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There was another celebration when all residents of Korolevo got together: a Jewish wedding. I remember such occasions. If a bridegroom came from another village all boys and young men went to meet him on the outskirts of the village. They grabbed the bridegroom and wouldn’t let him go until the bride’s family paid ransom, which was usually a three-liter bottle of vodka. Then the bridegroom and other men went to one of the bride’s relatives where they had a party eating, drinking and singing.
The bride stayed at home. In the morning she went to the mikveh where other women washed her. They cut her hair and then the bride and her friends went to her home to dress her in her wedding gown and adorn her with flowers. Then the bride’s mother and the bridegroom’s mother appeared to take the bride to the chuppah.
A chuppah was usually installed in the yard. A chuppah consists of four posts and a cover spread on top of them. In Korolyovo the chuppah was made in the following way: there was a tallit spread on four posts and a carpet on the ground. The bride came to the chuppah and the bride’s father and the bridegroom’s father brought the bridegroom. A rabbi or chazzan conducted the wedding ceremony. Then he gave the bridegroom and bride to sip from a glass of wine and then they stepped on this glass and broke it. This was the end of the ceremony.
Weddings were usually arranged on Fridays. There was a chuppah on Friday, and a wedding party and dancing on Saturday. There was only kosher food at weddings. Actually, the majority of Jewish families in Korolyovo always had kosher food and not only on holidays or at weddings. The eating lasted until the first star, the end of Sabbath and then there was dancing.
The first dance with the bride was with her husband, the next – with the rabbi and then – most honored guests. However, nobody but her husband, not even the rabbi, was allowed to hold the bride by her hand. They danced holding the ends of a handkerchief. Guests also danced: girls with girls and boys with boys. There were drinks served, but the guests knew their limit and didn’t drink too much.
The bride stayed at home. In the morning she went to the mikveh where other women washed her. They cut her hair and then the bride and her friends went to her home to dress her in her wedding gown and adorn her with flowers. Then the bride’s mother and the bridegroom’s mother appeared to take the bride to the chuppah.
A chuppah was usually installed in the yard. A chuppah consists of four posts and a cover spread on top of them. In Korolyovo the chuppah was made in the following way: there was a tallit spread on four posts and a carpet on the ground. The bride came to the chuppah and the bride’s father and the bridegroom’s father brought the bridegroom. A rabbi or chazzan conducted the wedding ceremony. Then he gave the bridegroom and bride to sip from a glass of wine and then they stepped on this glass and broke it. This was the end of the ceremony.
Weddings were usually arranged on Fridays. There was a chuppah on Friday, and a wedding party and dancing on Saturday. There was only kosher food at weddings. Actually, the majority of Jewish families in Korolyovo always had kosher food and not only on holidays or at weddings. The eating lasted until the first star, the end of Sabbath and then there was dancing.
The first dance with the bride was with her husband, the next – with the rabbi and then – most honored guests. However, nobody but her husband, not even the rabbi, was allowed to hold the bride by her hand. They danced holding the ends of a handkerchief. Guests also danced: girls with girls and boys with boys. There were drinks served, but the guests knew their limit and didn’t drink too much.
Period
Location
Korolevo
Ukraine
Interview
Mozes Katz