‘Getting Married-Am K’Lavi’ Helps Couples Find Alternative Venues, Catering And Gear

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In less than two months, Yisrael Gantz is set to get married. But until he stands under the chuppah himself, he’s using the knowledge and connections he’s gained while planning his own wedding to help others whose plans were upended by the current war — just days or weeks before the biggest event of their lives.

“One evening I sat down and thought about how I could help,” he told Kippa News. “I have a friend getting married today and another tomorrow. There are so many couples unsure what to do about their wedding.”

So Gantz decided to act. He created a WhatsApp group called “Getting Married – ‘Am K’Lavi Yakum’” (“The Nation Will Rise Like a Lion”), and within a very short time, couples in distress started pouring in.

“People are improvising — a courtyard at an aunt’s house, a school dining hall with a nearby shelter, even a public garden near a bomb shelter,” he shares. “But what if they don’t have a chuppah? No chairs? No catering? That’s where we come in.”

Gantz isn’t working alone. Three close friends have joined him:

One is responsible for finding venues that include access to a bomb shelter and can accommodate dozens of guests — usually trimmed down from hundreds due to security concerns.

Another handles logistics like chuppahs, stages, and chairs for couples who find a location but have no equipment.

The third is in charge of live streaming for guests who can’t attend. “To stream on YouTube, you need a channel with 1,000 subscribers,” explains Gantz. “So she connects couples with people willing to ‘lend’ them their YouTube channels.”

Gantz says, “Some couples just need a chuppah. Others don’t even know where to start. But the one thing they all share is the stress — for them and for their families. We can’t help everyone, but if we’ve managed to help even 10 or 15 weddings happen, that’s a lot.”

And based on what he’s seen so far, they’ve helped many more. Their small HQ has already provided couples with venues, equipment, catering, and more.

“And sometimes just offering a sense of support — that someone is trying to help in all the chaos — makes a real difference.”

Some weddings are already happening.

“There was a bride who was searching for a place until the last minute,” Gantz recalls. “I matched her with someone in Sderot who just opened their home to her.”

He remembers another story:

“Yesterday, I found a friend in Kiryat Arba to help a couple with catering and gear. When I asked if everything was going okay, he sent me a selfie — with them in a bomb shelter.”

Gantz reflects on how the situation today feels different from the days after the October 7th massacre.

“I have a friend who got married four days after that Simchat Torah. A few of us managed to come for a few hours. The atmosphere back then was full of pain and sorrow.”

“Now, we’re in a much better place as a people. We’re still paying a price, and thank  G-d I’m not the one getting married today — but overall, we’re in a better situation.”