Starting Monday at 8:00 a.m., up to 50 people will be able to gather in synagogues, event halls, and clubs. Those getting married tonight can hold their wedding with a limit of up to 250 people.
And what will the couples who have already prepared everything and invited 250 guests do? 10 Haredim went out to check.
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Daniel Ozeri, a resident of the southern city of Netivot, is set to get married at a good and auspicious time on Tuesday. In a conversation with him, he shares the feeling that his task now is to cancel the arrival of most of the invitees - and leave only 50 people on the list.
""The situation is very difficult. I waited all morning to see if the Knesset's Corona Committee would approve the regulations for up to 50 people at events. I prayed it wouldn't pass, but unfortunately it did.
""I'm getting married this Tuesday, Tu Tammuz. When I saw that the Corona Committee approved the regulation, I burst into tears like a little child. It hurts, you plan your wedding in detail, I invited my friends who study with me in yeshiva, the rabbis, and now no one will come except our nuclear family.".
How does it feel?
""Frustration, frustration. What, they couldn't wait until the rest of the week? The 17th of Tammuz falls this week and it's forbidden to hold events after that, you couldn't wait for that date. I'm not the only groom whose wedding was ruined, it was simply ruined. Since noon, since they approved this regulation, I've been in a crazy emotional turmoil. I can't do anything. Just frustrated.
""I'm angry with myself. How could this happen to me? And why did we schedule it for Tuesday and not today or last week? Anger and frustration. There's not much to say. We waited so long for this day and in one moment it was ruined.".
Michael Cohen, a Jerusalem resident, is a groom: "I'm supposed to get married tomorrow, do you understand? Tomorrow. Understand the absurdity that someone who gets married today will have a wedding of 250 people and I, who get married tomorrow, will only have 50 people.".
""I am very angry that this is so. The government couldn't wait a few days until the 17th of Tammuz? Why ruin all the brides and grooms' weddings? The state and the government, and the ultra-Orthodox members of Knesset, are disconnected from the public that elected them and brought them to the Knesset. It's a shame that I won't be able to rejoice on my biggest day.".
Do you understand the regulation they approved today because there is an increase in morbidity?
""No. Absolutely not. If they waited until today, they could have waited a few more days, it doesn't really matter. They should think that they're ruining the events for hundreds of brides and grooms. They don't care...""
What will happen tomorrow?
""I don't know what will happen tomorrow. From a religious perspective, it is forbidden to postpone the wedding. The wedding will take place tomorrow as usual. But what will we do with my friends and the bride's friends who are coming to make us happy? If they don't, there won't be any joy?! Unfortunately, if it doesn't happen, it won't be a wedding, but more of a funeral, because we will all cry and not be happy at all.".
""My parents and the bride's parents invested a lot in this wedding. I'm the first in the house to get married, and so is the bride. I asked my parents to be involved in everything. The singer we hired for tomorrow cost 15,000 shekels. We paid the hall a very large deposit. Who said he would agree to return the deposit? He wouldn't hold the event for 50 people.".
What will you do?
""My parents and the bride's parents have been talking on the phone since morning to find a solution. The bride's parents said that the bride hasn't stopped crying since morning and says that she's not ready to get married in this situation, that there won't be any friends to make her happy. The bride rented a wedding dress for 10,000 shekels, and why does she have to wear this dress if there will only be 50 people, who are the family?! That's what her parents said.
""We are trying to find a solution so that we can hold the event at least with my friends and her friends so that we can rejoice on the most important day for us. We are praying that we will find a solution so that we can celebrate and be happy.".
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N. M. from Ashdod: "I'm getting married tomorrow, the 14th of Tammuz. On Thursday, my parents realized that they were going to reduce the events to 50 people. I was supposed to get married in a closed hall in Jerusalem. Therefore, my parents and the bride's parents closed in an event park that is divided into 6 different areas, each of which will have 50 people.
""From Thursday we started receiving calls from invitees - who asked: Did you cancel the event? We told them: The event took place as usual. Today we called invitees, some of whom canceled their attendance at the event and some confirmed. We record who is coming and that's how we know how many are coming and how many are not."
""My father is a rabbi in Ashdod and we have over 600 guests. We will have at least 300 people at the wedding.".
What do you think about those who are getting married tomorrow and will not hold the event as they expected?
""It really sucks. I still don't know what will happen tomorrow, even though we've finalized everything and the names of the guests who are coming, you're in uncertainty until the wedding. I'll be anxious to see what happens.".
""We were smart and closed earlier on Thursday. Everyone knew this was the direction we were going since Thursday, so they had to find a solution. Hopefully everything will go smoothly for everyone.".
