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.

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. Published by CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis

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.

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).

ONE OF THE WASHINGTON POST'S TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR One of Christian Science Monitor's BEST FICTION OF 2019 "Funny and tender but also provocative and wise. . . One of the most hopeful and insightful novels I've read in years." - Ron Charles, The Washington Post "Serious yet joyous comedy, reminiscent of the Pultizer-winning Less" - Out Magazine A novel about what happens when an already sprawling family hosts an even larger and more chaotic wedding: an entertaining story about family, culture, memory, and community. In the seemingly idyllic town of Rundle Junction, Bennie and Walter are preparing to host the wedding of their eldest daughter Clem. A marriage ceremony at their beloved, rambling home should be the happiest of occasions, but Walter and Bennie have a secret. A new community has moved to Rundle Junction, threatening the social order and forcing Bennie and Walter to confront uncomfortable truths about the lengths they would go to to maintain harmony. Meanwhile, Aunt Glad, the oldest member of the family, arrives for the wedding plagued by long-buried memories of a scarring event that occurred when she was a girl in Rundle Junction. As she uncovers details about her role in this event, the family begins to realize that Clem's wedding may not be exactly what it seemed. Clever, passionate, artistic Clem has her own agenda. What she doesn't know is that by the end, everyone will have roles to play in this richly imagined ceremony of familial connection-a brood of quirky relatives, effervescent college friends, ghosts emerging from the past, a determined little mouse, and even the very group of new neighbors whose presence has shaken Rundle Junction to its core. With Strangers and Cousins, Leah Hager Cohen delivers a story of pageantry and performance, hopefulness and growth, and introduces a winsome, unforgettable cast of characters whose lives are forever changed by events that unfold and reverberate across generations.

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.

There is nothing more daunting to a newly engaged couple than planning their wedding. For Jewish couples, balancing religious and aesthetic needs can be especially tricky. Rita Milos Brownstein provides inspiration and practical advice in Jewish Weddings, a lavishly illustrated guide to creating a wedding that both honors Jewish culture, ritual, and tradition and reflects the lives and personalities of the bride and groom. Beginning with a brief history of the Jewish wedding (including wonderful stories of barshert, couples whose love was clearly meant to be), Brownstein guides the bride and groom through the pleasures of the engagement party and Jewish bridal shower to choosing a ketubah (marriage contract), wedding ring, and invitations. She describes traditional Jewish customs and rituals, then suggests ways to personalize the chuppah, or wedding canopy; music; wedding programs; and even the chairs. Brownstein includes the joyous times after the wedding and gives the new couple tips on how to create a Jewish home and original ideas for thank-you notes. Of course, Brownstein doesn't forget about food, with menu suggestions for an engagement party and a bridal shower tea party, as well as for the wedding reception and Sheva Brachas, the traditional week of festive meals following the wedding. Delicious, mouth-watering recipes for Salmon Roll with Dill Sauce, Green Bean Bundles, Potato and Leek Soup, and Poached Pears will please even the most finicky couple. Brownstein supplies tips on how to keep a kosher kitchen as well. The book also offers glimpses of seven real-life Jewish weddings. From a jubilant outdoor celebration in San Diego, California; a dazzling New York City affair; a classic Hasidic wedding in Hartford, Connecticut; to an elegant affair in Palm Beach, Florida, these stories will inspire any bride and groom in planning their own wedding, no matter where they live. Illustrated with more than 200 gorgeous color and black-and-white photographs, Jewish Weddings is an indispensable book for any Jewish couple.

This inspiring and useful guide brings your complete wedding planning into focus. It helps you express your individuality and spirituality on your wedding day. Whether your plans are traditional or alternative, whether you are planning your first or second marriage, it provides the tools you need to look at and think about ritual and tradition in new and innovative ways.

An indispensable "how-to" guide for creating lasting memories and special ceremonies as you welcome your new Jewish daughter. When a son is born, every Jewish parent knows what ceremony will welcome him into the community and signal his part in the Jewish people--the brit milah. What to do when a girl is born? How can you welcome your new daughter in a truly Jewish way, and celebrate your joy with family and friends? In the past, parents who wanted a simchat bat (celebration of a daughter) ceremony for their new daughter often had to start from scratch. Finally, this first-of-its-kind book gives families everything they need to plan the celebration. History & Tradition--The roots of simchat bat in Jewish tradition, how it has evolved and how the past can be used to bring today's dynamic ceremonies to life. A How-to Guide--New and traditional ceremonies, complete with prayers, rituals, handouts to copy and step-by-step instructions for creating your own unique ceremony. Planning the Details--What to call your daughter's welcoming ceremony, when and where to have it, setting it up, how long it should be, how to handle the unexpected, how to prepare a program guide and more. Ideas & Information--Practical guidelines for planning the event, and special suggestions and resources for families of all constellations.