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WHAT IS A KETUBAH? The Ketubah is one of the oldest elements of a Jewish marriage. Without a Ketubah there is no marriage. Traditionally the Ketubah is a legal contract. It outlines a husband's obligations to his wife, safeguarding her from arbitrary divorce and providing for her should the marriage somehow be dissolved. Two witnesses sign the document, and the Ketubah becomes the wife's property, her insurance, recognized by the Bet Din, or Jewish court; her marriage contract. The Ketubah became the first pre-nuptial agreement. While the core of the text was the financial agreement, various couples and communities adapted the Ketubah to reflect their time and concerns. By the Middle Ages a standardized text was agreed upon and it has not changed substantially since, though couples have always personalized their Ketubot. The traditional ketubah text has remained basically unchanged for centuries, and is the text utilized at Orthodox weddings. The Conservative movement added a clause, The Lieberman Clause, to the traditional Aramaic text to require a husband to grant his wife a religious divorce upon obtaining a civil divorce so that each of the parties could remarry under Jewish law. Modern times have seen the addition of more Egalitarian texts from the Reform movement, and the inclusion of texts for Jewish/Intefaith couples. It is important to note that, although most Ketubah texts are legal documents under Jewish law, a couple must also obtain a civil marriage license from the state/province in which they will be married. Please check with your local clerk of courts to obtain this license (many states or provinces have waiting periods and blood tests, so be sure to leave plenty of time before your wedding to obtain this license!). Today, couples can choose to use this historic text alone or add sections that express what they are feeling in their hearts. Some couples choose to use a different text altogether that may better reflect how they feel about the wedding ceremony. It is important however to check with your Rabbi to ensure your text is in keeping with the the customs of your synagogues' affiliation. It is also encouraged in Jewish law that we make objects used to fulfill a commandment as beautiful as possible, including the Ketubah. In keeping with centuries old tradition of using illuminated paints to create beautiful works of art, Modern Ketubah artists draw inspiration from fine art masters, their own designs, or the personalities and interests of the wedding couple. To learn more about Ketubot (plural), we invite you to read and visit the various sources in our Ketubah Links. Please visit the websites of the Ketubah artists and companies below for detailed information on the variety of beautiful artwork and texts that are available and how you can order or commission a custom Ketubah for the most beautiful and meaningful reminder of your Wedding day to be proudly displayed in your home. |
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KETUBAH LINKS Books, Articles and Websites offering Information & Inspiration about the Ketubah & Jewish Marriage For images of historic ketubbot go to the Jewish national and University Library at jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/ketubbot to see ketubahs from over 50 countries spanning more than 900 years. The Modern Ketubah, by Nishima Kaplan Jewish Life Cycle on A Jewish Website.com is an excellent site with all kinds of information on all aspects of Jewish marriage from engagement to the ceremony including The Ketubah. |
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