The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-04-03 00:00:00

A JEWISH WEDDING IN MOROCCO.

A Correspondent of the Jewish Chronicle, who has recently
been travelling in Tangier, sends to that paper a description
of a wedding at which he was present :
"At about ten o'clock the lady friends assembled
at the house of the bride's father. They were arrayed
in characteristic gala dress. The bride, who wore a
scarlet dress embroidered with gold, sat at the top of
the room; her face was thickly powdered, whilst her
fingers and nails were stained with ' henna ; ' with
this dye curious devices were painted on her hands,
others having the same ornama.ntation. Among her
rings I perceived the never-failing charm, carved in
the shape of a hand, and Torn by all Jewesses
of Tangier to guard off the Evil Eye. On either side
of the house door an open hand had been painted in red,
also for the same purpose. In one corner of the room
four Moorish musicians sat cross-legged, chanting
Arabic songs of love in a peculiarly droll manner, the
instrumental accompaniment consisting of a guitar,
violin, and tambourine. The young unmarried ladies
wore European dresses made in Spanish style. The
daughters of Israel in Morocco, and especially in the
northern parts, are very beautiful, and their complexion
much fairer than one would expect. Many of them
are well educated. Having chatted until five p.m., the
ladies proceeded to another apartment to partake of
green tea and sweets. At six the ladies made
way for the gentlemen the bridegroom being
absent according to custom from the bride's house.
The festivities were continued until eight, and the
bride was then covered with the marriage viel, her
head being surmounted by a white silk head-dress
adorned with flowers. Here eyes were closed by her
mother—a custom observed, as a fair informant ex-
plained to me, 'per verguenza,' otherwise the bride
might feel bashful at meeting the gaze of the assembled
company. After embracing her father, she was
conducted to a spacious palanquin, and in this
was carried, with her mother and sister, to her
future home, where her intended husband awaited
her. On arrival she was led to a seat on a dais
prepared in the apartment in which the cercmony
was to be solemnised, her mother sitting on one
side of her and the bridegroom's mother on the
other. Here she remained for some time until
the company gradually dispersed. She was then
confided to the charge of her future mother-in-law,
under whose care she remained until nine o'clock the
following morning, when the marriage was celebrated
in the presence of about fifty friends. The bride again
took her seat on the dais, whilst the bridegroom, wear-
ing a talith and phylacteries, his dress being Euro-
pean, even to the silk hat, stood at the foot under the
overhanging canopy. Prayers weresaid by the officia-
ting minister, and the customary glass broken by the
bridegroom, after which congratulations were offered
to the newly-wedded couple. At about eleven o'clock
the ladies breakfasted, followed by the gentlemen, and
at two p.m. the company dispersed. Next day the
young husband went to render homage to his mother-
in-law by kissing her hand, and a dance on the follow-
ing Saturday night concluded the festivities."