Interfaith Rabbi New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania

I am an interfaith Rabbi and work alone or with other clergy to represent your faith tradition. I create a wedding ceremony that honors both of your faith traditions. I officiated a wedding last weekend with a priest and together, we made a beautiful and meaningful ceremony for my bride and groom.

I also did an unveiling last weekend for a beautiful family. We honored their father; grandfather; uncle; great uncle; godfather; friend. Doing an unveiling we conduct a service using the Rabbi’s manual. I spoke to the daughter of the deceased so I could understand her father and make personal remarks that were meaningful to the family and friends present. An. unveiling requies that the stone be covered with a cloth or pillow case or something so that we can unveil it.

I also do funerals and I love bringing kindness to families during difficult times.

I make beautiful Jewish weddings. The Jewish wedding is not religious but it has beautiful traditions with symbolism that is romantic and celebrates the love and commitment the couple is making on their wedding day. The bride and groom can circle each other doing hakafot, or sacred circling. I do a modern version where the bride circles her groom three times; the groom circles the bride three times; and together they make one circle. Seven is symbolic of completion, of perfection because God created the earth in seven days. It is symbolic in both Jewish and Christian traditions.

After they circle one another, I explain the tradition of the seven and say that we each did was to create a wall around the other making each other the center of their lives.

Of course everyone wants to step on and break a glass. My brides can break a glass too. That is up to them. Every groom, Jewish or not Jewish, wants to break the glass. And when I officiate a wedding of two grooms or two brides; of course, they can all break the glass.

Some other Jewish wedding traditions involves wrapping the couple with a tallit, a prayer shawl; hopefully one that is meaningful to them. I wrap them and then bless them with the priestly benediction. It is cozy and romantic and they use a tallit that is meaningful to them; maybe a bar or bat mitzvah tallit; or one in the family. Or I use mine.

There are other traditions, of course the vows and the words of the ring exchange. They have options of which wording to use when they exchange rings.

If someone is from another culture and there are other cultural traditions, we incorporate them into a ceremony. There are some beautiful traditions from other cultures.

Also I suggest my couple make an interfaith chuppah – using a tallit from a beloved family member from the Jewish party and something from the non Jewish person also. We have used all kinds of things on the chuppah – a christening gown; a veil; even a wedding dress. It tells everyone that the ceremony is about two people and not about me. The chuppah is the symbol of the new home that the couple will share together, open on four sides for friends and family to be part of their lives.

I love officiating Jewish and interfaith weddings; be they Jewish-Christian; Jewish-Hindu – even marrying both parties where neither is Jewish. There are so many wonderful traditions that honor each family and bring them together in love and joy. That is the goal of my weddings. All families should feel good!

I invite you to contact me at www.rabbimarshajane.com or email me at rabbimarshajane@gmail.com. I would be happy to get to know you both!