COMMUNITY MAGAZINE May 2008

The Marriage Ceremony Guidelines Issued by The Sephardic Rabbinical Council for All Members of Our Community Dear Community Member, The Jewish wedding ceremony is an occasion that is steeped in kedushah (holiness). It is very important that this event, which launches the new life of a Jewish husband and wife, be observed with the utmost concern for the dignity and sanctity of the moment. As stated in Shulkhan Arukh (code of Jewish law) modest dress is required at all times and in all places, especially at the wedding ceremony when a marriage is beginning, and when blessings, which contain the holy Name of the Boreh Olam, are recited. We, therefore, agree to the following rules, regarding any weddings in which we participate: 1. All members of the bridal party, including all women or young ladies who will march or be on the stage, are required to observe the following minimum laws of modesty: Arms and shoulders should be covered, extending down to, and including, the elbow. a. Necklines should reach and cover the neck bones. Backs should be covered to the neckline as well. b. Note: Material should be of sufficient thickness that it cannot be seen through. Material that is sheer or netted is not c. considered to be a covering. Dresses should be long enough to cover the knees. d. 2. Prior to each wedding, the officiating Rabbi will inform the bride and groom and their families about these guidelines of modesty for the ceremony. 3. In the event that these guidelines of modesty are not followed, the ceremony will be delayed until the wedding party complies with the guidelines. We are confident that our great community will accept these guidelines in the spirit in which they were made — the spirit of loyalty to our traditions and strong desire to maintain the spiritual strength of our beloved community. May we continue to excel in modesty, in the tradition of our righteous ancestors at all times, and in all places. Only blessing can come from adhering to Jewish law. May Boreh Olam bless our community with spiritual and material growth and with the best of health. May all of our weddings produce beautiful Jewish families, committed to Torah and misvot. The MarriageCeremonyGuidelines as passed by The Sephardic Rabbinical Council: Sephardic Rabbinical Council of The Syrian and Near Eastern Jewish Communities • 1982 E. 2nd St., Brooklyn, NY 11223 Under the W eddingCanopy Rabbi Dr.Elie Abadie Edmund J.Safra Synagogue Rabbi Shimon Alouf AhavaVeAhva RabbiYehudah Ari Anzancot BethTorah Congregation RabbiYosef Arye Ahi EzerVatikin Minyan RabbiYedidyah Azranchian Sephardic Society of Manhattan Rabbi Izhar Azriel Magen David of Belle Harbor Rabbi Maimon Badoush Congregation Ahavat Shalom Rabbi Ronald Barry Frieda Kassin Mikveh Rabbi Eli Ben-Haim OhelYaakob RabbiYaacov Ben-Haim Bnei Shaare Zion Congregation Rabbi Haim Benoliel BneiYosef Rabbi Raymond Beyda Shaare ZionTorah Center Rabbi Sammy Beyda Avenue O Synagogue Rabbi Gad Bouskila NetivotYisrael Rabbi Shmuel Choueka Ohel Simha Congregation Rabbi Shlomo Churba Shaare Rahamim Congregation Rabbi David Cohen Beit Shaul U Miriam Rabbi Eli David BneiYosefTorah Center Rabbi Shlomo Diamond Ilan High School Rabbi Moshe Douek ShaareTefilah of Eatontown Rabbi Guy Dvir Sephardic Society of Manhattan Rabbi Joseph Dweck Shaare Shalom Rabbi Isaac Dwek Synagogue of Deal Rabbi Eliyahu Elbaz Sephardic Lebanese Congregation Rabbi Hanania Elbaz Ahi Ezer Avenue X Rabbi Aaron Farhi BethYosef Congregation RabbiYaakob Farhi Ohel David and Shlomo RabbiYitzhak Farhi Edmund J.Safra Congregation of Deal (Hathaway) RabbiYosef Galamidi The Beit Edmond J.Safra Congregation Rabbi Eli Greenwald Ohel David and Shlomo Rabbi Leon Guindi Shaare Zion Congregation Rabbi Hillel Haber Yeshivat ShaareTorah Rabbi Michael Haber TiferethTorah Rabbi Raymond Haber Shaare Zion Congregation RabbiYosef Hamra Shevet Achim Rabbi Raymond Harari Kol Israel Congregation Rabbi Abraham Harari-Raful KeterTorah RabbiYosef Harari-Raful AteretTorah Rabbi Jacob Israel Ahaba ve Ahava Rabbi David Jemal Har HaLebanon Chief Rabbi Shaul Kassin Sephardic Rabbinical Council Rabbi Shaul Kassin HillelYeshiva Rabbi Ezra Labaton Magen DavidWest Deal Rabbi Moshe Lagnado Shaare Zion Congregation Rabbi Aaron Lankry Shaare Zion South (Sunny Isles) Rabbi Shlomo Lankry Hesed Le Avraham Synagogue Rabbi Nissim Levy Shaare Zion of Great Neck Rabbi Eli J.Mansour BetYaakob Congregation Rabbi David Maslaton Bnei Shaare Zion Congregation Rabbi Max Maslaton Keter Zion Synagogue and Beit Midrash Rabbi Mordechai Maslaton Emek HaTorah Rabbi Moshe Maslaton Haim Shaal Rabbi Shaul Maslaton Ahi Ezer Congregation RabbiYaakob Mevorach ShaareYeshua Congregation of Oakhurst RabbiYitzchak Mohadeb Beit MidrashYam HaTorah Rabbi David Nahem Shaare Ezra Congregation Rabbi Edmond Nahum Synagogue of Deal Rabbi Jacob Nazrov Anshei Shalom Rabbi David Ozeri YadYosefTorah Center Rabbi Avraham Priel Sephardic Synagogue of 5th Avenue Rabbi Reuven Semah Magen Abraham Rabbi David Seruya Bnei Binyamin Torah Center Rabbi Moshe Shamah Sephardic Institute RabbiYoshayahu Shammah Shevet Achim Rabbi Haim Shaul Magen David Sephardic Congregation Rabbi David Sutton YadYosefTorah Center Rabbi Harold Sutton BneiYitzchak Rabbi MeyerYedid Shaare Zion Congregation