Wartime wedding: Young Israeli volunteers called up to protect Jewish state from Iran-backed Hezbollah get married… just five miles from the border with Lebanon

• Hila Elbaz, 25, and Kfir Asor, 25, got married at a ceremony at the Dalton Winery
• They had planned a lavish wedding on 22 October in their home town of Haifa
• But after they were called up to the IDF they announced a ‘change of location’

A young couple guarding Israel’s frontline with Lebanon got married today as they prepare for Hezbollah to attack.

Hila Elbaz, 25, a university student and Kfir Asor, 25, an engineer in the Air Force, had planned a lavish wedding ceremony on Monday 22 October to be attended by family and friends in their home town of Haifa.

But the pair were both called up to defend Israel’s northern front following the deadly October 7th Hamas attack on Jewish settlements close to the Gaza Strip.

Military leaders fear the Lebanon-based terrorist group will attack the north of the country when Israel launches a ground force into Gaza to crush Hamas.

Backed by Iran and with tens of thousands of volunteer gunmen, Hezbollah is better funded and equipped than Hamas, with hundreds of thousands of rockets at their disposal.

Hila Elbaz, 25, a university student and Kfir Asor, 25, an engineer in the Air Force , who are guarding Israel’s frontline with Lebanon got married today

The couple had planned a lavish wedding ceremony on Monday 22 October to be attended by family and friends in their home town of Haifa but after they were called up to defend Israel’s northern front they simply announced a ‘change of location’

The wedding ceremony of the Israeli Defence Force members took place on the borderof Lebanon this afternoon

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has already prevented small scale incursions by terrorists across the northern border.

Hila, a captain in a tank regiment, and Kfir, a captain in the Air Force’s engineering corps, refused to let Israel’s enemies ruin their big day.

READ MORE: Iran says conflict with Hamas could spiral into ‘out of control’ Middle East conflict if Israel don’t ‘immediately’ ceasefire – as IDF pound Gaza, the West Bank and Syria and vow to attack Tehran if Hezbollah enters war 

They simply announced a ‘change of location’ to their wedding guests ‘because of the security situation’.

Hila and Kfir were given ‘exceptional’ leave from their combat missions to get married.

And today the happy couple ‘broke the glass’ – surrounded by their khaki-clad brothers and sisters in arms who shouted ‘Mazel Tov!’ – at the Dalton Winery, just five miles from the border with Lebanon.

Before leading the wedding ceremony Military Rabbi Itzik Zinner told the congregation that the future of Israel was at stake following the Hamas attack.

He said: ‘During the last few days the very existence of our homeland took a new meaning after women, children and men were viciously torn from their homes. Our safety and security has been shattered.

‘Women and men [of the Reserve Army] are here today after leaving their homes and rushing to all parts of the country to protect our nation.

‘Among them are our beloved bride and groom – Hila Elbaz and Kfir Asor.’

After the traditional Jewish ceremony, the newly-weds will be able to spend a few hours together.

But they have been ordered to return to their military units before dawn to be ready for an attack by Hezbollah. 

The couple ‘broke the glass’ at the Dalton Winery, just five miles from the border with Lebanon 

‘Breaking the glass’ is a common tradition at a Jewish wedding ceremony

 Members of the IDF tuck in to a buffet spread of wedding party food

The ceremony took place with the couple surrounded by their khaki-clad brothers and sisters in arms who shouted ‘Mazel Tov!’ when they tied the knot 

A wedding band were even on hand to liven up the festvities earlier today 

Members of the IDF came together to celebrate the wedding before returning to their posts to be ready for an attack by Hezbollah

Artillery fire began just minutes after the couple were pronounced man and wife.

Hila and Kfir met and fell in love while they were both attending a military training school five years ago.

Winery owner Alex Harouni told MailOnline he was delighted to host the wedding when he learned of the couple’s appeal for a location near their bases.

The wedding breakfast was prepared by well-wishers who had never met the couple but want to help soldiers of Israel’s Reserve Army in any way they could.

Alex, 57, who moved to Israel 30 years ago from Finchley, north London, said: ‘We were very happy to help when we heard about Hila and Kfir’s were looking for a wedding venue close to where they are stationed.

‘This wedding provides a ray of sunshine during these very dark times.

‘We are very close to the border and a Hezbollah missile hit the edge of our winery during the last big war in 2006.

‘Every night we must prepare the winery as if we cannot return.’

The Winery produces 1.3 million bottles of red, white and rose wine from 130 hectares of vines and employs local people from the diverse religious groups that live in the Galilee – Jews, Arabs, Christians and Druze.

‘The Galilee is home to lots of different groups – Muslims, Christians, Druze and Jews – who all live peacefully together.

‘This area is a picture of what Israel could be – people living happily side by side in peace.’

Source: Read Full Article