THE JEWISH WEDDING NOW

Orginally published as The New Jewish Wedding in 1986, with an updated/revised edition in 2001, this book remains the definitive guide to planning a Jewish wedding.

This newly revised and updated edition is the definitive guide to planning a Jewish wedding written by a bestselling novelist and one of the most respected writers of guides to contemporary Jewish life.

"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 couples with options--some new, some old--to create a wedding that combines spiritual meaning and joyous celebration, and reflects the values and beliefs of the couple. This complete, easy to use guide explains everything you need to know to make your own Jewish wedding in today’s ever-changing world where the very definition of what constitutes a Jewish wedding is up for discussion. The category of “interfaith wedding,” once attached to any ceremony where one participant was not legally Jewish, seems inappropriate to weddings where there is no mention of other religious tradition, where all Jewish customs are included and where the non-Jewish partner has made a commitment to creating a Jewish home. Anita discusses this and other important issues.
With enthusiasm and flair, Diamant provides choices for every stage of a wedding -- including celebrations before and after the wedding 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. Then, 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. There are poems that can be incorporated into the wedding ceremony or party, and a variety of translations of traditional texts.

This wedding guide pays more attention to the ceremony than to the reception, and not only explains the how-to's of making a Jewish wedding, but also invites you to consider the whys. Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist, Renewal and Open Orthodox rabbis all recommend Diamant’s wedding book to their congregants. Many Jewish clergy make required reading for the engaged couples they counsel.


Anita Diamant is the author of five authoritative works on Judaism, including Living a Jewish Life, Choosing a Jewish Life, The New Jewish Baby Book, How to Raise a Jewish Child and Saying Kaddish. She is also a journalist whosework has appeared in the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Redbook and as a commentator on NPR.