Jewish Weddings in France
Couples planning a Jewish wedding in France will find themselves immersed in history, beauty and romance. The city of Paris is home to a number of large Jewish communities and the variety of synagogues is quite impressive. There are many Jewish tourist sites throughout the city, including the 13th century Jewish quarter, the Place des Vosges and several Jewish memorials. Other cities in France also make perfect Jewish wedding destinations with their selection of synagogues, kosher restaurants and Jewish cultural institutions.
There are two principal Jewish districts for a Jewish wedding in Paris, the Marais and the Faubourg Montmartre. In the Marais district one finds the Pletzel, the Yiddish name for the old 13th century Jewish quarter. One of the oldest spots in the neighborhood is the 16th century building Hotel des Juifs. It was one of the first places occupied by Jews from Alsace-Lorraine and Germany.
An unforgettable Jewish wedding in Paris's Marais could be held in the stunning Art Nouveau synagogue, agoudas hakehilos, built in 1913 for Russian and Roumanian immigrants, and designed by the famous Hector Guimard, known for his designs of many Paris metro stations. Another magnicifient synagogue is the on the Rue des Tournelles. Built in 1870, it originally served the Ashkenazi population but is now Sephardic.
Here in the Marais you’ll also find the beautiful Musée Carnavalet, the museum of the city of Paris. This museum is housed in the former residence of Madame de Sevigné and includes two rooms dedicated to Jewish personalities prominent in the city’s history.
One of the most remarkable cultural sites in Paris is the Museum of Jewish Art and History located in the heart of the Marais district. Housed in a 17th century building, the musum’s collections include religious objects handed back in 1951 by the American Jewish Restitution Successor Organisation, commissioned to redistribute Jewish cultural goods looted by the Nazis. On the initiative of the museum’s founder, Léon Frenkiel, a collection of documents on European synagogue architecture was built up. The museum’s first curator, Marie Chabchay, built up a comprehensive collection of graphic works by Russian and German Jewish artists. There are also works by artists from the Paris school and various gifts including ceremonial objects and Hebrew manuscripts. The collection of ceremonial art has been considerably enriched by works from the treasure-house of the Paris synagogues, liturgical textiles and a collection of folk art objects.
The Museum of Jewish Art and History hires out its facilities those wishing to organize events, thus making it a unique Jewish wedding reception location for a your Paris wedding.
When you choose the Marais district for your wedding destination in France, be sure to visit the impressive Memorial to the Unknown Jewish Martyr. This site includes a large bronze cylinder with the names of death camps inscribed on it as well as a memorial stone wall with engraved Holocaust scenes. Inside the building is a large collection of artwork, photo exhibits and a Holocaust documentation center.
Another important Memorial is located near the Marais just behind the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Memorial to the Deported is dedicated to the French victims of Nazism. Above the door is written, in French, “Forgive, but do not forget”.
As you stroll through the streets of the Marais, you’ll enjoy the delicious scents of Jewish pastries and delicatessens. Jewish wedding receptions in Paris can be held in one of the very popular delis in this district or could be catered by one of the many excellent Kosher caterers and bakeries.
Another Parisian quarter with many Jewish sites of interest is the Faubourg Montamartre district. Within this disctrict there are many synagogues and kosher restaurants making it an excellent option for Jewish wedding celebrations. Two very well-known synagogues are found in this area. One on the rue Buffault was opened in 1877 and was the first in Paris to become Sephardic. Next to it is a plaque dedicated to the 12,000 Jewish Parisian children deported to Auschwitz.
A second well-know synagogue is the Temple Victiore, also known as the Rothschild synagogue. This astounding structure boasts 1410 seats and takes pride in its ceremonies featuring music. It has special seats located on the bimah for the chief rabbis of Paris and France. The rabbis leading the service still wear costumes from the era of Napoleon.
Beyond Paris, other cities that would be excellent Jewish wedding destinations for France include Arles, Rouen and Lyon.
Arles, once the Roman capital and a major medieval religious center, is located in the south of France near Provence. It features the Arlaten Museum which contains local judaica.
Rouen, the former capitol of Normandy, was a city of historical and economic importance to Jews in the 13th century. Here one can view one of the most amazing sites : a Romanesque stone structure considered to be the oldest Jewish building in Europe, thought to be a yeshiva from the Middle Ages.
The city of Lyon is known for its culinary delights and its silk trade. Many Jewish resistance fighters hid in the city during World War II. Today there is a sizeable Jewish population of 20,000, over 20 synagogues and several kosher restaurants - a Jewish wedding in Lyon will be an unforgettable celebration in one of France's most important and beautiful cities.
Celebrate your Jewish wedding ceremony in France where you can choose among the many outstanding synagogues and enjoy visiting the vast array of Jewish cultural sites in Paris and throughout the country.
