Israel Sees 10% Rise in Weddings in 2024 Amid Changing Marriage Trends

Data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of Tu B'Av 2024 reveals a 10% increase in the number of weddings compared to 2023, with 53,025 couples marrying in authorized religious institutions. Approximately 71% of these couples were Jewish. Despite the rise in weddings, the average age at first marriage remains high, with Jewish grooms averaging 27.3 years and brides 25.6 years, marking an increase of about three years for men and four and a half years for women since the 1970s, though recent years show stabilization or slight decline.

The report highlights evolving relationship patterns in Israel, including a near tripling of Jewish couples cohabiting without marriage since 2000, rising from 2.5% to 7.1%. Among Jewish individuals aged 25 to 29, 65% of men and 53% of women remain unmarried, with the highest rates of singles in Tel Aviv-Yafo and the lowest in Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh. Older age groups also show increased rates of never-married individuals, with 13.9% of Jewish men and 11.6% of Jewish women aged 45 to 49 unmarried, up from 6% and 6% respectively in the early 2000s.

Additionally, in 2024, 8,235 marriages involving at least one partner registered in Israel were recorded abroad, half of which occurred during the year. Among Jewish couples marrying overseas, over half wed in the United States and about a quarter in Cyprus. These figures reflect a society where marriage rates are rising post-conflict, but marriage is increasingly delayed, and cohabitation without formal marriage is becoming more common, especially among the Jewish population.