Benny Mintzer, the man in charge of the SMS messages for the "Scoops" for years, and one of the most prominent students of Rabbi Markowitz at the Ponivez Yeshiva, got married last night in Bnei Brak.
The wedding, which took place at the "Kingdom Halls," was attended by crowds who came to rejoice in his happiness. There were also those who came to make sure that he was indeed leaving the yeshiva for good and embarking on a new path.
Among the guests were Chaim Walder, Yaki Adamker, Ari Gahler, Itay Gadsi, Yaakov Cohen, Avi Schiff, Yaakov Katzburg, Moshe Bergman, Manny Kraus, Shlomi Cohen, Chaim Rukamkin, Israel Cohen, Shraga Hoffman, David Kliger, Goel Vaknin, Yehuda Eisenberg, Yehuda Mendelowitz, Menachem Carmel, Yeshayahu Win, Kobi Isaac, Hanania Cholak, Chaim Iloz, Bezalel Kahn, Shloimi Kook, Shraga Hoffman and more.
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Hundreds of young men sang, danced and rejoiced along with Yanki Rubin's orchestra. The hall was crowded, but that didn't really hinder the joy that broke through boundaries. May it be in the best of luck and the building of Adi Ad.
The proverb "The cobbler walks barefoot" does not apply to photographers. As soon as I arrived at the hall, I saw in a blue shirt, and with a clear and beautiful appearance, the art and wedding photographer Yaakov Gross taking pictures. Behind him stood Moti Deitch, his brother, and confirmed that the pictures taken were indeed amazing.
United Hatzalah member Shraga Hoffman, a close friend of the groom, came especially from Beitar Elite to wish him Mazal Tov. The excited groom quickly shook his hand, and immediately turned to a small boy who had come to wish him Mazal Tov.
Around the table, waiting for a second or third course, sat Zvika Groniech from Shabbat Square (center), Haim Shapira and Moishe Bergman (right). With a smile, they put down their forks and waited for me to finish taking pictures. Moishe, at least you could have said hello to me...
After shaking hands with the groom, Shraga Hoffman hurried to a quiet corner, where he spoke with Bezalel Kahn from Radio Kol Hai. The topic of conversation was, of course, the abductees.
Not far away, deputy editor of the newspaper Hapeles, Yeshayahu Win, was engaged in lively conversation with those around him, who had come to hear his well-organized teachings and pure Torah. They listened eagerly and did not even notice the shadow.
Moshi Goldstein (right), the house photographer for the Sanz Hasidic community, was finalizing the final details with Chona Deitch, in preparation for the big wedding in Sanz. I didn't interrupt their conversation in Prime's room.
Zvika Gronich, who had already finished his meal, went over to talk to new guests who had arrived, and exchanged information with them about what was happening within the sector.
The groom, who had meanwhile returned from the special room, sat down at the head table and waited for all the photographers to flock to him and document him cutting the challah. We liked his look better.
Standing next to the bar were Yanki Reinitz from Moida (on the right) and Benny Granot. We didn't listen to the conversation, because Reinitz's gaze kept me away from them. If you meet them, you'll be interested to know what the topic of the conversation was.
And at the table of honor, the rabbis: Rabbi Deitch and Gra Diner arrived and wished each other blessings. The groom, who resembled a king, was blessed with the best blessings.
""Not with the plate in hand. Don't take pictures with the plate. They'll think I came to eat." So now you know that Goel Va'aknin from Radio Kol Chai didn't come to the wedding to eat, but to talk to Yehuda Eisenberg, MK Yaakov Asher's media advisor.
Itai Gadassi from the press line, who arrived fashionably late for the wedding, and went over to shake hands. Photographer Matityahu Goldberg, also known as 'Yosef HaCohen', rushed to take pictures but was caught in my lens in the meantime.
And again, Shraga Hoffman doesn't let up: he meets the Kav Press reporter and has a close conversation with him about the security situation in the territories, and especially about newspaper articles about United Hatzalah.
Meanwhile, on stage, along with Yanki Rubin's orchestra, stands a good friend of the groom - David Kliger, the radio and production man. This is what it looks like when he plays pleasant tunes together with Haim Kirshenbaum, while waiting for the seven blessings.
Moshe and Moshe met: Moshe Goldstein with Moshe Bichler, the Haredi messenger. Goldstein turns to him and promises: There is no need to send photographers to Sanz. Pictures will arrive for everyone, from the entire wedding, from beginning to end. We are already waiting...
The honor table is starting to fill with rabbis and yeshiva heads who come to wish the groom's father Mazal Tov. And in the center of the hall stands Bnei Brak City Council member Haim Rochamkin, leading a heated discussion with young yeshiva students who have arrived for the wedding.
In the lobby, at the big meeting point for everyone, Itay Gadassi organizes a large crowd of believers. And so, standing next to him are Yaakov Cohen, Eliezer Schlesinger, and Yehuda Mendelovich, all members of the underground, and later joined by David Kliger, Ari Gahler, and Yehuda Einberg. But the minutes don't pass and they are all absorbed in their devices. They update the groups on who has arrived at the wedding.
An interesting summit meeting took place at the wedding, after Yankee Katzburg met with his first boss from the Neisser family. The meeting passed with a smile and calm. The journalists who rushed to try to get details from the boss about the meeting, responded with a broad smile and a long silence.
Yankee Katzburg, who is exiled far from the epicenters of the incidents, surprised everyone when he recognized Avi Schiff from the Koker website, and spoke at length with Israel Cohen, mainly about things that are on the agenda of Ponevezh.
And out of all this commotion, a young man looks into our camera. "Save the picture," Itay Gadassi shouts at me. "I'll use it later." I smile and take a picture of the other young man poring over the Torah New Testament booklet that was handed out at the wedding - and he finds a quiet corner for himself, deep in the kitchen adjacent to the hall.
Manny Krois (center), who arrived earlier, was happy to meet Israel Cohen from Shabbat Square (right), and together with his friend, the two stood during the Sheva blessing and discussed whether the kidnapped would return home anytime soon. The conversation ended in an optimistic atmosphere.
Seconds before the end of the seven blessings and the beginning of the dancing, I try to intercept a conference call between council member Haim Rochamkin and confidential informants. "He's taking pictures," his interlocutor tells him. A quick glance at me ends with the words: "It's fine. There's nothing to be done with a picture like that of us.".
The dancing begins, the groom, with boundless joy, excites the audience. The rabbis dance with him, and the Jewish people, led by Chaim Epstein, arrive along with Menachem Carmel. The powerful singing and enthusiasm skyrocket, until the arrival of the Rosh Yeshiva of Poneh, Harav Markowitz. Then the joy really overflows.
Good luck. View a short photo gallery from the dances:
