The New Jewish Wedding

The Definitive, Completely Up-to-Date Guide to Planning a Jewish Wedding Since its original publication in 1986, The New Jewish Wedding has become required reading, assigned to engaged couples by Conservative, Reform, and Reconstruc-tionist rabbis alike. In this new revision, Anita Diamant, one of the most respected writers of guides to Jewish life, continues to offer step-by-step guidance to planning the ceremony and the party that follows -- from hiring a rabbi and wording the invitation to organizing a processional and hiring a caterer. She also includes: A new chapter focusing on converts, non-Jews, and same-sex couples Essential Web sites All new art, with examples of ketubot, invitations, and other wedding paraphernalia New poems and new translations of the seven wedding blessings Complete, authoritative, and indispensable, The New Jewish Wedding is a must-have resource for anyone who wants a wedding that combines spiritual meaning and joyous celebration.

Complete, authoritative, and indispensable, The New Jewish Wedding provides the couple with options--some new, some old--to create a wedding combining spiritual meaning and joyous celebration. Step-by-step, Diamant guides readers through planning the cermony and the party that follows--from finding a rabbi and wording the invitations to hiring a caterer.

Now completely revised, this definitive guide provides a wealth of options for creating a Jewish wedding--whether totally traditional or cutting-edge contemporary--that combines spiritual meaning and joyous celebration.

This is the book for all of today’s couples. Explores the rich history of Jewish wedding customs and rituals throughout the centuries while providing contemporary interpretations and creative options.

From reciting the Kiddush (sanctification prayer) to building the chuppah (wedding canopy), the details of a Jewish wedding can be overwhelming! This wedding guide helps newlyweds understand tradition and plan a wedding they’ll cherish forever. Written by a rabbi who has performed many weddings, this informative guide will help people navigate: the Judaic concept of marriage; engagement etiquette; the proper way to introduce the families; how to confer with a rabbi and the ritual director; the business of incorporating family heirlooms; and more! Whether the wedding is joining two Jewish people or an interfaith couple, this book is a must-have survival guide for any chatan (groom) or kallah (bride).

This expanded, completely updated and revised edition of the highly acclaimed The Jewish Baby Book includes new ceremonies, a special selection of poems and prayers for use in baby ceremonies, and a section for interfaith families. A unique directory of names that reflect the diveristy of the Jewish experience is included.

Planning your Jewish wedding? Here is your wise, warm, practical, and invaluable guide to all the personal choices that will express you and your partner’s unique qualities and deepest feelings about this wonderful celebration. Most importantly, through tips and stories, this guide to modern Jewish weddings helps you to incorporate your heritage and evaluate your priorities while preserving the essential meaning and integrity of the event for you as a couple. "Here’s a friendly guide to help anyone create a wedding experience with the deepest of Jewish traditions: innovation." –Douglas Rushkoff, commentator, essayist, professor of communications at New York University, and author, Nothing Sacred: The Truth About Judaism "Make Your Own Jewish Wedding is a well-written, well-researched book providing very helpful information and suggestions on planning a Jewish wedding. It also offers important history and background relating to Jewish rituals and customs from the Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi traditions. I would recommend this book to anyone preparing for a Jewishly authentic wedding." –Rabbi Suzanne Singer, Temple Sinai, Oakland, California "Make Your Own Jewish Wedding, like the contemporary Jewish wedding itself, is a marriage between tradition and innovation. It performs the real service of accompanying the modern couple step by step on their journey to the chuppah and in doing so enables them to make their wedding distinct yet responsive to their backgrounds, traditions, and values." –Alan Abraham Kay, author, Make Your Own Passover Seder

Newly revised and updated, the definitive guide to planning a Jewish wedding, written by bestselling novelist Anita Diamant—author of The Red Tent and The Boston Girl—and one of the most respected writers of guides to contemporary Jewish life. This complete, easy-to-use guide explains everything you need to know to plan your own Jewish wedding in today’s ever-changing world where the very definition of what constitutes a Jewish wedding is up for discussion. With enthusiasm and flair, Anita Diamant provides choices for every stage of a wedding—including celebrations before and after the ceremony itself—providing both traditional and contemporary options. She explains the Jewish tradition of love and marriage with references drawn from Biblical, Talmudic, and mystical texts and stories. She guides you step by step through planning the ceremony and the party that follows—from finding a rabbi and wording the invitation to organizing a processional and hiring a caterer. Samples of wedding invitations and ketubot (marriage contracts) are provided for inspiration and guidance, as well as poems that can be incorporated into the wedding ceremony or party and a variety of translations of traditional texts. “There is no such thing as a generic Jewish wedding,” writes Anita Diamant, “no matter what the rabbi tells you, no matter what the caterer tells you, no matter what your mother tells you.” Complete, authoritative, and indispensable, The Jewish Wedding Now provides personalized options—some new, some old—to create a wedding that combines spiritual meaning and joyous celebration and reflects your individual values and beliefs.