Jewish Wedding Ceremonies in Venice

The Jewish community in Italy is entirely Orthodox and follows the Sephardic minhag. However, people of any minhag may marry in this community. Rabbis in Italy are not authorized to perform civil ceremonies other than for Italian citizens, so you should do this on your own beforehand, either in your own country. You may choose from any of the five synagogues, all of different minhagim and sizes, all in the old Ghetto, historically significant and beautiful.

There are no specific rules regarding the use of the synagogues other than the fact that they are Orthodox. Any guests of the bride and groom's choice may attend the service, and men and women may sit or stand in the same hall but on opposite sides. The wedding ceremony is performed in Hebrew, and we provide a printed Ketubah. An ancient, precious Choppah is provided as well as anancient silver Kiddush cup and the glass to be broken at the end of the ceremony. The wedding date must be fixed with the Rabbi so as to avoid times of the year when, by Jewish law, the ceremony cannot take place. Fees for the use of the synagogues may vary depending on the kind of ceremony you desire.

• The Schola Spagnola is a Sephardic synagogue dating back to the 1600’s. It seats over 250 people.
• The Schola Grand Tedesca (Ashkenazi) dates back to 1528 and seats about 60 people.
• The Schola Canton (Ashkenazi, 1532) seats about 60 people.
• The Schola Italiana, 1575, also seats 60 people.
• The Schola Levantina (Sephardic, late 1600’s) seats about 120 people.

• Certificates from a Jewish Community attesting to the Jewishness of the bride-and-groom-to-be and their membership. Membership to an Orthodox Community makes things easier.
• Ketuboth of the bride’s and the groom’s parents’ weddings.
• TEHUDAT RAVAKUT – a certificate of single status issued by an Orthodox Beth-Din.
• Witnesses must be shomerei mitzvoth.
• The bride-to-be may perform the mitzvah here or in her own community, in which case she should produce a certificate attesting that the mitzvah was performed, dated not more than four days before the wedding ceremony.
• The marriage to take place, ten days should pass from the latest menstrual cycle.