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How do large ultra-Orthodox families afford so many weddings?

Charitable loan societies allow the ultra-Orthodox to marry off their numerous children by avoiding expensive bank loans.
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More than 9,000 ultra-Orthodox couples marry every year in Israel. Many of them are in their early 20s, and by custom, the parents of the bride and groom cover all the wedding expenses as well as the costs associated with starting married life together. In practice, this not only includes such things as furniture, but also the cost of all, or at least part, of an apartment. After all, the couples have no money of their own. How do ultra-Orthodox parents manage to pay such costs? How can they marry off seven children — the average number of children in ultra-Orthodox households — when they are not wealthy or have no significant inheritance? The answer is complex, testifying to good financial management and the advantages of strong community.

In most basic terms, there are two components to how the ultra-Orthodox manage to marry off their children: a system of interest-free loans and restrained consumption (especially compared with the broader society). Yet, it cannot be emphasized enough that it is still a difficult undertaking for large segments of the ultra-Orthodox community, among whom many live in difficult, subsistence conditions.

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