Beyond the Fight for Marriage Equality
Pride Month: A Year of LGBT Victories
June is coming, which means LGBT Pride Month is just around the corner! Throughout the month of June, we celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community throughout the nation.
Religion in Israel: Democracy and Pluralism Must go Hand in Hand
The (Circle) Spiral of Jewish Life
We often think about the cycle of the year-the change of the air in the fall, or the blossoming of new life in the spring-and we see a circle.
Holding Israel's Declaration of Independence Up to the Light of Day
Israel’s Declaration of Independence is the foundation of a state that is both Jewish and democratic. But does it accurately describe the Jewish State today?
Who can sign our ketubah? How should we pick our witnesses?
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.
Parents' Blessings on Your Wedding Day
At a Jewish wedding, why does the couple stand under a canopy?
The canopy under which Jewish couples stand when they are married is called a chuppah. The chuppah represents the new home a couple establishes through their marriage.
I was asked to be a ketubah witness at my friend’s wedding. What do I need to know?
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.
Does my wedding ring have to be plain gold or can it be a diamond band instead?
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.