• About
  • Find a Vendor
  • Submit
  • Advertise
  • Brides Club
  • Your Jewish Life
  • Contact

Smashing the Glass | Jewish Wedding Blog

Inspired Jewish Weddings

  • Real Jewish Weddings
    • City Chic
    • Fashion Forward
    • Outdoor
    • Destination
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Spain
      • France
      • Beach Weddings
    • Super Luxe
    • Budget
    • DIY
    • Same Sex
    • Covid Weddings
  • Jew-ish Weddings
    • Real Jew-ish Weddings
    • Jewish-Catholic Weddings
    • Jewish-Chinese Weddings
    • Jewish-Christian Weddings
    • Jewish-Greek Weddings
    • Jewish-Hindu Weddings
    • Jewish-Humanist Weddings
    • Jewish-Irish Weddings
    • Jewish Japanese Weddings
    • Jewish-Muslim Weddings
    • Same Sex Jew-ish Weddings
  • Inspiration + Guidance
    • Engaged? Start Here
    • Ceremony
      • Chuppah ideas
      • Jewish ceremony music
      • Jewish wedding ceremony 101
      • Jewish ceremony traditions
      • Ketubah Ideas
      • Jewish wedding legalities
      • Jew-ish ceremony ideas
    • Reception
      • Music
      • Speeches
      • Entertainment
      • Venues
    • Food & Drink
      • Kosher catering
      • Wedding cakes
      • Drinks
    • Decor
      • Decorations
      • Favours
      • Floristry
      • Guestbooks
      • Stationery
    • Style
      • Brides dresses
      • Shoes & accessories
      • Grooms
      • Bridesmaids
    • Advice
      • Converting to Judaism
      • Real blogging brides
      • Dear Karen…
    • Honeymoons
    • STG Live
    • Five Minutes With
    • Wedding Must-Haves
    • Wedding Consultancy
  • Jewish Brides Club
  • Find a Wedding Vendor
Home > The Tisch – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #3

The Tisch – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #3

03/10/2014 by Karen

Tisch
All imagery by Blake Ezra Photography. This is part 3 of the 9-part Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained series.

The Tisch, traditionally, is a period of loud and atmospheric boy-time before the ceremony starts. In the more secular world, there are probably some parallels with going for a few drinks in the pub before the big match, but substitute beers for whiskey, football chants for symbolic Hebrew songs, and Barmaids for Rabbis. OK, I admit that may not have been a flawless comparison, but it can be loud and full of energy, whilst meaningfully building the anticipation for the events to come.

Some Grooms opt not to have a Tisch, and instead prefer to be elsewhere in the venue, welcoming guests as they arrive. It all depends on individual preference and also on how religious or spiritual that person is. For me, a wedding is great when it truly represents the couple, so there shouldn’t be pressure on a Groom to have a Tisch, or indeed not to.

The word ‘Tisch’ literally means ‘table’, and the common theme of every Tisch we’ve ever photographed is that there’s a table in the middle, laden with food and drink for the guests to enjoy before the ceremony.

TISCH.
Tisch
Tisch

The main ceremonial element in the Tisch is when the Rabbi will read through the ketubah, the Jewish marriage certificate which we’ve talked about in part 2 of this series, explaining to the groom the obligations which will be bestowed upon him as a married Jewish man. The witnesses, often the Rabbi and one other person, then sign the ketubah in preparation for the ceremony. The groom holds aloft an item, which symbolises that he accepts those terms and conditions and will indeed go to the chuppah and get married. At this point, there’s no turning back!

The Tisch can be an amazing part of the day; it can be meaningful, spiritual, and sometimes almost tribal in the intensity of the singing and dancing. At most UK Jewish weddings, a combination of unreliable weather and indoor city venues means the Tisch is usually always held indoors, which does not detract from the atmosphere. However, with the right location and a ‘Tisch-friendly’ climate, there’s no reason at all that it can’t be outside in a field, in a cave, or on a rooftop… the more atmospheric the better!

At the end of the Tisch the groom will leave the room, often accompanied by his closest family and friends, who clap and cheer as he goes to see his bride for the first time on their wedding day, in a ceremony called the Badeken, which I’ll be explaining next week…

Blake Ezra’s ‘Tisch’ gallery

© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.
© Blake Ezra Photography Ltd. 2014.

Words and imagery by Blake Ezra Photography, one of Smashing The Glass’s Smashing Suppliers.


Share this post:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Jewish Wedding Rituals Tagged With: guest post, Jewish wedding rituals, Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained, Tisch, Blake Ezra Photography

You might also like...

  • Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The TischJewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The Tisch
  • Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The BadekenJewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The Badeken
  • Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The KetubahJewish Wedding Traditions Explained – The Ketubah
  • Jewish Wedding Dancing (The Hora) – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #9Jewish Wedding Dancing (The Hora) – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #9
  • The Yichud – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #8The Yichud – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #8
  • Breaking The Glass – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #7Breaking The Glass – Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained #7

About Karen

Loves great design, cityscapes, berry cocktails, and the word “yes”. Founder and editor of Smashing The Glass. Follow me @SmashingTheGlass

Comments

  1. Diane Small says

    19/04/2016 at 4:05 pm

    MY NAVAL AVIATOR HAS FOUND THE JEWISH GIRL OF HIS DREAMS AND IS GETTING MARRIED!!! I LOVE YOUR WEB SITE! I AM HAVING A COUPLE’S SHOWER FOR THEM, THAt way David can have all his aviator buddies there too. I am USING YOUR SMASHING THE GLASS AS A THEME! SOMETHING LIKE DAVID PROPOSED AND ALICIA SAID YES! PLEASE JOIN US FOR A COUPLE’S SHOWER AS WE GATHER EN MASS BECAUSE DAVID AND ALICIA ARE BREAKING THE GLASS!

Jewish Weddings by Country

Vendors We Love

Weddings by Colour


Jewish Wedding Gift List


Awesome Jewish Gifts

Vendors We Love

Get posts directly into your inbox

Enter your email address below and get the latest posts delivered straight to your inbox.

Biscuiteers Baking Company
Monica Vinader
Mr And Mrs Smith Honeymoons
Kate Spade UK Limited
Liberty London

Today’s Top Posts

  • A guide to the Jewish Wedding Ceremony and Order of Service under the chuppah
    A guide to the Jewish Wedding Ceremony and Order of Service under the chuppah
  • Vendors We Love
    Vendors We Love
  • Dates in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to avoid for a Jewish wedding plus a 12 Month Wedding Planning Monthly Checklist
    Dates in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to avoid for a Jewish wedding plus a 12 Month Wedding Planning Monthly Checklist
  • Win a Luxury Three Night Stay for Two in Kosher Paradise at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the Caribbean’s Ultimate Jewish Wedding Destination
    Win a Luxury Three Night Stay for Two in Kosher Paradise at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the Caribbean’s Ultimate Jewish Wedding Destination
  • Chuppah ideas
    Chuppah ideas

Subscribe by Email

Enter your email address below and get the latest posts delivered straight to your inbox.

Connect

Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Twitter
Advertise
Mailing List
Email Karen

Receive Smashing The Glass posts via Email

Enter your email address below and get the latest posts delivered straight to your inbox.

closeWin a Luxury stay at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the Caribbean’s Ultimate Jewish Wedding Destination

All content © Smashing The Glass 2023