| KETUBAH The ketubah is the Jewish marriage contract, the document that describes the rights and obligations of the bride and groom. Traditionally, it was signed by the groom and then given to the bride for safekeeping. In modern weddings, both the bride and the groom sign the contract. The artwork of our ketubah, like that of our invitations, was designed by our friend, Susan Spektor and uses the imagery from our wedding invitation with the view of Jerusalem. We asked our close friends Dena Kahn and Jamie Harris to serve as our witnesses. |
| The Ketubah and the Bedeken |
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| The text of our Ketubah On the first day of the week, the fifth day of the month Sivan in the year five thousand seven hundred and sixty one, corresponding to the secular date of the twenty-seventh day of the month of May, 2001, in the city of Summit, New Jersey The groom, Dov Ben-Shimon, son of Barbara and Sidney Santhouse, made the following declaration: "Be mine, according to the traditions of Moses and Israel. I shall cherish you and honor you as is customary among the sons of Israel who have cherished and honored their wives in faithfulness and in integrity." The bride, Leslie Kyla Klieger, daughter of Lois and Alan Klieger, made the following declaration: "Be mine, according to the traditions of Moses and Israel. I shall cherish you and honor you as is customary among the daughters of Israel who have cherished and honored their husbands in faithfulness and in integrity." We promise to be ever open to one another while cherishing each other's uniqueness, sharing life's joys and comforting each other through life's sorrows. We will work to build our lives together, sensitive at all times to each other's needs. Let us strive to attain mutual intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual fulfillment. We will commit ourselves to the perpetuation of the Jewish people in our family life and in our communal endeavors. May we grow, our lives intertwined, our love bringing us closer together. We pledge to establish a home linked eternally to Israel, wherein the flow of the seasons and the passages of life are marked through the celebration of our Jewish heritage. May our home be filled with love, happiness and laughter. May it be built on respect and compassion for all people, imbued with Torah and tzedakah. In expression of their acceptance of this ketubah the groom, Dov, and the bride, Leslie have affixed their signatures to this document in the presence of the witnesses undersigned in accordance with the traditions of Judaism, and everything herein is valid and proper. Witness ___________________ Witness __________________ Bride _____________________ Groom ___________________ Rabbi ____________________ |
| BEDEKEN (right) Following the signing of the ketubah, Dov placed the veil over Leslie�s face. This recalls when our biblical ancestor, Rebecca, saw Isaac for the first time, she �took her veil and covered herself.� It also allowed Dov to confirm that Leslie was the woman he chose to marry. This is reminiscent of the story of Jacob, who was tricked into marrying Leah instead of his beloved Rachel. |
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| Rabbi Kroloff signing the ketubah |