage into any ceremony.
