One couple took it upon themselves to invite southern couples whose wedding halls were in the affected areas to join their wedding for free.
By BENJY SINGERIsraeli bride Shiklar poses for a wedding photo in front of an Iron Dome rocket launcher near Netivot(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
As rockets from Gaza pounded Israel on Tuesday following the assassination of Bahan Abu al-Ata, and life came to a halt in many parts of the country, some generous Israelis took on a project - making sure weddings took place as planned.This morning, on Israeli radio, a bride due to get married Tuesday evening in Ashkelon broke down when she found out the wedding could not take place in the hall they had booked under the directives from the Home Front Command. After an emotional plea on the radio, the owner of a wedding hall north of Tel Aviv called the radio station, which connected the bride and the owner. The wedding took place, just in another part of the country.Yaniv and Moran, who planned to get married on Tuesday evening in the center of the country, took it upon themselves to invite southern couples whose wedding halls were in the affected areas to join their wedding for free.Yaniv told Channel 12 that rather than having them cancel their weddings, the couples who had would have had to cancel out of fear their guests would not come should join in his wedding.Moran added, "We would like to see couples get married with us..we want to have fun and have an exciting wedding. The couples who come from the south don't have to bring anything - just themselves and their family."The hall owner Eitan Sapir, said that he had already received inquiries from several couples who are considering joining Moran and Yaniv's wedding in his hall."A couple who plan on getting married in their shelter called me because the invitees do not want to go to the wedding," he told Channel 12. "I convinced them to get married in my hall at our expense, without paying anything. We want them to be happy and not cancel the wedding. We are prepared to do everything for the people of the south."Sapir said another couple from the south was waiting until the last minute to know if they would be coming to join Yaniv and Moran."I hope they will come and join us," he told Channel 12. " They are welcome to come with their rabbi, guests and families. We will make as people as possible get married tonight and show how strong and united we are."
Israeli pop singer Netta Barzilai surprised a bride and groom at their wedding in Beersheba, by showing up and singing. This raised the spirits of the guests, who had spent the day under the threat of rockets.
