Jewish weddings up in Israel

By · August 18, 2008

The number of Jewish weddings in Israel rose by 8.3 percent in one year, according to a new report.

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics released its figures for the years 2005 and 2006 in honor of Tu B’Av, the Jewish day of love, which fell Aug. 16. The report also notes that the number of Muslim weddings increased by 12 percent between 2005 and 2006.

The report, which includes statistics for legally recognized religious marriages, indicates that the median age for Jewish men at the time of marriage was 28.2 compared to 26.4 for Muslim men. Jewish women are taking the plunge at age 25.7, compared to 20.8 for Muslim women.

Remaining unmarried has been an increasing trend among Israelis of various age ranges. For those 25 to 29, the rate of bachelorhood jumped from 38 percent to 57 percent between 1986 and 2006. Among women aged 20-24, 70 percent remained unmarried in 2006.