Emily & Daniel
Jewish Wedding FAQs
Aufruf
A Week Before the Wedding
Aufruf means "calling up" in Yiddish, and is a traditional ceremony that will be a week before our wedding. In this ceremony, Emily and Daniel will be honored by being called up to the Torah for an aliyah. When the blessing is completed, the congregation wishes them luck and happiness.
Ketubah Signing
Before the Ceremony
Our wedding will begin with cocktail hour so we can participate in these three ceremonies: Signing of the Ketubah, Kabbalat Panim, and the Bedecken. Ketubah Signing The signing of the ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract, is considered an integral part of a traditional Jewish marriage.
Kabbalat Panim
Before the Ceremony
In Jewish tradition, the bride and groom are considered the King and Queen of the court, and this begins with the guests going to separate spaces to pay their respects to the "royal couple" - aka Emily and Daniel. "Kabbalit panim" means "the receiving of faces" in Hebrew. During this time, Emily and Daniel will be separate spaces. Please feel free to move through the space to say hi to both of us. This will be a good time to hang out and tell funny stories from the past with lots of high energy and joking around.
Bedecken
Before the Ceremony
Leading up to the Bedecken, friends act as a royal, rowdy entourage accompanying Daniel to Emily (usually with dancing and singing). The Bedecken is also known as the veiling of the bride. It’s an intimate moment between Emily and Daniel. If you like to sing-a-long and bring energy (or ruach), we traditionally sing Od Yishama. It is a beautiful Hebrew song that captures the essence of joy, celebration, and unity of a wedding. Some of the lyrics are translated as: "The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride." Here are some great examples to assist with your rehearsing: (Zola won’t allow hyperlinks- but if you copy the urls and paste- it will load to YouTube). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD_UFTmRLuI https://youtube.com/shorts/c7FFvjdcaic?si=shKfbAYumhkvWB2t https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigy3moBjWs Below are the lyrics! Really easy, you just sing 'em over and over :) Od yishama b'arei Yehudah uv'chutzot Yerushalayim! Kol sason v'kol simcha!! Kol chatan v'kol kalah!!
The Ceremony
The Ceremony
A Jewish wedding ceremony is more than an exchange of vows and rings. There are numerous rituals from the processional and culminating with the breaking of the glass. We will provide a booklet on our wedding day explaining these traditions and customs.
Reception
After the Ceremony
A wedding represents a Simcha (joy), therefore we request you bring your dancing shoes! Lively circle dancing — popularly known as the hora — usually starts immediately when the Emily and Daniel enter the room. There are many components to the hora, from dancing in circles to being lifted in the air, and schtick (in which wedding guests entertain the bride and groom through dancing, costumes, and silliness). Have fun with lots of dancing and good times!
Schtick
The Reception
Do you have a funny memory? Something silly you want to dance with? An idea that can slightly roast Emily or Daniel - please reach out to our head of the Ruach Committee (Becca 973-747-7960)