A Jewish Wedding in Coventry
Lizzie Baum & Jacob Landau 22 July 1891

A Jewish marriage in this locality is so rare an occurrence as to entitle it to some notice.

No such ceremony has taken place before last Wednesday, for six or seven years. At three o’clock a congregation consisting of friends of the bride and bridegroom, and residents in the immediate neighbourhood, assembled at the synagogue, where the wedding took place.

It may be incidentally mentioned that a marriage cannot be solemnised unless ten men are present, that number being requisite to form a synagogue.

A Birmingham rabbi (Rev. G. Emmanuel, B.A.) officiated and was apparelled in a flowing velvet gown and a cap of the same material.

The bridegroom and his friends took their place beneath a canopy which was supported by four poles, and on a signal being given that all was in readiness, the bride came forth from an anteroom leaning on the arm of a female friend.

The marriage ceremony was exceedingly short. The happy man produced a ring, which the rabbi took and afterwards returned to him.

The latter then addressed the bride and groom, separately and together, in the English language, and very happily conceived the address was. Much sage 

council was given and he expressed his gratification on hearing that the union was one founded on love. The purpose of marriage was not to enable man and woman to live a pleasanter life, but that they might help one another.

A glass of wine was then handed to the rabbi, who pronounced a blessing over it, and it was next given to the bride and bridegroom, who both tasted it.

Afterwards the glass was put on the ground and broken by the husband to cries of “Mazel tov” (Good luck) from the bystanders, in token that, as the glass could never be put together again, so the marriage now made could not be broken.

The rabbi offered prayer in English, and the ceremony was over – except the kissing of the bride by many of her friends.

In the Jewish marriage service, there is no declaration by either the man or the woman of the one taking the other as wife and husband: that is assumed by their presence.

The service, which was followed with evident interest by the Gentile ladies present, was attended by a congregation of about 40 persons.

A heavy thunderstorm prevailed during the whole time the ceremony occurred.