Rockets Couldn’t Stop Wedding

By Ilana Curiel, Yedioth Aharonot
Photo by Hertzel Yosef

Everything was ready for the wedding of Tzuriel and Hodaya Ovadia, both 22 years old, from Netivot, who were about to get married on Sunday in the Pecan Garden event venue.

Then the sirens began, and the wedding was canceled at the order of Israel’s Home Front Command because of the rocket fire from Gaza.

Between tears and nervous meltdowns, the family informed the guests that the wedding would be canceled.

Fortunately for the couple, one of the guests, Yisrael Hania, is a member of the Netivot City Council. He remembered that in the Moshav Beit Hagadi, there is a protected hall located under the synagogue.

“At 17:30, I received a call from relatives of the young couple, who informed me that the Home Front Command did not approve the wedding in Netivot,” said Hania.

“I thought about what to do, and after a few minutes I had an idea: I called the rabbi of Moshav Beit Hagadi. I explained to him what happened, and we received his approval and the approval of the head of the council to hold the wedding in the hall.”

The problem was that the tables, the chairs, the flowers, the food – everything was in Netivot.

In a complex logistics operation, he enlisted the help of a small army of volunteers who transferred everything for the wedding – from chairs and tables to the catering equipment and orchestra equipment – from the Netivot hall to the new location.

Other volunteers came to clean the hall and prepared it for the wedding, which took place shortly afterward.

“It was amazing,” says Hania, “there was a general mobilization of all the professionals, all of whom took part despite the sirens, which helped to create a wonderful and exciting evening.”

A moment after breaking the glass, the newlyweds said, “It’s exciting and moving to us to see how everyone has made a commitment to make this day special.”

They thanked the volunteers and the professionals for “such a respectable production made at such a short notice.”