The Wedding Plan

Michal, a single Orthodox Jewish woman in her early thirties, has faced over a decade of failed romantic pursuits. Desperate for a change, she visits a fortune teller who assures her that her wish for love will be fulfilled. The fortune teller mentions that her son, Shimi, operates a wedding hall in Jerusalem, where he offers her a discount if she ties the knot there.

As the story unfolds, Michal is engaged to Gidi, and they attend their wedding tasting. However, during this gathering, Michal senses something amiss and confronts Gidi, who admits that he doesn’t love her. Heartbroken, Michal decides to end the engagement. Conversations with her family reveal the weight of her past experiences, leading her to pursue the wedding plans on her own, leaving the question of a partner up to fate.

Her journey takes her through a series of awkward and unsatisfactory dates: one with a man who refuses to look at any woman besides his wife, and another with a deaf man who becomes furious upon realizing she only agreed to meet him out of desperation, all the while contemplating a connection with his sign language interpreter. Michal eventually makes a heartfelt pilgrimage to the grave of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, overwhelmed with sorrow, she cries out for divine connection but feels adrift in her spiritual journey.

Interestingly, a man overhears her lament from the other side of a separation barrier, leading to a conversation with Yoss, a famous Israeli pop star she admires. During their exchange, Michal shares her intention to marry on the final day of Hanukkah, yet she has yet to find a groom, even inviting Yoss to her wedding.

Upon returning home, Yoss surprises her with an unexpected visit, proposing marriage, but Michal, unsure of his sincerity, declines. As her wedding day draws closer and still no groom appears, panic sets in for Michal following a string of disheartening dates. In a twist of fate, she attempts to reconnect with Yoss, even proposing to him, yet he gently declines.

On the eve of her wedding, Michal is engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions; her mother expresses doubt, while her sister and friends rekindle hope. The wedding guests gather in uncomfortable anticipation at the hall. At last, Shimi emerges and astonishes Michal by asking her to marry him. Initially driven by disbelief—convinced it’s a figment of her imagination or merely pity—Michal ultimately agrees, rekindling memories of their first meeting, not at the wedding tasting, but rather at his mother’s home.

Last Updated: November 16, 2024 at 15:34