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Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel pp 57–79Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Individualization of Jewish UnOrthodox (Alternative) Wedding Rituals in Israel

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Abstract

This chapter examines patterns of collective memory in a variety of Jewish wedding rituals in contemporary Israeli society, referring to the symbolic content of these rituals. I focus on one particular component of the wedding ritual, the sheva berakhot intoned under the Orthodox huppa (canopy) vis-à-vis the blessings recited at alternative wedding rituals. My principal assertion is that the alternative wedding rituals manifest a process of individualization, by contrast to the Orthodox rituals, which remain within the province of the Jewish collective and are replete with collective meanings (although here too, one may find a measure of individualization). Most alternative wedding rituals focus on the individuals’ biographical memory, and this memory joins or replaces collective Jewish memory. The findings may contribute to the understanding of the process of transformation in the area of ritual activity, and to an understanding of the manner in which new post-modern Jewish ritual is emerging.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Anna Prashizky

Authors
  1. Anna Prashizky
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Shai Feraro

  2. University of Tromso – The Arctic University, Tromso, Norway

    James R. Lewis

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Prashizky, A. (2017). Individualization of Jewish UnOrthodox (Alternative) Wedding Rituals in Israel. In: Feraro, S., Lewis, J. (eds) Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel. Palgrave Studies in New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53913-7_4

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