HUPPAH AND WEDDING CEREMONY:
Weddings in the Synagogue are similar to weddings in other Shuls; both parents stand under the Huppah during the ceremony while men and women guests sit separated by the two sides of the Bimah. Dress-code is required as in any other Synagogue’s services. The Community is very happy to organize the celebration of your wedding and in order to do it properly they give you some information: Guests are permitted to attend the service according to the bride and bridegroom’s choice. The ceremony is performed in Hebrew, like the local use. Any change of the ceremony has to be concordate and approved by the Chief Rabbi. The Synagogue provides the Chuppah, a silver Kiddush cup and the glass to be broken at the end of the ceremony. The Synagogue provides a printed Ketubah.
KETUBAH:
The Jewish merital contract (ketubah), is done according the local Florentine’s custom as established by the masters of the Jewish tradition centuries ago. It includes the Jewish names of the groom and the bride and their father as well as family names. Ushally in florence no specific amount is mentioned in the contract but a letter signed by the couple concerning thei merital economic agreement is requested and must be deposited by the rabbi befor the wedding takes place. Signing of the Ketubah is done according tradition right befor the Huppah in a different space ajuncted to the Huppah space in the Villa. Beside the Groom end the bride it must benigne by two observance witnesses. According the local custom the bride acn the ketubah together with her husband.
Beutifull decorated Ketubah , Followint Italian Jewish artistic traditions, written on a pergamane? can be ordered privatly , the price of which will depend on the artistic complexity of style requested. Models of decorated Ketubot can be requested by the rabbi or at the agency .
MIKVE:
The local Jewish community Mikve is at your disposal and the bride is welcomed to use it up till three days before the wedding. The mikve is going through accomodtions at the moment and it is under strick control of Rabbi Gedalya a well known Israeli rabbi responsible for many Mikvaot constructions in Israel and abroad. The bride can be directed and instructed by the Rabbi’s wife who will gently accompany her in the emersing rite according the Jewish custom. Family women members and freinds are welcome to accompany the bride and celbrate with her before and after the imersionin a joyous atmosphere.
WEDDING KOSHER MEAL CATERING:
Wedding reception and kosher meals must be arranged with Agnecy staff and the Villa artimini kitchen chef. The Agency and the villa staff will help you arrange a particolar dinner according your requests, with local italian ( kosher ) disse, or any other (kosher) disse you may like to have. Both the Villa’s staff as well as the Agency have a long standing experience in arranging weddings or other events meal, and Rabbi Levi will supply the neccessary experience in organizing stirctly kosher catering services including Fish, local kosher meat, and local exquisit kosher wine and alcoholic drinks.
SPECIAL SAHBBAT SERVICES:
Special events and sabbat dinners can be arranged under the supervision of Rabbi Levi and qualified Mashgihim yirei shamayim. They may include Bar or Bat Mitzva events, Marriage anniversaries confirmation or other family special meetings.The requests must be made through the agency before ahead. The events can be arranged in the Artimino villa and village , or in other locations in Florence as well as by request at the Jewish community spaces.
Sahbbat Services may include , upon request:
- Friday dinner:
A traditional Jewish Italian Shabbat dinner or any other request to be coordinated with the villa artimino chef and the Agency staff, under the supervision of Rabbi Levi end qualified Mashgihim.
- Sabbath Ufruf ( Call to the Torah ):
Sabbath morning Kiddush.
A traditional sabba chatan (Ufruf) can be arranged , calling up to 4-5 people to take part in the Shabbat service by living them mitzvot during the service and Torà reading either in the beautifull Jewish community Synagogue or else int the villa itself celebrating a particolar shabbat emersed in the Tuscan nature. Kiddush at the syngogue yard can be arranged with the local community kosher restaurant, or at the villa when requested. Menu at the villa can be made according your own requests and traditions. A sefer Torà for the sabba service in the villa must be brought from outiside Florence, as the community’s Sifre Torà are too old to be let outside the synagogue.
- Seudah Shlishit:
In case you chose to stay for Shabbat in the Villa the villa’s staff and chef will be happy to help you with arrnging a traditional Seudà Shelishit under the control of the Rabbi and the Mashgiah who will be presente in the villa for the who’ll sabbat with his family.
