by David Greenspoon | Feb 20, 2024 | Weddings
Many couples seek an alternative to the traditional ketuba. This is especially true when one of the primaries is not Jewish, or when the couple is LGBTQ+. The traditional ketubah does not accommodate the realities of these couples’ lives. After all, the Talmud’s...
by David Greenspoon | Feb 13, 2024 | Weddings
The traditional ketuba (pl. ketubot) we know today was developed by the Talmudic Sages, and was a radical innovation in its time. It precluded summary divorce of a wife by a husband. The financial protections ranged from one year to two years of full living costs paid...
by David Greenspoon | Feb 6, 2024 | Weddings
“It is not good for a human to be alone” is the vision from Genesis that underscores the Jewish value of marriage as a sanctified, loving, companionship. The ability for rabbis and cantors to officiate such ceremonies for LGBTQ+ couples has never been more positive....
by David Greenspoon | Jan 30, 2024 | Weddings
Here are two comments I regularly hear in one way or another: “Rabbi, we’re both Jewish but want a Jew-ish ceremony. You know…sort of ‘inspired by’ but flexible.” “Rabbi, I’m Jewish. They’re not. We want to incorporate Jewish elements into our ceremony, but maybe...
by David Greenspoon | Jan 23, 2024 | Weddings
The traditional answer to this question presumes two Jewish people, a bride and a groom, and the traditional elements in this rite as understood for centuries. The details of the rites have varied over time and place. In the Middle Ages, the two parts of the ceremony...
