Weddings in Biblical times were significantly different than they are today. One Jerusalemite, a simple tailor, has spent years and tens of thousands of dollars to recreate this joyous occasion as authentically traditional as possible. But there are still some changes that need to be made, which will have to wait until the Third Temple is built. The tailor, Reuven Prager, who specializes in Biblically styled clothing,
has a passion for restoring ancient Israelite customs. Twenty-five years ago, Prager learned about four marriage customs described in the Talmud as having fallen out of practice after the destruction of the
Temple in 70 CE and the squashed Bar Kochba revolt in 132 CE. Prager wanted to revive those customs in order to pave the way for the Third Temple, but he also had a vested personal interest. “I met a really beautiful woman and I wanted to have it ready so I could propose to her,” Prager told Breaking Israel News. Prager found references that in ancient Jewish weddings, there was an ateret chatanim (groom’s crown), a golden crown worn by the bride, a unique type of wedding canopy (chuppah chatanim) and a luxurious palanquin that was used to carry the bride to the canopy. READ MORE
