Among the 300 thousand Israelis who were called up for reserve duty following the vicious Hamas attack on Shabbat Simchat Torah were Elinor Yosefin and Uri Mintzer, a young couple who were traveling in Thailand and quickly returned home Sunday night. But before they both reported to their units and embarked on an uncertain future, they decided to get married.
Tzohar’s Rabbi David Stav officiated at the impromptu ceremony that was attended by the couple’s parents and a small group who were asked to help make the minyan.
The groom, Uri, explained: “I’ve thought about this moment thousands of times, but I never imagined it like this. I fully hope that we’ll be able to soon have a complete wedding, the kind we want. I’ve been blessed to fall in love with my best friend, and she is my past, present, and future.”
Rabbi Stav, who was once a candidate for chief rabbi of Israel, added: “It’s not every day that a couple gets married on the eve of going off to war, and this marriage is proof of the strength of this couple in their relationship and a demonstration of their love for each other, their country, and the Jewish nation.”
“Our sincerest prayer is that the home they will build will house them for many years to come,” Rabbi Stav added. “And even though this was a very small wedding, we hope and pray that with God’s help, when they both return safely, we will rejoice in a large gathering with lots of family and friends.”
