As Anglophiles around the world prepare for the upcoming nuptials of Prince
William and Kate Middleton, British residents of Modi’in plan to offer their own
special mazal tov to the royal couple.
Over 200 people are set to attend
a sheva brachot celebration in the streets of Modi’in hours after the royal
wedding. The Shabbat dinner will take place in the Shvatim and Moriyah
neighborhoods, which are popular with Anglos and have many British
residents.
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Royal couple to receive Hebrew scroll for weddingThe dinner will be potluck, with attendees bringing Shabbat
food like chicken, schnitzel and rice as opposed to fish, chips and other
British fare. The street will be decorated with Union Jack bunting, and the
seven blessings traditionally bestowed on a newly married couple will be
recited. Each guest will receive a commemorative bencher (a grace after
meals booklet) featuring a message from UK Ambassador to Israel Matthew
Gould.
“I am very sorry I can’t be with you to celebrate the royal
wedding today, but I hope you can toast the royal couple on my behalf,” Gould
wrote to event organizer Dov Newmark, Director of UK Aliyah for Nefesh
B’Nefesh. “As you celebrate the royal wedding... you show that it is
possible to be proud Israelis and also proud of your connections to Britain. So
I hope you can celebrate not just the royal wedding, but also everything that
you contribute to Israel and to the friendship between our countries.”
A
transcript of Friday’s edition of UK Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ “Thought for
The Day” from BBC’s Radio 4 will be also be read at the event. Newmark, who made
aliyah in July 2008 from London, said the Chief Rabbi’s office plans to send a
copy of the rabbi’s sermon as soon as it is broadcast. In addition, a guest will
give a sermon related to the royal wedding.
"We hope this will be a
fitting tribute to the young couple, and a great opportunity to bring the
community together to celebrate,” organizers Newmark and Leah Goldstein
said. “We all wish the royal family, and of course the prince and his
future bride, a hearty mazal tov and a life of happiness.”
“We hope they
will come and visit us in the Holy Land soon,” they added.