What Happens in a Jewish Wedding Ceremony?

You are getting married, and the excitement is building. If you are planning a Jewish wedding in Israel, it helps to understand the meaning and structure of the chuppah and kiddushin - one of the most moving moments in any Jewish wedding.

A Traditional Structure With Room for Choice

The ceremony contains several traditional stages, each expressing another dimension of Jewish marriage. Every stage allows room for choice, creativity, and personal interpretation. We can select blessings and readings, explain the tradition to international guests, and shape a ceremony that feels authentic, contemporary, and connected to Jewish life today.

Signing the Ketubah

Before the chuppah, we hold an intimate ketubah-signing ceremony. The couple writes a personal Jewish ketubah with me several weeks or months in advance, drawing on their values, story, and vision for a shared life. Two witnesses sign it; they may be women or men and may represent both partners. We read the ketubah and invite the witnesses and closest friends to understand themselves as part of the couple’s circle of support.

1. The Betrothal Blessing

This stage evokes the first spark of connection. Historically, betrothal was a separate ritual held long before marriage. Today, the two are joined. In a Reform and egalitarian ceremony, the ancient blessing can be expressed in contemporary, mutual language.

2. Exchanging Rings

Both partners give and receive rings and may add personal vows or blessings. They may use the traditional formula, a mutual egalitarian version, or words written especially for them.

3. Reading the Ketubah

We read an excerpt or the full ketubah. A Reform ketubah does not center dowry or financial acquisition; it articulates love, mutual responsibility, partnership, and the values of the home the couple is building.

4. The Seven Blessings

The ancient Sheva Brachot form a communal and celebratory climax. Family and friends may read or sing the traditional blessings, contemporary interpretations, or seven newly written blessings. Couples may also choose a different ritual that better serves the ceremony.

5. Breaking the Glass

Breaking a glass has carried several meanings: the fragility and complexity of life, the memory of Jerusalem’s destruction, and the awareness that private joy exists within a larger human story. We study the tradition and decide whether to retain the verse about Jerusalem, reinterpret it, or use words of peace and shared responsibility. In an egalitarian ceremony, both partners may break a glass.

After the Glass

The chuppah ends, the guests erupt in celebration, and the dance floor is waiting.

Mazal tov!