Jewish Ceremonies
Phone: 914-720-8509
To listen to a musical sample by Cantor Broden, click on the link to his website.
www.Jewish-Ceremonies.com

Interfaith marriage is a reality in our nation today. The number of such marriages is escalating to an increasingly higher percentage. Interfaith marriage need not be viewed in a negative light where a partner is seen as rejecting or rebelling against faith or family. In an open society the formation of relationships between men and women of opposite ethnic and religious backgrounds is both natural and predictable. When two people of different faiths and backgrounds can come together to form the most intimate of unions, that is, indeed, a reason to celebrate.

Many of today's interfaith couples desire a more spiritual rather than religious ceremony. I honor all faiths including Jewish, Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Native American, and all wedding traditions. Whether Interfaith or a traditional Jewish wedding whereby both partners are Jewish, I approach each ceremony individually and creatively. There are no two couples alike and a wedding ceremony should not be "one size fits all". I will assist you in the planning of your ceremony, with the two of you as the forefront. My intention is to complement the two of you. Consider this, you have a twenty to thirty minute window of opportunity during your ceremony to share your most heartfelt feelings for each other, before the most important people in your lives. You should not have to compromise, in the short span of time you have, with words that do not relate to who you are. Together we will construct a ceremony that will reflect your union and the fundamental beliefs that you share.

We will meet initially to gather information regarding your needs and desires as well as help you with the elements that you wish to include in your ceremony. I will share with you some suggestions and ideas towards making the wedding just right for you.

During our time together, you will have an opportunity to get a sense of my style and presentation. I believe that it is extremely important to share all details with you so that you will not have any surprises. This is very important in terms of interfaith ceremonies. The last thing you want is to be surprised by a statement that you didn't expect to hear as you share this time with family and friends. I will perform the entire ceremony for you as it is being created. This eliminates any anxiety on your part so you can be rest assured that your ceremony will come off just as you have planned.

The Jewish community is very different than it was 42 years ago when I was born. At that time, interfaith weddings accounted for less than 10% among Jews getting married and synagogue affiliation was over 90%. We are blessed in this country to be able to identify ourselves as Americans. While anti-semitism will always exist, it has become marginalized in our society. More and more American Jews feel comfortable marrying someone of a different faith or religious history. In fact, the rate of intermarriage in the American Jewish community according to leading studies is now around 60%. Affiliation with a synagogue and regular attendance at worship services has decreased. We are no longer an insulated community. Our close friends are not necessarily Jewish and our choice in a life partner may not be either. Our children have so many responsibilities and choices that there isn’t always the time to devote 4 – 6 hours per week for 5 years of religious schooling prior to Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

This is the community I have chosen to serve. I will travel anywhere in the country to perform the ceremonies listed above.