Getting Married in Israel- Not as Easy as it Looks

The other day I received a dose of Israeli reality at the Rabanute where Ariel and I started the arduous process of applying for a marriage license. While I haven never looked into getting married in the US, I have seen enough movies where a couple goes to city hall to register and then has whatever religious ceremony they chose. In Israel, church and state are no separate, and there are numerous rules about how and when you can get married.

Like all government offices in Israel, the Rabanute has very specific hours that it is open. Ariel looked online and saw that it opened at 9:00 am. When we arrived at 9:00 we saw a letter on the door that said “Rabbi gets here at 9:00, Reception open at 8:30.” As we walked in we saw a waiting room full of people who must have checked a different website and knew to get there at 8:30 or even before.

After an hour and a half it was finally our turn. One of the rules is that you must prove that you are single and have never been married before, or if you have been married then you must provide a copy of your “get” (divorce papers.) “How do you prove such a fact?” you might ask. For most people 2 witnesses (must be male) will suffice. Each person comes before the Rabbi and attests the fact that you are single and have never been married.

Since I have only been in Israel for about 2 years, the rabbi presiding over my folder informed me that while I need 2 witnesses to prove that I have been single since I moved here, I had plenty of time to get married in the states beforehand, and therefore need a letter from a rabbi in the states who will confirm that I am and always was single.

All of this is for the Bachelor certificate that we each need. Only after that is complete can we begin to apply for the actual marriage license. And only 7 weeks until the wedding….