Gender Separation at Weddings: Religious Requirements

Israeli pop singer Omer Adam's wedding ceremony to partner Sasha Israelovich, scheduled for this weekend in the Italian village of Portofino, will feature complete gender separation between male and female guests.

The arrangement stems from a contractual requirement by Hasidic singer Moti Steinmetz, who has been invited to perform at the event. According to Israeli entertainment outlet Pplus, Steinmetz's contract explicitly stipulates full separation under the wedding canopy. Sources close to the performer explained that he has previously traveled to weddings abroad without gender separation, only to cancel his participation upon arrival. "Anyone who books him for a wedding knows he is committed to performing only at ceremonies with separation," they said.

Steinmetz's appearance fee is estimated at approximately $20,000, including flights and accommodation. Sources familiar with the arrangements told Kikar Hashabbat that Adam is a genuine fan of Steinmetz's music, which motivated the invitation for his special day.

Adam, one of Israel's most popular performers, maintains strong connections to Jewish tradition and observance. He wears tefillin (phylacteries) and prays daily, keeps kosher dietary laws, refrains from performing on Shabbat, and is known for charitable activities. In a recent interview with Rivky Goldfinger in the Basheva newspaper, Adam's mother Sharon described her prayers leading up to the wedding: "For a long time I prayed for this moment—at the Lubavitcher Rebbe's gravesite, at Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's tomb, and at Rabbi Meir Baal Haness."

Sharon Adam continued: "I asked the Creator to do what only He knows how to do, to find for my dear firstborn son his heart's choice, a soulmate from the root of his soul, simply, easily, at the right time and in the right way."

Steinmetz, who has established himself as a leading voice in Hasidic emotional music, is known for his firm stance on gender separation at events.

The upscale event in Portofino is expected to be among the most notable celebrity weddings of the year, with Adam and Israelovich set to stand under the wedding canopy this coming weekend.