A birth of a child (Brit)
The secular Israeli ceremony of “Brit” is identical for newborn boys and girls. It includes the announcement of
the newborn's name and blessings by family and freinds.
The circumcision for boys may or may not be included (some parents
prefer the circumcision to be done by experts in a medical clinic, apart from the party).
Ceremony is planned and designed by the family, together with the Institiue's master of ceremonies.
Contemporary music, poetry and text are often included.
Bar Mitzva and Bat Mitzva
A secular Bar Mitzva or Bat Mitzva ceremony is centered around the growing free choice vs. responsibility of
the youth. It encourages them to inquire their own concept of independence, and to widen their participation in
community social life.
The ceremony is planned and designed by the Institute's master of ceremonies together with the family and the
boy or the girl. They study together their "Parashat Hashavua" and discuss its meaning. In addition to studying
the text, the boy or girl are encouraged to plan and carry out a series of tasks, expressing their growing free
choice, responsibility and involvement in the community social life. Ceremonies include reading the Parasha,
telling about the tasks performed, and contemporary texts, and music. The audience is encouraged to take part
in the ceremony. Any element of the traditional Bar Mitzva ceremony can be included or discarded, according to
choice.
Marriage
TEKES - Israeli ceremonies, answers the need of a growing number of young secular Israelies, who do not
wish to marry through the Rabbinate but would nonetheless like a Jewish ceremony with its familiar traditional
symbols and benedictions.
The secular wedding ceremony is not as yet recognized for registration of marriage by the State of Israel and
is complementary to civil ceremonies performed abroad or to legal life partnership agreements.
The secular wedding ceremony is planned and designed by the couple, together with the master of ceremonies,
who meets with them, learns together with them of the Jewish traditions of wedding ceremonies and how it
developed to our day. Together they design the ceremony, its content and its frame.
The secular wedding ceremony retains most of the known ceremonials, including the Chupah, the wedding
canopy,
sanctification over the wine, exchange of rings, the Ketubah marriage contract, the breaking of the glass
and the
seven benedictions (SHEVA BRACHOT). When planning the ceremony, the couple discusses each of
the ceremonials to find out its meaning for them, and they are allowed to change, omit or add to them and fit the
ceremony to their beliefs.
In many secular weddings the Ktuba traditional text is changed, so as to express equality between the
man and the woman: Instead of the groom buying the bride, partners declare their equal commitment to each
other. The canopy can be designed with a unique decoration, the breaking of the glass can be changed
according to ancient Jewish traditions, and contemporary songs, poems and other text can be included. We
also encourage the couple to design the ceremony so that the audience can actively participate by speeches,
performance of music, dance and so on.
Burial ceremonies
TEKES does not offers secular burial ceremonies. We recommend that you inquire about them in www.aleyshalechet.co.il
Prices
(The following prices are for the ceremony alone. For the cost of a ceremony + tour write us with more information about the number of participants and desired program: office@tekes.co.il)
Wedding ceremony - NIS 1650-2300
This includes: one or two meetings with the master of ceremonies, assistance with ideas how to enrich the
cremony and achieve the audience involvement, the Ketubah and the
perforamnce of the ceremony.
Bar Mitzva or Bat Mitzva - NIS 2350
This includes up to 5 meetings with the boy or the girl. If meetings are held at the family home, the
ceremony holder's travel expenses should be added.
Birth ceremony - NIS 1350
This includes: one meeting with the family to plan the ceremony, and leading the ceremony at the Brit party.
OVER 1000 FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN OUR CEREMONIES
We believe that the thousands of couples choosing the secular marriage, will promote the legal changes that
will enable the state to subsidize secular weddings in an equal way to the orthodox ones.
Who we are
TEKES is an independent website that promotes secular Israeli ceremonies in Israel and abroad.
Ceremonies are conducted by carefuly chosen, trained and experienced masters of ceremonies.
They all have higher academic degrees in the Social Sciences
and the Arts and former experience in educational or cultural projects. They are selected for their
interpersonal skills, charismatic personality and their ability to speak to audiences and conduct ceremonies.
All of them are of course profoundly acquainted both with Jewish sources and traditions and
contemporary Israeli culture.
NEW: We offer wedding ceremonies in Israel and abroad.
Legal Aspects
TEKES aims to provide Israelis with free access to their Jewish culture. The holding of life ceremonies in Israel
is not counter to any law and is dependent solely on the wishes of the celebrants and participants. We are
confident that in the long term, positive legal recognition will come for many of these ceremonials after they
have been
adopted by a critical mass of secualr Jewish Israelis.
Circumcision: Israeli Law does not make circumcision obligatory, and there is no relation in the State of
Israel between circumcision and the recognition of males as Jewish.
Bat/r Mitzva: There has been no legislation in Israel regarding the bat or bar mitzvah ceremonies, therefore
these do not pose a legal issue.
Wedding Ceremonies: Secular weddings are Jewish in all respects. Hundreds and thousands
of such ceremonies have been held in the last few years in Israel. All have Huppa and Kiddushin
(marriage vows), and are respected and appreciated by the wedding guests. The State of Israel
recognises only orthodox marriages of Jewish couples, or civil marriages held abroad. In order to
register for marriage in the State of Israel and to receive the benefits (such as mortgage rights), it is
necessary to marry abroad (Cyprus, Italy, the United States of America, or even the Dominican
Republic are common targets) by civil marriage and then to register as married at the Ministry of
Interior's office. A great advantage of not registering for civil marriage, is the fact that in that way
income tax allowances are better for singles (especially advantageous for independent income
earners). In the event of divorce, Jewish couples (according to orthodox law, it has to be a "strict"
decree), in the absence of civil process are obliged to divorce through the Rabbinate in order
to be registered as divorced and not be at risk of charges of bigamy. If one of a couple is not
recognised as Jewish (by the orthodox law) divorce is not through the Rabbinate but by the High
Court granting annulment of the marriage, or alternatively to divorce abroad, a lengthy and
complicated process. Legal advice can be obtained through us or through The Forum for Free Choice in
Marriage 02 6796272,
website: www.freemarriage.org.il
Children: Jewish law recognizes all children born to a Jewish mother as Jewish and thus all children born
to Jewish couples will be Jewish by Jewish law, even though their parents were married by
secular ceremonies.
Burial: We do not conduct burial ceremonies and we recommend "Aley Shalechet". Find more information at: www.aleyshalechet.co.il
Secular burial is permitted in Israel in cemetaries of some Kibbutzim, Moshavim and in the Secular Cemetary in Beersheba. Secular cemetaries have as yet not been established elsewhere in Israel. However, the Mayor of Jerusalem has recently (January 2008) declared that he intends to license a secular cemetary in Jerusalem.
To order your ceremony contact us:
E-mail:office@tekes.co.il
Or call: +972 2 6738103
