First of all you don't "buy your bride from her family" the money stipulated in the Ketubah is what the husband pays his wife in the case of a divorce - if you truely love your wife to be than what is the problem with arranging for her to be taken care of in advance instead of fighting it out later G-d forbid in the case of a divorce when emotions and anger could be running high? At the same time, I do believe civil marriage should be allowed in Israel, even for fully Jewish couples. I am religious and for Halachic reasons it is better that people who are not religious have a civil marriage.

too bad. maybe they should have let the state dictate to them who they are allowed to marry. they'd surely be just as happy, no?

Freedom to marry who you choose is a basic right,but not in Israel.Some democracy....

Then their children would be bastards. Poor solution ,Mike.

by conversion. So let her fly back to the Ukraine and live there with Amir.

THAT IT CAN BE SET ASIDE ....AT YOUR PERIL ? wELL LISTEN THE WEDDING PARLORS AND THE HOTEL ALL jEWISH OWNED...WE BOUGHT THE ASSET AND SHARES...HHHHEEE.....SCIVIL MARRIAGES OUTSIDE BOARDERS MEANS REVENUE FOR cYPRUS AND BUSINESS FOR ISARELI :-) i HEARD MANY FELL IN LOVE IN THE YNET. ISRAELI INSIDER SMOOZE :-)0 OI ORTHODOC WEDDING CEREMONY ALSO MAKES YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE ! ok GO GET MARRIED BUT SATY HAPPILY WITH MUTUAL RESPECT AND HAVE MARVELOUS BABIES- JUST BE HAPPY YEA : -) NEXT TIME TRY STAR BUCKS OK NO NEDD KFC :-)

They are considered as "bastards" by halacha , but they are'nt in the eyes of any serious person as their parents are wed in an official way . The children will have problems later of course when they too will want to get married .

that is, unless you don't object to the government telling you who you can marry and who you can't.

I appreciate Hesh's comment to the effect that religious marriages should be the exclusive privilege of religious Jews and his logical tolerance for civil marriages for those who prefer therm out of freedom of choice. I wish that more religious Jews were as tolerant as him

are two persons who are responsible for the "love" the religious or charidi people receive in Israel . Both of you can be "proud" of this "achievement" . Both of you made tolerant towards religion Jewish persons less tolerant . Luckily i know some TRUE religious , and even Charidi , people who contrary to you , show respect to seculars , and of course deserve much respect themselve .

I'd like to remember that also Reform Jewish weddings are not allowed in Israel. I mean, they can be celebrated but they have no effect, so the couples still need to be married in Cyprus first. And I am speaking of people who are 100% Jewish, but they want to get married following their own minhag.

I pray G-d that he gives the portion of racism on your back to feel it. Maybe then you will see its evil in full extent.

You misunderstand me or that I did not fully explain my position, that everybody should be free to marry whoever they choose.Having children considered as "bastards" is not very pleasant or a good start for the children.ie we need separation of religion from the state.Under the present system you either go to Cyprus for a civil wedding ,live in "sin" or leave the country with a sailors farwell. Of course you can buckle to the pressure of the rabbinate and go through a conversion of the type they decide for you.For me it would be marry in Cyprus or leave. Both solutions are unsatisfactory because they are forced,and not free as they SHOULD be.

For anyone interested in a thought provoking approach to civil marriages in israel see the link below, a lecture by Rav David Stav, a Rav of Tzohar. http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/738782/Rabbi_David_Stav/The_Halachic_Status_of_Civil_Marriage_in_Israel

... within it's own borders and don't blame the religious or the rabbinate because they are the vast minority.

The reason why there is no civil marriages in Israel is because orthodox and haredi rabbis cannot bare the thought that they will loose part of their power! It has nothing to to with halacha! Halacha clearly states that you either a) follow mitzvot and go to olam haba or b) do not follow mitzvot and boil in hot shit! BUT IT ALWAYS ALLOWS A CHOICE! It is MINE to chose where I want to go! And this is IMPOSING! Hence, you have, logically, counter productivity: people do not want to give more and more power to rabbis who will in turn ask for more and more power to control other peoples wishes! Oh, for all religious people who will jump on their toes for this conclusions and start to state that "you HAVE to impose sharia, oh, sorry, religious state in Israel" I ask them that they start to actually READ Shma instead of mechanical repetition. There will see a small but crucial element that HaShem states: "IF you will follow my mitzvot..." "IF you will not follow my mitzvot..." EVEN G-D H-MSELF EMPHASIZES THE CHOICE IN THE VERY CONTRACT THAT ISRAEL HAS WITH HIM! Then WHO are rabbis to IMPOSE their will?!

you will have first half Jews , then quarter and finally not Jewish at all anymore . That's one side of the problem for me . People think that the Rabbanim want to remain in power by acting this way in the marriage field , i don't think so . They can also , as i do , want not to loose the Jewish People . Other side , that makes the problem more complicated , the choice of everyone to get married as they want and believe . Why should someone got to say those "kedat Moshe ve'Israel" if he/she does not believe at all ? People can also got married at the Rabbanut , even seculars , to avoid problems for their children [ this when both are Jewish of course ] This is why i , who had the choice for a civil wedding while living abroad , had a fine Orthodox Rabbi who married us "Kedat Moshe Ve'Israel"

Why? Because I'm not going to show my reproductive organ to the Rabbis so they can check whether I have Brit Mila.

