There are people in Israel whom are classified by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel as ‘unsuited to get married’ (פסולי חיתון), usually those unable to prove their Jewish roots.

A new and growing trend has been discovered in which rabbonim conduct ‘fictitious’ chupahs for couples, who are married in Cyprus in a civil ceremony.

Rabbonim who certified by the Chief Rabbinate to perform a chupah are being paid to conduct a ‘fictitious’ chupah and under the guise of being ‘fictitious’ hope to avoid getting in hot water for marrying such a couple. This couple however needs to find a way to be recognized as a couple in the Ministry of the Interior, and this is accomplished by flying to Cyprus and having a civil ceremony. Hence, a couple wishing to be married halachically as well as being recognized by the Interior Ministry can do so.

After Channel 2 News reported on the ‘fictitious’ chupahs, the Chief Rabbinate announced it is launching a probe into the matter.

It is reported that these couple are married civilly in Cyprus, which has them registered by the state as a couple but they still have social pressure from friends. This led to the chupah in which they tell a rav authorized by the Chief Rabbinate to conduct a chupah as if it were real. The Channel 2 report does not address the matter of making brachos and using Hashem’s name or not.

Channel 2 sent out their own couple, and secretly recorded the rav explaining “I am placing my career at risk with this since the Rabbinate does not permit such a chupah and if I am caught, I am done. I will bring a kesuva and everything necessary, and the chupah will be real to the smallest detail. No one will realize it is not real”. The rav reportedly asked NIS 3,000 for his services.

The Chief Rabbinate promises an investigation.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)