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May 20, 2005/Iyar 11 5765, Volume 57, No. 38
Lag b'Omer kicks off Israel wedding season
BATSHEVA POMERANTZ
Israel Press Service
Israeli nature reserves and archeological sites are becoming popular places for outdoor weddings, with the upcoming Lag b'Omer festival (which this year falls on May 26) heralding the summer wedding season.
Lag b'Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer, is a joyous day during the 50-day mourning period that commences on the second night of Passover and ends on the eve of Shavuot (reminding us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until the Jewish people received the Torah). Originally the Omer days were intended to be happy ones, but during the second century CE, the Omer took on customs of semi-mourning, and shaving, haircuts, music and weddings were forbidden.
However, when a devastating plague that claimed the lives of 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva - a leading educator in the Land of Israel - ended on Lag b'Omer, this day became one of joy and celebration.
A great many Israelis and Jews from the Diaspora choose to marry in Israel on Lag b'Omer or in the period following the festival, and a wide range of venues add creativity and meaning to their momentous event.
Joan Summerfield of Anglo Israel Events has been coordinating weddings in Israel for couples from abroad for the past 12 years. Outdoor venues, she says, as well as halls or hotels with panoramic vistas, are most popular and add a striking quality to the ceremony and celebration. "One of the most beautiful ceremonies that I ever arranged was on the top floor sun terrace of an Eilat hotel with a view of the Red Sea," she says. "The pool and chuppah (wedding canopy) were both bedecked with flowers, and the crimson sunset provided an amazingly romantic setting."
Jerusalem has numerous inspiring locations for weddings, and many couples find it poignant to marry in the Holy City to bring more meaning to the marriage blessing, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem ..." The illuminated walls of the Old City form a dramatic backdrop for ceremonies held on terraces of nearby hotels. A large terrace in the Jewish Quarter, overlooking the Western Wall, is also a popular location and adds historical significance to the happy event.
Another site, somewhat more unusual, is Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, which has endeavored to recreate the physical setting of the Bible. The biblical theme is apparent as couples walk down the wedding trail, bordered by plants and flowers indigenous to Israel, while a flutist plays soft music. Signs placed along the trail are printed with appropriate biblical verses, and the simple chuppah is positioned beneath a row of date palms.
The Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, managing some 60 nature reserves and historical sites, has in recent years begun to hold weddings and other events at some of its sites.
Wedding sites chosen are attractive, pose no threat to safety and hold little potential for damage. "Popular locations," says Uzi Barzilay, the Authority's marketing director, "include the ancient synagogues of Zippori in the north, Herodian in the Judean Desert and Ein Gedi near the Dead Sea. Other archeological sites include Achziv, Beit She'arim and Tel Megiddo in northern Israel, Antipatris near Tel Aviv, Ein Hemed near Jerusalem and Beit Govrin further south."
The Herodian fortress, located 15 kilometers south of Jerusalem, has an exhilarating view of the Judean Desert. Attending a wedding here is like being led through a time tunnel.
This artificially constructed, volcano-shaped mountain was completed around 20 BCE by master builder King Herod as a summer palace and fortress. Following the Bar Kochba revolt in 132 CE, this great military leader and his warriors hid out in Herod's intricate cisterns and tunnels.
Chavie and Yakov Wasserman got married at the Herodian last spring. "It was my idea to have the wedding there," Chavie recalls. "I'd never attended a wedding there but felt the place would be special for the occasion. We had an unforgettable experience and guests were excited to be able to walk around and see the tunnels, which were beautifully illuminated."
According to Nathan Marcus, manager of the Herodian site, couples from neighboring communities often choose the venue for Friday mornings in order to enjoy the panoramic view. The chuppah takes place at the ancient synagogue atop the mountain while the catering is on the ground level, so that food does not need to be hauled up the steep mountain.
The wide choice of locations for weddings in Israel offers a great opportunity to get to know the landscape and history of the country while celebrating this milestone event in a unique way.
Local event
Chabad Mishmar bonfire for teens: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at a private home in Phoenix. Barbecue, music and prizes that include Diamondbacks tickets. Call 602-944-2753.
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