Culture · Full coverage
Rare Halitza Ceremony Held in Antwerp After Nearly 40 Years
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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By משה ויסברג
First reported by Kikar HaShabbat · Jul 8, 2026
What happened
A rare halitza ceremony was held in Antwerp on Monday after nearly 40 years, led by prominent rabbis including Rabbi Aharon David Donner from London. The event drew hundreds of community members and marked a significant moment for the local Jewish community.
- 01A rare halitza ceremony was held in Antwerp after almost 40 years.
- 02Rabbi Aharon David Donner from London led the ceremony as an experienced halitza officiant.
- 03Hundreds of Torah scholars and community members attended the event.
- 04The ceremony involved fitting a special leather shoe and the widow performing the halitza ritual.
- 05The event concluded with a prayer hoping no Jewish woman will need halitza or yibbum again.
- 06Preparations included designating the ceremony location and distributing special prayer texts.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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