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...

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...

There are so many officiant choices out there! Rabbis and Cantors are formally trained Jewish clergy. Many other clergy beyond Judaism also perform weddings for the general bride and groom beyond their own denomination including secular or “spiritual but not...

There is a vast array of people who conduct traditional Jewish weddings. Usually, the officiants will include a rabbi or a cantor and sometimes both. Most (but not all) rabbis and cantors in the US are ordained (rabbis) or invested (cantors) by seminaries with...