Wedding

Jordan participated in a mock wedding at religious school this evening. There were eight couples, with no regulations about gender; Jordan's class is all boys, so he married his buddy Moses. Here is Rabbi Allison performing the ceremony, under a chuppah made by the students.

The whole thing was very educational. I had not known that a rabbi is not necessary for a wedding (according to Jewish law; civil law requires the presence of either a religious or a civil official). Evidently the essentials are a ketubah (wedding contract), two qualified witnesses, and the proper blessings and sanctifications. The kids performed many of these - they circled each other, they said the blessing over wine, a sample ketubah was read aloud, they exchanged rings (edible), and they smashed a plastic cup. Rabbi Allison made sure that they left certain key words out of the blessing that officially causes you to be married. Here they are sporting their ring pops.

Afterwards there was a hilarious reception with wedding cake and chair dances. The students had all made ketubot, which were hung in the windows. I love this one, stating their commitment "not to be a buzzkill":

Some were quite beautiful:

Here is Jordan's - it's hard to read with the light shining through it so I reproduced the text below.

I agree, as bonds of this wedding

create, to be a faithful, good husband.

As husband of this marriage I also agree

to keep peace and make a family tree

of amazing Jews. I promise to have the 

power to support this family and dedicate

my life to the rest of my relatives, my kids,

and my bond. This marriage means

that I will make this experience worthy

of its work to all of our family

NOW + FOREVER.

Mazel tov!