A GRAND JEWISH WEDDING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 93, 20 April 1881, Page 4

A GRAND JEWISH WEDDING.

Tbe Sydney Morning Herald of March 17 has a long account of a Jewish wedding in that city. It says : — " Very few events in a private family could cause such a sensation in Sydney aa waa produced by the circumstances attending the marriage of Miss Dinah Levy, fourth daughter of Mr Montague Levy, of Wynyardequare. The bride had been one of the members of tbe choir of tbe synagogue, and her former companions then determined to have a musical service, and this, with tbe ouriosity inseparable from wedding oeremonies, filled the great synagogue in all parts ; the outer court, too, was crowded, and a large number assembled in tbe street. i The invited guests — many of them nonHebraic— bad gpecial seats alloted to ; them on either side of tbe eonopy, and ,aB they arrived it was impossible to | avoid noticing, the gorgeous toilettes jof many of the ladies. Ooe lady wore imperial purple plush, an« i other cream silk with cardinal front, a third wore a dress with rich cardinal velvet trimmed witb white lace, a fourth black velvet with magnificent point lace as scarf and 'drapery for the train. The most perifeot costume of the day was black satin embroidered in massive' beadwork of dead gold nnd "fire" colored beads, the fronts of the bodice and shirt were thiokly covered with this rare trimming, the sleeves wero entirely formed of ihe bead-work, and the bonnet of black satin with deep crimson and white roses, and fan to match dress, completed the most elegant and unique

dress seen. Tbe bride's attire waa a magnificent blending of white satin, ostrich f.athera, point de Venise, atid clouds of tulle. On her right stood her father and mother, resplendent in peacock blue satin, embroidered velvet, end brocade; opposite were Mr and Mrs Victor Cohen, tbe grooms, sponsor*, aod in tbe centre the rabbi, the Rev Abraham Davis. At the house in Wynyard Square, with well-known hospitable tastes, a banquet was prepared for some 140 guests. Before ascending to the ff est a surprise awaited tbe company. In recognition of the kindly aid recently given by Mr Levy, and with a view of showing an interest in the race to wbich by birth he belongs, Mr Henry Ketten had again borrowed his Pleyel grand and sent it to Mr Levy's, and, as (he bride entered tbe band suddenly stopped, and Mrs Louis Hart was welcomed by the " Wedding Ma'ch," played on the piano as only Mr K.tttn oan piny it. After this came a poetic Idyll, written for, and dedicated to, the young couple. When ih. delighted plaudits had subsided, ih. bride and groom, with three of the bridesmaids and groomsmen, according to an old Hebrew custom, danced a quadrille; and this over, the business of the dtjuner began. Beyond the special toasts, Mr Davis said it bad been the wish of their host to add 'Our Christian Friends/ and that he had urged the omission; and then in a very happy speech he gave his reasons. Mr Davis thinks that when people meet to share in the family festivities, all differences should be forgotten, that people meet as equals. He £lanced et the policy of France, whioh makei no distinction ; praised England for her strenuous exertions to secure liberty for 'all; and hinted at the troublous times in Germany, threatened by the persecution of the Jews, and he ex± pressed a fervent bope tbat in Aua-l trelia, at le»st, seotarUn differences wonld soon disappear. There wad muoh applause over bis ien.ia.ent_."