1. How long before the wedding should we register? And what’s next?
You can register on the Tzohar website at any time. The ideal time is as soon as you have finalized your wedding date and venue.
The appointment to open the marriage file and submit documents can take place anytime from a year to 1.5 months before the wedding. As soon as you complete the online registration form, you will receive a confirmation email from our office. Within two business days, your personal case manager will contact you and guide you through the rest of the process.
2. Is registration through Tzohar legal?
Yes! The registration is fully legal and valid. At the end of the process, you will receive an official State of Israel marriage certificate, just like you would through local religious councils.
3. Are you recognized by the Chief Rabbinate?
Yes! Tzohar’s marriage registration process is fully approved by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
Since Tzohar is not a local Rabbinate, we do not register marriages independently. Instead, we process your registration through partner Rabbinates such as Shoham, Gush Etzion, Tel Aviv, Hod HaSharon, and others. The registration meetings and document submission take place in our offices, and once the process is complete, your completed Marriage File is transferred to the Rabbinate’s records where you were registered.
4. Where does the appointment to open a Marriage File take place?
Appointments for collecting documents and opening a Marriage File can be held in the following Tzohar branches:
Lod, Tel Aviv, Hod HaSharon, Ariel, Haifa, Jerusalem, Even Shmuel, and Be’er Sheva.
Appointments will be scheduled through your personal case manager.
5. Where can we hold the chuppah?
The chuppah can take place in any event hall, restaurant, private home, etc., as long as it meets the guidelines of the Chief Rabbinate. According to their rules, any venue used for events must have a kashrut certificate, even if no food is served. For special circumstances, please speak with your personal case manager to see if a particular location is permitted.
6. How do we schedule a meeting to register our marriage?
Once your personal case manager confirms your eligibility to open a marriage file with Tzohar, you will receive a payment link for the one-time service fee of NIS 200. After completing the payment, a link to our appointment calendar will be provided, allowing you to schedule a meeting at a time that suits you.
7. How long does the marriage registration meeting take?
The appointment usually takes around an hour, and we make every effort to minimize your waiting time.
8. What should we bring to the appointment?
Your personal case manager will send you a detailed email with a list of all the required documents.
9. What is a Certificate of Single Status?
This certificate is a formal declaration by witnesses that you are unmarried and free to marry. The declaration takes only a few minutes, usually during the appointment via a video call. Note: You may also obtain a Certificate of Single Status from your local Rabbinate for a fee.
10. Can the same witnesses testify for both partners?
Yes. Two witnesses who have known both of you for at least two years may testify for both partners. Witnesses must be Jewish men or women who are not first-degree relatives of either of you and are not related to one another (i.e., not a married couple). They must present a valid ID (either a Teudat Zehut or a driver’s license).
11. Our parents were married abroad. Is that a problem?
Not at all. We simply need to check where and through which rabbi they got married.
In Israel, only marriages conducted under an Orthodox and recognized rabbinic framework are accepted. Please indicate this on your registration form. Your personal case manager will guide you regarding any additional documentation that may be required.
12. One of us immigrated from abroad. What do we need to bring?
If one of you made Aliyah (immigrated to Israel), you will need to bring proof of his or her Jewish identity. We will, of course, do our best to assist you with this. Tzohar’s Shorashim Department helps immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and South America investigate and verify their Jewish heritage.
13. Can we receive the ketubah via a messenger?
Yes, you may send someone on your behalf to pickup the ketubah from our office.
Please note: The ketubah cannot be sent by mail.