Since the beginning of the war with Gaza and Iran, life in Israel has been lived under the shadow of consistent fear and danger. Sirens interrupt daily life, families move between moments of anxiety resilience, and yet life insists on going on.
As a rabbi in Israel, I have found myself standing under the huppah with couples who chose to marry even as rockets fell and alarms sounded. They chose safe spaces, like gardens that are right near underground shelters, and narrowed down their congregation to 50 people max.
In these sacred and strange moments, the ancient words of the Sheva Brakhot: the Seven Wedding Blessings, felt both powerful and incomplete. The traditional blessings celebrate joy, creation, and love, yet our reality also calls for words that acknowledge pain, courage, and the fragile hope we carry.
These blessings were written out of those experiences, standing with couples who insisted on choosing love in a time of war. They are offered for weddings that take place when the world feels broken, reminding us that even in darkness, we continue to build homes, create community, and bless life.
Sheva Brakhot for Times of War
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Blessed is the Source of Life, creator of the fruit of the vine.
In days of uncertainty, we raise this cup and remember that love and hope endure. -
Blessed is the mystery of Creation, each life precious, each moment fragile and full of meaning.
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Blessed is the Spirit of Life that sustains us in difficult days and strengthens our courage to choose love over fear.
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Blessed is the Divine spark within every human being, calling us to compassion, to care for one another, and to remember that all lives are bound together.
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Blessed is the power of love that brings this couple together today in a wounded world. May their love be a shelter of kindness, resilience, and faith.
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Blessed is the memory of joy, like the joy once felt in the Garden of Eden. May this couple build a home where tenderness, trust, and hope are renewed each day.
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Blessed is togetherness, healing and peace—love, friendship, community, laughter, and wholeness. May the joy of this couple ripple outward, bringing comfort to all who gather here and blessing to the world.
