Answers to Jewish Questions

Rabbi Julie Zupan answers - When do you light yizkor (memorial) candles on Yom Kippur? Do you light candles only for immediate family members?

Is writing on the side bar of my Hebrew Bible book forbidden?

Do you have some talking points we can use with our friends to help them understand our choice as parents?

A sukkah is a temporary, hut-like dwelling built during the holiday of Sukkot. (In fact, the word sukkot is the plural of sukkah.)

Thought it was once common for Jewish brides to be veiled, today's brides have several options.

Kiddushin, the Hebrew word for the Jewish wedding ritual, means “holiness.” The word has the same linguistic root as kadosh, meaning “holy.”

Who can sign our wedding ketubah (Jewish marriage contract)? How should we pick our witnesses?In Reform Judaism, witnesses may be of any gender, above b’nei mitzvah age (13 or older), and customarily, identify as Jewish, although some clergy permit individuals from other backgrounds and faiths to serve as ketubah witnesses. Some clergy also will allow additional witnesses, so you can honor three or even four friends as witnesses.

If you have a wedding ring in mind that you’d like to use in lieu of a solid gold or silver band, you should speak with your officiant about choosing the type of ring (or rings) that best suit you, your relationship, and your custom.

The wedding partners honor two friends by asking them to sign the document as witnesses. Usually, the witnesses are expected to sign their names in Hebrew. If you aren’t sure how to do that, ask the wedding couple for guidance and they can speak with their clergy about how to make that work.