Jewish Ceremonies

Even those who have grown up with Jewish ceremonies as a regular part of their life need guidance when it comes big milestones like the Jewish Wedding or Brit Milah, or even yearly events like Passover and the High Holidays. The wedding is arguably the most significant of Jewish ceremonies. Not only that, but even within the framework of Jewish ceremonies for the Jewish wedding, there is room for each and every couple to express themselves and their Jewish identity on this joyous day.   Jewish Ceremonies Before the Big Day Traditionally, there are several distinct Jewish ceremonies within the Jewish wedding, or for some, even the day or two before the Big Day. Many who observe Sephardic customs will have a lavish Henna ritual before or during the wedding, which is common across all Middle Eastern cultures. Observers of Sephardic customs will also celebrate on the evening that the bride goes to the ritual bath, or Mikvah, in accordance with the Jewish practice of family purity. Traditionally, Jewish Ceremonies for the wedding day kick off with separate reception parties for the bride and the groom. This is a wonderful way to enjoy and share in the excitement of the shining couple. This is also in keeping with the religious custom of the bride and groom not seeing each other from 7 days prior to the wedding until the veiling ceremony just before the Chuppah.   Jewish Ceremonies During the Wedding Of all Jewish ceremonies, the veiling is one of the most joyous yet little-understood customs. The simple explanation is in reference to Leah, who we know had her face covered while marrying Jacob. The esoteric explanations, however, dive much deeper into these concepts. That leads us to the Chuppah, which is probably one of the most well-known Jewish ceremonies even in the non-Jewish world. The Chuppah begins with the 7 circles the bride walks around the groom, and moves on to the wedding ring exchange, the presenting of the Ketubah, the 7 blessings over a cup of wine, a speech from the religious officiater or close family member, the recitation of “If I forget thee, o Jerusalem,” and of course the breaking of the glass. Mazal tov!   The Ketubah Of course the Chuppah, the epitome of the Jewish wedding and one of the most important Jewish ceremonies, is not complete without the Ketubah. Modern Ketubahs come in a huge variety of text options and designs. Danny Azoulay is a world-renowned Ketubah artist specializing in papercut Ketubah designs, layered on quality non-fade paper. He creates breathtakingly beautiful depictions of scenes from the Bible or Israel with romantic quotes, and texts according to various levels of religious affiliation and translations in a wide selection of languages. The splashes of color, accented with silver- and gold-leafing come together in a gorgeous document, celebrating your lives together as a couple for many years to come.