Jewish and Christian Interfaith Ceremony


Ketubah signing /Marriage license signing

Convocation

Welcome! We are gathered here today to share in a celebration of love, and to join together forever the hearts of Danielle and Jason. Today in the presence of God, family and friends, Danielle and Jason will join their lives together, two beautiful spirits sharing the most sacred and tender of human relationships. They stand before you bound by their love for each other, and the desire to share this expression of their love with you and with the world. We, their families and friends, form a community of love that together we may support and encourage them with our abundance of prayers and blessings on this day and for all of their lives.
In a Jewish wedding, The Chuppah – a drape of cloth suspended on four poles, under which the Wedding Blessings are said – is our Sanctuary.Surrounded by loved ones whose joy and prayers are with you, you stand at this chuppah, a symbol of your new home.Its four sides are open, symbolizing the importance of community and of participation in each other’s lives.Friends and family will fill your home.May your home be a shelter against the storms, a haven of peace, a stronghold of faith and love.

Memorial: A moment of silence:

We would like to honor and remember all those who could not be here with us physically today.Although death has separated us physically, faith and love have bound us eternally.Though we cannot see you, we know you are here.Though we cannot touch you, we feel the warmth of your smile, as we begin a new chapter in our lives.Today we pause to reflect upon those who have shaped our character, molded our spirits and touched our hearts.
May this moment of silence be a reminder of the memories we have shared; a representation of the everlasting impact you have made upon our lives.

~ The Lord’s Prayer ~Please join me in reciting the Lord’s prayer :

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those that trespass against us
and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. “Amen.”

The first Wedding Blessing said under the Chuppah is a very special prayer for joyous occasions, called the Shehechyanu. The Shehechyanu expresses our gratitude for being able to celebrate new occasions.It is my pleasure now to recite the Shehecheyanu:
Blessed are you, creator of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and permitted us to celebrate this joyous occasion.

Address:

There is a passage by Daphne Rose Kingma, called Real Love, that I would like to share with you today which exemplifies the importance of love in our lives.
“For it is in loving, as well as in being loved, that we become most truly ourselves. No matter what we do, say, accomplish, or become, it is our capacity to love that ultimately defines us. In the end, nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another.”
Danielle and Jason have found the gift of love in each other, they have found in one another other that special person who provides them with peace, love and comfort and who will support each other and share all of life.
Their Journey began…(Here we can add your personal section and your story and your engagement story)
Danielle and Jason have been together 5 years and their relationship has evolved through all the joys, challenges and changes of life into this beautiful and loving partnership that you see here before you today.Danielle and Jason are both so happy to have found each other and how wonderful they are together.Their connection is easy, comfortable and strong!They cherish their relationship and how much it allows them both to grow.They support each other and encourage each other through everything that life brings!
Danielle and Jason have invited you here today because you are their dearest family and friends. All of you who Danielle and Jason call family, have contributed to who they are, and you will continue to have important place in their lives in the years to come. You have shared with them life most precious moments and again they ask you to share and bear witness to this next chapter of their lives. Danielle and Jason would like to send out their heartfelt thanks to you for your continued love, support, and encouragement throughout their lives.
Within their relationship Danielle and Jason have learned that communication, patience, understanding, passion, and laughter were vital to their relationship.But what holds all this together the core of their relationship is the strong love that they have for each other.
(Here we can also add the things you love about each other)
Together Danielle and Jason are best friends and they support and encourage each other every day.They share generous and caring spirits, common goals and values, a love of family and a mutual love of their life and an excitement to begin this new chapter of their lives! They are a great team, better together than they are apart!
In Yiddish, there’s a word “beshert” which means “it is meant to be.” Danielle and Jason are each other’s “beshert” which means: It is meant to be. They are a great team, better together than they are apart!

Consecration:

Marriage is an honorable estate and the most tender of human relationships. Into this holy estate these two persons come now to be joined.I ask you both, as you stand in the presence of your family and friends, to remember that love, loyalty and compassion alone will avail as the foundation of a happy and enduring home. No other human ties are more tender, no other vows more sacred than those that you will now assume. If these sacred vows are honored and kept close to your hearts, and you endeavor to always live according to the best that is within each of you, your life together will be full of joy, peace and love.

Consent/Intent:

In the presence of God, family and friends, I ask you to state your intentions.
Danielle and Jason, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?
Will you love and honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives?
Danielle and Jason respond: I will.

Vows:

I, Danielle take you, Jason to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

I, Jason take you, Danielle to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

Blessing of the Rings:

These rings that you will now exchange are a symbol of all the promises that are deep within your hearts that you have shared this day. The circle of these rings stands for the endless cycle of love that begins today and continues throughout your married lives.
They represent to the world your shared gift of love and the commitment you have made to each other this day to share all that is within each of you, the true and beautiful essence of one another. Into these rings and these two loving spirits I place the blessings of love.

Exchanging of Rings:

There is no greater statement of devotion in Judaism than “Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li” – “I am for my Beloved, and my Beloved is mine”.

