The Wedding of

Rajaa’ & Alon Grimberg

It is customary in Arabic tradition that the parental homes of the bride and the groom are adorned with white lights to show that there is a wedding.  These lights were installed a few days before the wedding and stayed until after the honeymoon.

  

 

The wedding started with the happy bride Rajaa’ leaving the house, accompanied by her father and brother and lots of drum-music.

  

The bride then traveled to the wedding place in Achziv.

 

 

Where her just-as-happy groom Alon was already waiting for her.

  

First the families walked up to the altar, among them the mothers of bride and groom….

  

…and the bridesmaids.

 

The youngest bridesmaids adorned the path with flowers…

  

…Which signaled the coming of the bride, together with her father.

 

The father officially gave his daughter to the groom, her husband-to-be...

 

…who took her to the altar. This was accompanied by American gospel artist Michael W. Smith’s well-known song “Agnus Dei” and, of course,

Here Comes The Bride.

 

 

The ceremony started with a performance by the King’s Kids. Rajaa’ is one of the leaders of the King’s Kids in Israel.

 

Pastor Toni Sperandeo from the HaMa’ayan Messianic Jewish congregation, where Alon is a member, welcomes everyone.

  

Pastor Cannon Naim Ateek led in prayer…

 

…and we sang the song “How Great Thou Art”, accompanied by a very good music team. On the left is Johannes, who has been a volunteer for the House of Light for a year.

   

Rajaa’s brother, Naeem, read from Ephesians 5.

 

  

Pastor Toni Sperandeo shared God’s Word with us about the role of marriage as part of God’s plan in our life.

  

After that, we sang the song Yeshua Adoneinu (Jesus, our Lord)

Alon, as a gifted composer and singer, sang a song of love for his bride.

 

Pastor Jack Sara from the Alliance Church in East Jerusalem took the vows from the groom…

 

…and the bride.

 

The rings were delivered by Rajaa’s nephew, Anis…  

 

…and after the vows the rings were exchanged. Here Alon puts the ring on Rajaa’s finger. 

 

 

With two torches, representing their separate lives, they lit the big torch of their life together. 

 

…and the couple received God’s Blessing… 

 

….for their marriage….

 

…and the couple signed for life. Pastor Jack Sara declared them at that moment officially
Husband and Wife. 

 

After this, the overjoyed couple departed from the altar…

 

…to accept all the congratulations from their 900 guests. 

 

 

And then the big party began with lots of Arabic dancing…

  

…and much rejoicing!

 

Good food, enough for everyone.

  

Rajaa’ performed together with the King’s Kids….

 

“Today I choose to follow You”

 

Alon’s sister Karin sang a song for them.

 

Alon is a member of Lech L’cha, a Messianic Jewish organization that works with youth coming out of the army. They performed some Jewish dances.

 

Of course they didn’t forget the wedding cake! “Taste and see that the Lord is good”.

 

And this so clearly blessed wedding ended with the couple entering into their new life together…

We really want to thank you all very much for all your prayers!! On behalf of the happy couple we say in all the languages of both our families and of many of our guests:

 

 شكراً   جزيلاً  Shukran Jazeelan! (Arabic)

  תודה רבהTodah Rabah! (Hebrew)

Thank you very much! (English)

Danke Vielmals! (German)

Hartelijk dank! (Dutch)

Merci beaucoup! (French)