Celebrate Middle Eastern Jewish Wedding Traditions at the Magnes

BERKELEY — The University of California, Berkeley’s Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life and JIMENA, Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa are thrilled to announce the upcoming Henna Party: Celebrate Middle Eastern Jewish Wedding Traditions.

Set to take place on Thursday, March 20, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, attendees will experience the special garments, tastes, songs, and spirit of a traditional Sephardic and Mizrahi Henna Ceremony. The event will be at the Magnes, located at 2121 Allston Way near the Downtown Berkeley BART station.

The program will feature a Mizrahi Jewish Henna ceremony led by Rabbi Tsipora Gabbai, the world’s first female Moroccan rabbi, and will include 12 volunteers modeling the marriage costumes of the wedding party. With a repertoire that includes Arabic, Jewish, and Moroccan music, The Qadim Ensemble will perform sacred and folkloric music of the Near East. Middle Eastern food will be provided by Hummus Bodega.

“JIMENA is excited to collaborate with the Magnes to bring the unique tradition of the Henna Ceremony to the Bay Area.” Sapir Taib, JIMENA Senior Program Director shared. “This colorful event offers an opportunity to experience Sephardic and Mizrahi wedding traditions through a live Henna ceremony… celebrating the rich history, culture, and diverse expressions of Jewish life in MENA countries.”

As part of current exhibition programming, the Magnes will offer a staff-led guided tour of In Plain Sight: Jewish Arts and Lives in the Muslim World. Co-curated by Magnes Curator Dr. Francesco Spagnolo and scholar of Islamic art Dr. Qamar Adamjee, the exhibition shares artworks and objects from the collection that challenge common views about historical dualities and highlight creative engagement among Muslim and Jewish artists. 

A treasured part of Moroccan Jewish and other Mizrahi marriage celebrations, the Henna ceremony typically takes place a few days before the wedding and centers around the symbolic application of henna paste onto the hands of the bride, and in some traditions, the groom. Family and friends gather to sing, dance, and dress in ornate traditional clothing, with festive meals and the sharing of sweets, symbolizing the joy and unity of the extended family. This unique blend of local cultural influences with Jewish traditions highlights the adaptability and resilience of Jews, resulting in a beautiful expression of their diverse heritage and history.

This event is co-sponsored by Berkeley Hillel, Helen Diller Institute and the Center for Jewish Studies, JCC East Bay, Malka Productions, and Our Sephardic Family.

Special thanks to the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, David Berg Foundation, Kenneth Kofman and Andrea King, and an anonymous donor for their generous support of In Plain Sight: Jewish Arts and Lives in the Muslim World.

About the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley

Located in downtown Berkeley, just steps from campus, the museum and research center is home to one of the world’s preeminent collections of Jewish art and life. The Magnes generates new knowledge and understanding of Jewish cultures with and for its academic and public audiences through its collections-based exhibitions and programs.

About JIMENA, Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa
JIMENA is a San Francisco based nonprofit whose aim is to achieve universal recognition for the heritage and history of the 850,000 indigenous Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.

Press Contact:
Laura Bratt, Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life
lbratt@berkeley.edu

Event Flyer – letter size

Student Event Flyer – letter size