With no less a declaration, Danielle and Jason will now declare their devotion for each other.
Jason, as you placed this ring upon the finger of Dannielle , speak to her these vows:

“Danielle, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness with all that I am and all that I will ever be, with these words: ‘I am my beloved and my beloved is mine! Ani L’dodi V’ Dodi Li’.”

Danielle, as you placed this ring upon the finger of Jason, speak to him these vows:

Jason, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness with all that I am and all that I will ever be, with these words: ‘I am my beloved and my beloved is mine! Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li’.”

The SHEVA BRACHOT (Seven Blessings)
The following is said under the Chuppah over a full cup of wine or grape juice:
1. ברוך אתה ה’ אלהינו מלך העולם, בורא פרי הגפן .
Blessed is the ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine
2. ברוך אתה ה’ אלהינו מלך העולם, שהכל ברא לכבודו.
Blessed is the glory of all creation.
3. ברוך אתה ה’ אלהינו מלך העולם, יוצר האדם.
Blessed is the creation of the Human Being
4. ברוך אתה ה’ אלהינו מלך העולם, אשר יצר את האדם בצלמו, בצלם דמות תבניתו, והתקין לו ממנו בניין עדי עד. ברוך אתה ה’, יוצר האדם.
Blessed is the design of the Human Being, united in heart and the search for love.
5. שוש תשיש ותגל עקרה, בקיבוץ בניה לתוכה בשמחה. ברוך אתה ה’, משמח ציון בבניה.
Blessed is the joy of our gathering. May rejoicing resound throughout the world as the homeless are given homes, persecution and oppression cease, and all people learn to live in peace with each other and harmony with the earth.
6. שמח תשמח רעים האהובים, כשמחך יצירך בגן עדן מקדם. ברוך אתה ה’, משמח חתן וכלה.
Let these loving companions rejoice. May their joy be as paradise on earth.
7. ברוך אתה ה’ אלהינו מלך העולם, אשר ברא ששון ושמחה, חתן וכלה, גילה רינה, דיצה וחדווה, אהבה ואחווה, ושלום ורעות, מהרה ה’ אלקינו ישמע בערי יהודה ובחוצות ירושלים, קול ששון וקול שמחה, קול חתן וקול כלה, קול מצהלות חתנים מחופתם, ונערים ממשתה נגינתם. ברוך אתה ה’, משמח חתן עם הכלה.
Blessed is the creation of joy and celebration, Bride and Groom, delight and cheer, love and solidarity, peace and companionship. Blessed and praised is this love and this marriage.
ברוך אתה ה’ אלוהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן

Groom and Bride drink wine.

Catholic Nuptial Blessing:

May almighty God, with his word of blessing, unite your hearts in the never-ending bond of pure love.
May your children bring you happiness, and may your generous love for them be returned to you, many times over.
May the peace of God live always in your hearts and in your home.
May you have true friends to stand by you, both in joy and in sorrow.
May you be ready and willing to help and comfort all who come to you in need.
And may the blessings promised to the compassionate be yours in abundance.
May you find happiness and satisfaction in your work.
May daily problems never cause you undue anxiety, nor the desire for earthly possessions dominate your lives.
But may your hearts’ first desire be always the good things waiting for you in the life of heaven.
May the Lord bless you with many happy years together, so that you may enjoy the rewards of a good life.
And after you have served him loyally in his kingdom on earth, may he welcome you to his eternal kingdom in heaven. Amen.

Breaking of the glass explanation:

Danielle and Jason have chosen to honor a tradition that is a part of Jewish heritage; the breaking of the glass. It is a time-honored tradition in the Jewish Faith.
The breaking of the glass at the end of a wedding ceremony serves to remind of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
It’s a reminder for us that the world need our awareness and attention to make it a better place.There are many other symbolic meaning to this ritual, but today we envision the breaking of the glass as the shattering of your old lives, your individual path, to start a new path together, a new beginning!!
“For those of you witnessing this for the first time it is appropriate to clap, yell, or shout MazalTov!, when the glass is broken.

Priestly blessing:

Bride and Groom are wrapped in a Talit – Rabbi Sara and Rev Deb
Our Bride and Groom would like you to join us in the final blessing.
Please rise and join hands as one community. As you do so please channel your wishes and blessing for their life together.

יְבָרֶכְךָ יהוה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ:
May the Lord Bless you and guide you
יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
May the Lord shine his face upon you and be gracious to you
יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ
וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם:
May the Lord lift up his face to you and give to you peace.

Pronouncement of Marriage:

Now that you Danielle, and you, Jason, have promised to give yourselves to one another and to love each other through your sacred vows and through the giving and receiving of these rings, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Breaking of Glass

Mazal Tov!!!!

The Kiss: You may now kiss your beautiful bride

Sara Shonfeld - Rabbi & Interfaith Officiant, WeddingWire Couples' Choice Award Winner 2017

Sara Shonfeld - Rabbi & Interfaith Officiant





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