“Her young friends stand near her and each sings a song, bidding good-bye to her maiden days; and the bride weeps, fearing what the future may hold in store for her.  Then the bridegroom comes in, led by his friends, who carry candles.  He is given a veil, which he throws over his bride’s head, and then leaves with his friends for the Synagogue.

“Though some parts of the ceremony look ridiculous, yet all is carried out so solemnly that one feels very much impressed.

“The bride is then led by two of her relatives or friends, who carry candles, and all the other friends follow them through the streets, some also carrying candles.  As there are no carriages to be had in Jerusalem, they have sometimes to walk some distance to the Synagogue.

“The usual bridal canopy is in the Synagogue, and they walk round it seven times; then prayers are said, and the glass is broken; Mazzeltov is said, and with songs and clapping of hands the bridal pair is led home again.  Near the home a large Bagel is held by a friend, and as the couple cross the threshold it is broken over their heads, and the pieces are distributed among the guests.  The bride and bridegroom are then led into a room, and the door is closed for five minutes—­I suppose to be sure that they are the right persons, anyhow the bridegroom lifts the bride’s veil and gives her the first kiss he has ever given her. (I do not know if she kisses him, for she may be too shy:  they will not tell when I ask).

“After the five minutes have passed, the bride is led out of the room to a room where the women-guests are assembled, while the bridegroom goes to a room where the men-guests are.  The feasting lasts for a few hours in each room.  Then the bride is led by some of her women friends to the room where the men are, and the bridegroom takes her by the hand and starts dancing; the other guests follow suit.  It is amusing to see the old grey-bearded scholars, who, one would think, could not move their legs, dance and rejoice while the lookers-on clap and sing.  It is far more exciting than a wedding in London, for it is considered a ‘Mitzvah’ to rejoice with a young bridal couple.

“The dancing goes on for some time, the only miserable pair, I expect, are the bride and bridegroom, who generally become very weary of it all, for they started their wedding pilgrimage very early in the morning and had fasted till the feasting began late in the afternoon—­I often wonder that they have any energy left in them, poor things, for they cannot retire till late at night.

“The next day comes the ceremony of cutting off the bride’s hair.  The bridegroom’s mother hands her a few silk handkerchiefs to be worn on her head on special occasions.  Sometimes the poor little bride is so young that she cries while her beautiful plaits are being cut off.

“At times a quarrel begins between the two mothers:  the bride’s mother sometimes insisting that her child’s hair shall only be cut short and not shaved, and she generally gets her way.