Israel's Chief Rabbi calls on government to allow weddings

Israel's Chief Rabbi David Lau called on the government to allow weddings despite the coronavirus lockdown in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein on Sunday. During the current lockdown, gatherings, including 'prayers and religious ceremonies,' are restricted to 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors. However, travel restrictions affect the ability of the bride, groom and the officiating rabbi to conduct a wedding. Lau stressed that couples are currently uncertain about whether they'll be able to get married as planned due to restrictions on travel between cities. The rabbi asked for weddings to be allowed according to Health Ministry regulations with up to 20 participants. 'I am confident that as people who recognize the importance and vitality of couples seeking to establish a faithful home in Israel, you will know how to combine the need to amend regulations with the required duty of care and will be [wise enough] to find a solution to the issue,' Lau wrote in the letter. The rabbinical organization Tzohar joined the call to allow weddings on Monday, saying that they should be exempted from the one-kilometer from home restriction if the lockdown is extended, according to Channel 12. On Monday, Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Yakov Asher (United Torah Judaism) demanded that one of the conditions for the extension of the national lockdown be that weddings be exempted from the one-kilometer from home restriction, according to KAN news. Restrictions affecting weddings have changed multiple times since the coronavirus outbreak began earlier this year, with the number of permitted participants rising and falling several times.

Israel's Chief Rabbi calls on government to allow weddings

While small gatherings are still permitted, travel restrictions affect the ability of the bride, groom and the officiating rabbi to conduct a wedding.

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Israel's Chief Rabbi calls on government to allow weddings

While small gatherings are still permitted, travel restrictions affect the ability of the bride, groom and the officiating rabbi to conduct a wedding.

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