Circling at a Wedding
Object number
2022.1.3
Photographer
S. Slowe, A. Palmer
- Object Information
This picture shows Sophie and Jessica getting married at West London Reform Synagogue. The couples looks directly at each other as they partake in the Jewish wedding tradition of circling (hakafot). Traditionally, the bride would circle the groom seven times to symbolically create a wall of protection. This is often followed by each celebrant circling each other, three times each, and then circling each other. We can see how Sophie and Jessica choose to circle one another, as many couples today tend to do, to represent the equal roles in marriage.
Oftentimes in modern times, many couples choose to circle one another to represent the equality within their relationship. Here, we see Sophie and Jessica look in each other’s eyes as they circle one another.
Sophie and Jessica got married at a Reform Synagogue. The Reform Jewish community allows gay marriage and, in actual fact, the Rabbi that married these two women had the first same sex marriage in the UK’s Reform Jewish Community in 2005.
- Hear from the donor
What is happening in your image?
We got married at West London Synagogue on 10th November 2021. We had an intimate wedding in this beautiful synagogue with our four delighted parents, loving families and the wonderful Rabbi David.
Why is this image important to you?
As two gay, Jewish women who both grew up in London, it was a moment neither of us had even dared to imagine but that we will both treasure forever. It is testament to the progressive and inclusive nature of WLS that two women can stand under a chuppah in the Sanctuary and say, “I do”. Not only did this mean the world to us and our families (particularly as Sophie’s parents also got married at WLS 40 years earlier), it struck a chord with many thousands of people around the world. Jess shared the post below on Twitter after the wedding and, within a few days, it had been liked 132K times.
In three words, what does Judaism mean to you?
Family. Food. Traditions.
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