Wedding Without the Rabbinate: Your Options

A wedding without the Rabbinate is a real option in Israel, and there are several ways to do it. A Reform or liberal ceremony gives you a moving Jewish chuppah, but it is not recognized by the Rabbinate or the State. However, if you want the State to list you as married, you can also have a civil marriage abroad and then register with the Interior Ministry. There are also common law partnership and the civil union for people without religion.

I am a rabbi and an attorney. This is general information, not legal advice.

Why plan a wedding without the Rabbinate?

In Israel, Jewish law governs the marriages of Jews. Section 2 of the Rabbinical Courts Jurisdiction (Marriage and Divorce) Law, 5713-1953, says so in Hebrew: “נישואין וגירושין של יהודים ייערכו בישראל על פי דין תורה”. In English: marriages and divorces of Jews shall be conducted in Israel according to Torah law. Source (in Hebrew): the law on Nevo.

Some couples do not want a Rabbinate wedding. Others cannot have one, for example a kohen and a divorcee. Everyone has other options. Here they are, one by one.

Option 1: a Reform or liberal ceremony with a rabbi

This is the way to a personal, moving Jewish chuppah without the Rabbinate. Rabbi David Mordecai received his ordination from Hebrew Union College (HUC) in 1997. He leads the ceremony in Hebrew and English. Your vows and your guests’ blessings can be in any language. There is a designed ketubah, and you build the ceremony together.

• Ceremonies on Friday and on Saturday night, not on Shabbat.
• Weddings during the Omer and the Three Weeks too.
• Weddings of a kohen with a divorcee or a convert.

Good to know: this ceremony is not recognized by the Rabbinate or the State. It does not change your status in the Population Registry. So if your status matters to you, combine it with one of the options below. Read more about a Reform rabbi wedding in Israel, and about the halachic question in halachic wedding outside the Rabbinate.

Option 2: civil marriage abroad and registration in Israel

First of all, couples who had a civil marriage outside Israel can register as married in the Population Registry. According to the Population and Immigration Authority, when the marriage certificate was issued abroad, both spouses must apply together at an office or at an Israeli mission abroad. The certificate must be original, authenticated (for example with an apostille) and translated into Hebrew by a notary. Source: gov.il: change of personal status.

What about online marriages from the State of Utah? In AAA 7368/22 Ministry of Interior v. Bril, the Supreme Court held that these couples must be registered as married. It also stressed that the ruling is about registration only, not about the validity of the marriage. Source (in Hebrew): summary of the ruling on the Judiciary website.

I explain every step in how to register your marriage in Israel. If one of you is a foreign citizen, there is also a separate status process. See options for a foreign partner.

Option 3: common law partners

You can also live together without a formal marriage. According to the National Insurance Institute, common law partners are a couple who run a joint household as a result of family life. National Insurance treats them as a married couple, for both duties and rights. Source (in Hebrew): National Insurance website.

There is no single certificate for every purpose. Each body checks the status by its own rules. At National Insurance, for example, you fill in a questionnaire and attach documents. Source (in Hebrew): gov.il: questionnaire. More in common law marriage in Israel.

Option 4: the civil union for people without religion

The Couplehood Covenant for Persons with No Religious Affiliation Law, 5770-2010, lets couples register in the couplehood registry. Under section 2, both must be at least 18, residents of Israel, and registered in the Population Registry as having no religion. In addition, they may not be relatives, and neither of them may already have a spouse. The law defines a couple as a man and a woman.

Under section 13, the law generally treats them as a married couple. However, there are exceptions. For example, the provisions of the Citizenship Law, the Law of Return and the Entry into Israel Law do not apply to them. Source (in Hebrew): the law on Nevo. More in the civil union in Israel.

What about a prenuptial agreement?

Whichever way you choose, think about a prenup. Under section 2 of the Spouses (Property Relations) Law, 5733-1973, a property agreement needs approval from the Family Court or the religious court. An agreement made before the marriage can also be certified by a notary. Source (in Hebrew): the law on Nevo. More in prenuptial agreement in Israel.

How to choose a wedding without the Rabbinate

Every couple has different needs, so there is no single right way to plan a wedding without the Rabbinate. Here is a simple way to think about it:

• Want a personal Jewish chuppah? A ceremony with a Reform or liberal rabbi.
• Want the State to list you as married? A civil marriage abroad, then registration with the Interior Ministry.
• Want to live together without a formal marriage? Common law partnership.
• Are you both registered as having no religion? The civil union.

You can also combine them, for example a Jewish chuppah in Israel and a civil marriage abroad. Check the legal side in advance. The full guide is here: civil marriage in Israel, the complete guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Reform ceremony recognized by the State?

No. The ceremony is not recognized by the Rabbinate or the State, and it does not change your registration with the Interior Ministry.

Can we marry on Friday or on Saturday night?

Yes. Rabbi David Mordecai leads ceremonies on Friday and on Saturday night. He does not lead ceremonies on Shabbat itself.

Can a kohen and a divorcee have a Jewish chuppah?

Yes. The rabbi marries a kohen with a divorcee or a convert. The ceremony is not recognized by the Rabbinate, so think about registration too.

What language is the ceremony in?

The rabbi leads the ceremony in Hebrew and English. Your vows and your guests’ blessings can be in any language.

General information, not legal advice. Official pages change from time to time, so check their current version before you apply.

Want a Jewish chuppah your way? I would love to hear from you and schedule an introductory call.