Conservative Jewish Wedding

Conservative Judaism

Founded at the turn of the Twentieth Century in the US, the Conservative movement considers
Jewish law (Halakhah) to be binding as well as dependant on historical and social developments. The concept of egalitarianism in the Conservative movement is a good example of both the binding aspect of Halakhah as well as the influence of social developments; such as ordaining women to become Rabbis and be included in a Minyan (a quorum of ten). That being said, a Conservative Jewish wedding though closely resembling a traditional Orthodox wedding, naturally has a few twists that reflect the acceptance of Egalitarianism.

A Conservative Jewish Wedding

While very similar to a classic Orthodox Jewish wedding, a Conservative Jewish wedding has a few tweaks, mostly related to the role of the bride. Traditionally, for instance, the groom is called to read from the Torah on the Sabbath before the ceremony  (called an Aufruf). A Conservative Jewish wedding, on the other hand, calls upon both the groom and the bride. With regard to the ceremony itself, a conservative Jewish wedding includes a few other modifications worth mentioning, such as the tradition of the groom placing a veil over the brides face prior to the ceremony, known as the Bedeken. A Conservative Jewish wedding may include a reciprocal act, such as placing a Kippah/Yarmulke on the grooms head or Tallit (traditional prayer shawl) on his shoulders. The Jewish wedding ring ceremony traditionally has the groom place a ring on the bride’s finger; a Conservative Jewish wedding often has the bride reciprocate this act.

The Role of the Ketubah in a Conservative Jewish Wedding

The Ketubah, a traditional Jewish wedding document that outlines the obligations of the husband to his wife, is not without its own adjustments in a Conservative Jewish wedding. A Conservative Rabbinical Authority modification known as the Lieberman Clause was introduced in the 1950s. It stipulates that should the marriage end in divorce, that it be adjudicated by a Rabbinic Court (Beit Din).  Basically, the clause specifies that if the wife requests a divorce the husband agrees. Another notable modification to the Ketubah text in a Conservative Jewish wedding is that couples often opt to include an English translation alongside the traditional Aramaic. 

Danny Azoulay, a talented Ketubah artist is experienced in creating Conservative Ketubot. Producing exquisite artwork to commemorate your marriage all the while keeping with the updated text and translations of the Ketubah for your Conservative Jewish wedding.