Wednesday, 11 July 2018

Today Jewish Christian Interfaith Wedding

By Karen Morris


As faiths collide and people intermingle with denominations of many faiths it is no wonder that many decide to get married even though they are not of the same Religion. Jewish Christian Interfaith Wedding is one such occasion that occurs and is doing so more and more in this modern age. It is a scenario where couples want to use customs and traditions from both faiths and when doing so, one has to take into consideration the needs of the guests.

The Beth Din or Jewish Ecclesiastical Court governs the process of slaughtering an animal from the start to before the food is consumed. Animals must be kosher meaning they must chew the cud or have fins and scales if serving fish dishes. There is a whole process involved but in most communities, kosher caterers are available to provide for those that only eat kosher.

For one, a Shochet or ritual slaughterer must be used and this person has studied for years and is a practicing Jew. It is best to use caterers that have been approved by the Beth Din in order to avoid backlash from some of the guests. So with this in mind, the wedding can go ahead as planned taking into consideration the needs and requirements of all the guests.

The Kashrut Laws embody all those laws that have been handed down through the centuries and are contained in the Five Books of Moses or the Written Bible as well as taking into account those laws that have been handed down orally. Obviously one does not have to be well versed in these laws but must ensure that there is no mixing of meat and milk products as well. It is best to leave it to a Jewish service provider as they have done many functions and can suggest foods worth serving.

Other considerations need attention such as not serving the hind quarter of the animal. Only the forequarter may be consumed and this too stems from and is derived from the Bible. It makes mention of Jacob fighting the Angel of Esau where they fought for many hours where finally the Angel injures Jacob where the sciatic nerve is located.

This is derived from the Bible when Jacob fought the Angel of Esau where he was hurt in this area of the body. There are many such references to this and it is because in remembrance of this event that practicing jews will not partake of this section of the animal. Apart from this the meat is salted to draw most of the blood out of the meat as it is believed that the soul is directly connected to blood and this is why as much of it is drained as possible.

There are many references as to what constitutes what is kosher and what is not. Studying them in depth helps to bridge the gap. For many it is a yearning to convert before the wedding.

The function can now go ahead. It is a celebration to be cherished. With the right preparations, all can enjoy.




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