You COMPLETELY disregard the fact that these people will LIVE IN ISRAEL. That gives them opportunity to assimilate to Jewish way of life! Look around - you have kosher on every step, the churches in Israel are seldom, you have people with kippot etc. Also, their neighbors will be Jewish, they will try to have Bar Mitzva for their sons etc. In all this, you disregard that Israel IS a Jewish state. But it does not mean BLOOD selection state! It means that the predominant culture and state sponsored religion is Judasim. And that people who enter there can maintain small portion of autonomy - as guaranteed in minority rights - but that they cannot assimilate Israel in Borg-style. Germany is Catholic country. Why? Because Catholicism is there prevalent religion and state sponsored too. BUT it does NOT DISSOLVE Germans as Germans! Why? Because the fact that somebody came in Germany or married outside Catholic church does not make him less German. Why? Because the CULTURAL CIRCLE is there predominantly strong. The holly days are connected to Catholicism. The history is connected to Catholicism. And YET there is secularity. Yes, you can say now "But Turks, but Moroccans, but Islam..." but these are NOT predominant culture and CANNOT take over. Why? Because even in these Turks, Moroccans etc you will have a significant portion of people who will say "We are Germans, yes, my father comes from Morocco, but I am German!" After all - isn't this EXACTLY what we are having problem with? The strength of domicile countries to assimilate Jews around the world? I can tell you that Muslims have exactly the same problem. Same thing will be with foreigners in Israel. :) This time, circumstances are for us. :)

You are incorrect a bastard in halacha is only if a married women sleeps with another man while she is still married to her husband or children concieved by an incestuous relation. Children born out of wedlock or from a civil union are NOT bastards by halacha & can get married to any Jew they want providing their mother is a Jew.

Who cares if you have a little WILLY,the rabbis dont care if your grandfather was jewish they want to know about your grandmother and mother, so leave your little willy out of it.

I was answering to this person who said that their children are bastards . They will be non Jews by Halachah of course

Shame on Israel for not adhering to democratic principles such as allowing for a civil marriage process. The comment made by #16is correct - it is all about the ultra-orthodox wanting to hold power and control. There is no shred of evidence that a religious marriage will or has prevented jews from marrying gentiles. I am Jewish, my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are all Jewish but I will definitely not marry in Israel or allow an orthodox rabbi perform my marriage ceremony.

For me Jews are a PEOPLE , with their History engraved in their blood , and this you can't receive , even when living here . You comparison to the Germans is incorrect . You can become a German citizen , and not being German at all . Look only at the vast number of Turkish people there .

All these orthodox practices are man made. When Abraham wed Sara those priest not present! It is a gross violation of fundamental rights of the people by not allowing them to marry under whatever circumstances.

A Jew is a Jew whether or not he was circumcised. It all depends on if his mother was halachically Jewish, nothing more. The problem of non-Jewish women marrying Jewish men is that the children will not be Jewish, as in the first case mentioned in this article.

How long will Israel remain a Jewish country if we allow civil marriages - especially if the bride is not Jewish?

I lived most of my life in Europe , spoke the local tongue , ate as they do , went to serve in the army there , came in many local organisations , so completely "assimilated" . Well i was always looked at , without enemity , as a Jew , not as one belonging to their people . So living in a country does'nt make you belonging to the country's people . And that counts for those Gentiles who marry Jews here too . They can't belong to the Jewish people

It's realy shameful that Israel is considered like Iran and other sharia states. Some EU politicians are considering Israel to be a future member state of the European Union but without the separation if religion and state, Israel will never become a Western style democracy. The rights of millions of Israelis are endangered by the hegemony and privileges of Ortodox Rabanut. It's time to change these racist rules and allow civil marriage as well recognize Jewish religious ceremonies performed by non-Ortodox rabbis in Israel. A good compromise would be to have an alternative Reform/Mazorti Rabanut parallel with the Ortodox one and recognize both. The racist practice of making distinction between citizens of Israel by indicating date of birth in a different way on the ID card, must be also canceled.

when its time to divorce? Seeing that marriage is a 50/50 gamble and intermarriage is even more of a gamble, where will they go to divorce? Cant they just shack up, play house ane when it goes to hell,,just settle child support. Why the need to marry? If you dont marry according to the Laws of Moses why the hell marry? Oh I forgot,,,they marry so thay can soak the state even more as a married couple...NOW I UNDERSTAND...