Who Can Officiate?

WHO CAN OFFICIATE AT MY WEDDING IN ISRAEL?

While this may seem like a simple question, it has a two part answer.

Technically, only a Rabbinute-affiliated rabbi can officiate marriages in Israel that will be legally recognized.

However, there is quite a bit of diversity among Rabbinute rabbis – some lean more liberal, some bring a lot of personality and add jokes and warmth into the ceremony, and others are amazing singers. Mit4Mit has an exhaustive list of rabbis who are Rabbinute-recognized with reviews of their styles and specialties.

The list is in Hebrew but is the only comprehensive resource that delves into the “performances” of rabbis who officiate weddings, so it’s worth getting a Hebrew-speaking friend to look at it with you. Be sure to double-check with the rabbi that he is recognized by the Rabbinute, so that your marriage will be legally valid.

But, if you are marrying outside of the Rabbinute, anyone can officiate a wedding in Israel – however, it won’t be legally recognized.

CAN I HAVE A REFORM JEWISH WEDDING IN ISRAEL? CAN I HAVE A CONSERVATIVE JEWISH WEDDING IN ISRAEL?

Yes! You can definitely have a Jewish wedding in Israel, officiated by the appropriate rabbi (outside of the framework of the Rabbinute.) It just won’t be officially recognized by the Israeli government.

In order to make a non-Rabbinute marriage legally valid, you can see this page. There are many rabbis who work independently of the Rabbinute that officiate Jewish weddings in Israel.

Chuppot is an excellent resource for those who want to get married Halachically without using the Rabbinute.

There are many options available for non-Rabbinute officiants. Resources like Chuppot offer Orthodox rabbis who work independently of the Rabbinute.

You can search here on Mit4Mit for an alternative officiant (Orech Tekes) that suits your individual needs, if you prefer a secular ceremony. Mit4Mit’s list includes the whole range, from spiritual Shaman types with acoustic guitars, to even comedians and Israeli celebrities who officiate weddings, usually for a hefty fee.

You can also have a trusted friend or family member lead the ceremony for an extra special touch.

For more information about how to make your non-Rabbinute wedding legally valid, please see here.

See here for more on alternative officiants and alternative ceremonies.

WHY HAVE A WEDDING IN ISRAEL THAT’S NOT LEGALLY RECOGNIZED?

Easy – because you want to celebrate this exciting step in your life with your friends and family, in the way that feels comfortable and natural to you.

You can also marry in the ceremony you want, with the officiant you want, then handle the bureaucracy afterwards. Israel now recognizes marriages conducted over Zoom by officiants in the state of Utah, meaning that you can marry your spouse in a ceremony conducted online, obtain an American marriage certificate, present it to Misrad Hapnim, and become officially married in Israel.

It’s very difficult to find hard statistics about the number of non-Rabbinute weddings in Israel. It is clear, however, that marrying outside of the Rabbinute is becoming more commonplace in Israel and you will not be alone in choosing this path.