Rabbi Marsha Jane Jewish and Interfaith Weddings; Baby Naming; Funerals; honeymoons and more
Rabbi Marsha Jane gets spectacular reviews from her brides and grooms; wedding couples; parents and grandparents for her naming a baby/child; and from officiating at funerals and celebration of life occasions.
Rabbi Marsha Jane just received copious thanks for creating and conducting a service for a celebration of life for the unexpected passing of a brother; father and friend. Rabbi Marsha Jane added several beautiful poems to the service and wrote a eulogy that the deceased long time friends and family were comforted by. That is the goal – to comfort those who have lost someone dear.
Rabbi Marsha Jane is looking forward to weddings coming up during the next month. She talks to her couples every week beginning just months before their wedding. This allows them to have fun together and to guide them with all of the elements of the wedding; and to go over a processional with them as well. The various elements included in a Jewish wedding are, of course, the breaking of a glass. Rabbi Marsha Jane offers both her brides and grooms the opportunity to break the glass. There is no reason only men can!
Rabbi MArsha Jane talks to them about the symbolism of the number 7 and discusses with them whether they want to do hakafot, or sacred circling. It’s such a beautiful tradition where each walks around the other creating a new family circle, each making the other the center of their universe. Rabbi Marsha Jane also finds out if either one in the couple has a kiddish cup to use for the blessing of the wine and also to actually drink wine from as part of the wedding ceremony. Of course Rabbi Marsha Jane uses white wine so as not prevent anything from going amiss and getting on the bride’s wedding gown.
Other traditions include the Remembrance – who is no longer here with us that we want to remember. Also a shout – out – are there others who can’t attend because of ill health or distance. We want to mention those people as well.
The ring exchange is the essence of the Jewish wedding ceremony and the couple can choose which words they want to say when they exchange rings. Sometimes a couple will have rings in the family that they want to use that are meaningful to them. I love that one groom wears the ring his father, of blessed memory, wore. Others use a grandmother’s or a parent’s ring in addition to new ones. When they use a meaningful family ring, Rabbi Marsha Jane says something about that – also about the kiddish cup – one that was a grandparents or in the family or sometimes a bar or bat mitzvah cup.
Then there is the tallit with which Rabbi Marsha JAne wraps around the couple and blessed them. Sometimes they use a bar or bat mitzvah tallit; other times it belongs or belonged to a parent or grandparent. That too is very special.
Rabbi Marsha Jane feels incredibly lucky to have the honor of marrying all couples – traditional; non traditional; interfaith; interracial; LGBTQ couples – all with love and respect and joy! We are all so lucky when we find love wherever we find it!!!
Rabbi Marsha Jane also officiates funerals and celebration of life services. It is always an honor for Rabbi Marsha Jane to get to know the passed family member and to help families to honor, grieve, and remember their beloved families. Here are the beautiful comments Rabbi Marsha Jane received after officiating a graveside service for her parents:
Rabbi Marsha Jane transformed my parent’s graveside service into something special. She conducted the service with the utmost professionalism, grace, and caring. It ran smoothly and also had us be a part of the ceremony. As she talked about my parent’s lives, I felt she really understood the kind of people they were. Although it was still a sad event, she instantly put us all at ease, and we came away feeling that we’d given my parents the kind of sendoff we had hoped for, and the closure we needed. It was an honor to have her conduct the service. Everyone that attended commented on how wonderful it was. I highly recommend Rabbi Marsha for any event you may have. You will be glad you did.
Honeymoons – well, Rabbi Marsha Jane has a wonderful resource that will not cost you a penny. Contact sasha.kleinman@fora.travel. You will not be sorry. She is extremely experienced and will work with you to be sure you do what you want. Along the way she can often get you perks and you will not pay her an extra dime. Follow her at @travelcuratedbysasha.
Rabbi Marsha Jane offers now a partnership with a minister to do local or destination weddings. She can bring the minister with her and so it is easier for couples wanting to go overseas. Rabbi Marsha Jane has officiated at weddings in St. Lucia; France, and Italy. She looks forward to more. And if you want her to co-officiate with someone who will represent the non-Jewish part of your couple, contact her. She’s got someone for you!
Rabbi Marsha Jane has had the privilege of having had Sasha Kleinman @travelcuratedbySasha prepare trips for her. She is planning one for RabbiMarshaJane for a special birthday that is upcoming this April!!!
More weddings and baby namings to come!! Rabbi Marsha Jane looks forward to talking to you about your wedding; baby naming; or other service that you would like her to conduct.