The Witness

March 18, 2007 - 7:00 AM by Stephanie

Part of the Israel Jewish marriage custom is finding willing witnesses who will go over to the Rabbinate (Rabbinical Court) and testify on behalf of the intended bride and groom-to-be that both are single.

Brian of This Normal Life details his recent experience of bearing witness for a couple he knows.

Despite misgivings about whether I should really be considered a trustworthy witness (how did I really know that they are single; both had been married before and I hadn’t actually seen their respective gets – their divorce decrees), I nevertheless welcomed the opportunity to indulge in what I figured would be an only-in-Israel experience. The whole thing struck me as antiquated yet vaguely charming in an Old World kind of way.

At the same time, I found myself feeling slightly annoyed. I mean, why does the State of Israel acting through the Rabbinate need me, some Joe Jew off the street they’ve never heard of, to say whether two people are single or not? This is a highly bureaucratic country – don’t they have adequate records? What could I possibly add that a modern PC couldn’t already do?

All was Kosher, Brian signed and the rest – when his friends tie the loop – will be history. But he has a point about customs and relevancy.

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