What is a ketubah?
I am an artist and photographer who creates modern ketubah designs. I specialize in making ketubot which offer couples a modern interpretation of this ancient Jewish wedding tradition. Therefore, I created this lens to give a brief overview of some of the possibilities of the modern ketubah.
The ketubah is a ancient part of the Jewish wedding tradition. But as times have changed, so have the couples who are getting married. Many modern couples want to embrace their traditions, yet make sure those traditions respect and reflect their unique aspects of their relationship and marriage. The modern ketubah can allow all couples -- Jewish, interfaith, non-denomination, gay, and lesbian -- to find a ketubah that reflects the values of their own unique relationship and marriage.
What is a ketubah?
(alternate spellings: ketubah, ketubot, ketubbah, ketuba, katuba)
A "ketubah" is a beautiful and ancient part of the Jewish wedding ceremony. It is the official contract between bride and groom, whose marriage officially starts the moment it is signed.Ketubot (the plural for "ketubah") began as rather legal-looking documents, but over time the designs began to become more illustrated. This follows the Jewish tradition of "hiddur mitzvah", which calls for ceremonial objects to be made as beautiful as possible. The ketubah is now one of the predominant forms of Jewish art, or judaica, found in the home. Ketubot are often hung prominently in the home by the married couple as a daily reminder of their vows and responsibilities to each other.
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The art of the modern ketubah
Modern designs appeal to modern Jewish and interfaith couples.
Ketubot have been made in a wide range of designs, usually following the tastes and styles of the era and region in which they are made. Couples spend a lot of time looking for a design which reflects both their artistic tastes and their feelings about marriage. If you take the idea of "hiddur mitzvah" to heart, a ceremonial object like a ketubah should be a beautiful work of art to the people using it. That means that a couple's ketubah should be something which they consider beautiful.Many traditional ketubah designs rely on traditional religious symbolism, such as the Tree of Life, scenes from Jerusalem, or the Star of David. While vary popular, not everyone is drawn to these traditional images.
In recent years, many more designs have become available, often made by professional artists, based on their own artwork. These modern designs often incorporate more modern symbolism. For example, my own designs feature my photography of flowers and leaves -- symbols of life, and the seasons. These designs especially appeal to more modern couples who want to respect their religious traditions, while embracing their own sense of art and beauty.
These non-traditional designs are also very popular with interfaith couples. When looking for a ketubah, interfaith couples face the challenge of finding a design that is sensitive to both of their religions. Since traditional ketubot rely heavily on Jewish symbolism and language, they can make the non-Jewish person feel left out of an important part of the ceremony. Designs which use more secular symbolism allow a couple to chose a ketubah which has significance to both of their traditions.
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Examples of traditional vs modern ketubah designs
Ketubahs can range from very traditional to very modern, reflecting the values and traditions of the times in which they are made.
- Historical ketubah designs
- This is a gallery of ketubah designs from the 1600s through the 1800s, collected by the New York Public Library.
- Modern ketubah designs: featuring flowers
- These examples show how modern ketubot can be illustrated by non-traditional symbols, such as images from nature. These designs feature my own photography of roses and gerbera daisies.
- Modern ketubah designs featuring season images
- More examples of how modern ketubot can be illustrated by non-traditional symbols, such as seasonal images from nature.
The Language of a Ketubah
What your ketubah says about you and your marriage
The language of a ketubah can vary, from very traditional to very modern. The text a couple chooses is usually determined by by the traditions of their denomination. Orthodox Jews traditionally use an ancient text, which is written in Aramaic, which formalises the requirements by the Torah of a Jewish husband to his wife. Conservative Jews combine this Aramaic text with an additional paragraph called the Lieberman Clause. This clause, added in the 1950s, outlines more modern views on divorce. Reform Jews and interfaith couples often opt for more egalitarian language, similar to tone to marriage vows, which stress the values on which they base their relationship and marriage (love, companionship, family, tradition, etc.).
- Examples of the text used in a ketubah
- Check this link for some examples of the different text options available for your ketubah.
- Translations of the traditional Orthodox and Conservative texts
- Here are the translations of the traditional Hebrew texts used for Conservative and Orthodox ketubot.
- Description of the Lieberman Clause
- The main difference between the Conservative and Orthodox text, is that the Conservative text includes a paragraph known as the "Lieberman Clause". Here is a descripion of what this contains.
Ketubahs for non-traditional ceremonies
Interfaith, non-religious, gay/lesbian weddings
Ketubahs aren't only for Jewish cermonies. Many people from all different backgrounds are deciding to include this beautiful tradition into their weddings. Here are some ideas:
- Ketubot for interfaith couples
- This is an article I wrote on including a ketubah is interfaith wedding ceremonies.
- Adding a ketubah to an interfaith ceremony
- There are many ways to incorporate a ketubah in your interfaith ceremony, combining aspects of both faiths and traditions.
- Ketubahs and gay or lesbian weddings
- Creating a ketubah for a commitment ceremony, or for a gay wedding or a lesbian wedding.
- A "ketubah" for non-Jewish couples
- Many non-Jewish couples love the ideal of having a ketubah. This article talks about how they can create a "ketubah" appropriate for their wedding.
Notes from a Ketubah Artist's Studio
My blog about making ketubot
In my blog I discuss what goes into creating ketubot, ideas about wedding ceremonies and traditions, and answer some of the questions and comments from the couples I've worked with. Here are some of my recent posts:
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More resources for planning your wedding
- Spence Diamonds Info
- This lens by Spence Diamonds, Canada's premier retailer of diamond jewelry, gives you information on choosing diamonds and other wedding resource.
by danielsroka
I am a fine art photographer, graphic designer, and ketubah artist. In a previous life, I was the creative director for Yahoo! during its early year...
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