The Ultimate Wedding Experience

A historic celebration

I just returned from celebrating a wedding. Ten weddings, in fact. Simultaneously!

It was a historic event: ten concurrent synchronized weddings of IDF combat soldiers. (My nephew was one of them, which is how my family was able to attend; admission was strictly limited to 100 guests per couple.)

This all began after October 7th, when Israeli celebrity singer Lior Narkis heard about a Golani soldier and his fiance who had to cancel their wedding due to being called up to fight. Lior arranged and hosted a surprise wedding for the couple at his home in Savyon! Following that, Lior decided to start a venture of regularly paying for, hosting and performing at weddings for IDF combat soldiers who were unable to arrange their own weddings.

Working with Chabad of Savyon, Lior then decided to take it to the next level. Identifying even more soldiers who were unable to arrange a wedding, or to afford it, or who had suddenly decided to concretize their relationship in light of the war, or with various other stories, they decided to host ten IDF weddings. In the same hall. At the same time.

Held at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, it was a wedding like no other. At a line of check-in desks, guests’ names were carefully matched with the checklist, security bracelets were given out, the number for the relevant Chuppah was assigned, and color-coded kippot were handed out to all male guests. A thousand guests from the full spectrum of Israeli society were present - dati, secular, charedi, Ashkenazi, Sefardi, everyone. I don’t think that there has ever been a simcha with such diversity and unity.

Entering the huge hall, there were ten Chuppah canopies lined up, each with 100 seats in front and an usher waving a giant board with a number on it. There were endless photographers and videographers and TV crews. The couples were announced and entered sequentially to rapturous cheers. The event itself was a complex combination of inspirational speeches and songs from a central podium alternating with sequential marriage ceremonies performed by ten rabbis. It was an extraordinary celebration and the atmosphere was indescribable!

Mazal tov to my nephew and his wife, and to all the couples. (And kol hakavod to Lior Narkis and Chabad of Savyon.) Thank you for your incredible mesirut nefesh for our people; I know that these past few months have been extremely difficult. In the merit of your sacrifice, may Hashem bless you with success, safety, health, and a speedy release to build your homes.