They had been anticipating this moment for nine months, and on Monday it finally happened: Ofri Azulai, 23, from the religious community of Sde Ya'akov, and her partner A., also 23, a naval commando from the Jerusalem area, were married.
A. was moderately injured during the battle of Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7 and is still undergoing rehabilitation before he can fully return to his role as a career soldier.
A. proposed to Ofri, his partner of two and a half years, three months after his injury. Since then, they had been planning their wedding, which was scheduled for Sunday in the Jezreel Valley. However, on Saturday night, the venue owners informed them they had to cancel due to new Home Front Command instructions.
In response to the cancellation, Ofri's mother posted on Hanoch Daum's Facebook page, seeking an alternative venue for the wedding. Just a few hours later, thanks to an overwhelming response on social media, the couple was able to get married at the "Ein Hemed" hall in Jerusalem.
"We received hundreds of calls from businesses, hotels, event venues, and private individuals offering their gardens, even from people abroad connected to local businesses. It was overwhelming," said Efrat, the bride's mother, about the outpouring of support. On Monday morning, she added, "Thanks to the tremendous kindness extended to us at the last moment, the wedding will go ahead today."
During the final preparations before the emotional reunion with her fiancé, Ofri shared: "He is still undergoing rehabilitation, and his condition is gradually improving. For now, he uses a sleeve on his injured arm. He has a journey ahead, but he will overcome it and return to combat. He has a long military career ahead as he continues his permanent service."
Reflecting on the opportunity to get married despite the challenges they faced, she added: "We didn't expect such an amazing response; it made us feel like we weren't alone. There's nothing like the solidarity of the people of Israel. Thank you to everyone; you made our evening. Thanks to you, we had the chance to pause and celebrate our love."