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The Jewish Ceremony
By Jeanette Hawkinson
The roots of Judaism are ancient
and are of both a civil and a religious nature. Thus, the Jewish
wedding ceremony evolves from both Jewish law and cultural
tradition, and it is rich in symbolic meaning.
Escorted in procession by their parents, the bride and groom,
their attendants, and families gather under the chuppah (canopy),
which represents the tent home in which newlyweds resided in
ancient times. The couple takes a sip of ceremonial wine (symbolic
of the commitment of the betrothal) and receives a blessing from
the rabbi. The bride then receives a gold wedding ring from the
groom (plain, so as not to be misled by his wealth). The ketubah,
or marriage contract, is read aloud and presented by the groom to
the bride.
The Seven Blessings are then given, usually by a special guest or
member of the family, followed by another ceremonial sip of wine
(symbolizing the commitment of the marriage). The ceremony ends
with the groom stomping a glass (evocative of the destruction of
the Temple of Jerusalem) amid happy cries of “Mazel tov!” from
those gathered. The recessional is led by the bride and groom.
The wedding ceremony usually takes about 20 minutes, after which,
traditionally, the bride and groom retire to a private room for a
few minutes before the reception (symbolic of the consummation of
the marriage). It is also tradition to begin the wedding feast
with a blessing of the challah, a loaf of braided bread, to
signify the sharing of families and friends.
Joy and symbolism characterize every Jewish wedding ceremony, but
the particulars of the service vary from Orthodox to Conservative
to Reform branches of the faith, and even from community to
community. Though Jewish weddings do not have to take place in a
temple, and many do not, rabbis and synagogues often have their
own interpretations and directives regarding what is appropriate
in attire, music, or flowers. Couples wishing to have a
double-ring ceremony, for instance, or hoping to have traditional
wedding-march music, or to add the words “Do you take this
woman/man…I do” from the American civil ceremony will have to
consult the rabbi. The Jewish ceremony is typically conducted in
both Hebrew and English.
Intermarriage is not encouraged in the Jewish faith, but it has
become increasingly common nonetheless. As a rule, Orthodox and
Conservative rabbis will not perform interfaith ceremonies; some
Reform rabbis will, and some will even co-officiate with other
clergy. In addition, in Orthodox and Conservative communities,
even some Reform circles, a divorced woman cannot be remarried
without a “get,” the official rabbinical document of divorce.
Jewish weddings are not performed on the Sabbath, on certain holy
days, or in some seasons of the year. There may also be special
requirements of witnesses for the wedding, and of guests at the
ceremony. For instance, they may have to have their heads covered,
particularly when the wedding is held in a temple.
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