Wedding

A Traditional Wedding at the Hurvah Synagogue

This story looks to the Hassidic world for ritual nuances which can benefit the spirit and bear consideration during wedding planning.

The Hurvah Synagogue in Jerusalem is to be the site of a dear friend's wedding held in the style of the Carliner Hassidim from which he learned late in life his family descends. During yeshiva studies in Israel he was assisted in becoming engaged to another baal teshuvah, "master of return", the phrase used for a Jewish person who has newly decided to fully enter the rigorous practices of a given orthodox community.

What Does Judaism Have to Say about Homosexuality, Jewish Same Sex-Marriages and Ordination?

The following question was asked during a recent survey. In developing the answer several principles of spirituality emerged for me, which may be interesting to you:

You are responsible for deciding on the ordination of persons, will you ordain someone who is gay or lesbian? Why, why not. Will you perform a marriage for two homosexuals? Why, why not.

I fully endorse and participate in the ordination and also the marriage of homosexual Jews. Continue to hear more about this from an institutional perspective, click here to view how I relate to the biblical texts in coming to my decision. In Living Jewish Life Cycle: How to Create Meaningful Jewish Rites of Passage I describe how to hold all Jewish ceremonies both traditionally and inclusively.