CCAR

Edited by Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener, D Min

This is the book for today's couples, providing all you need to plan a meaningful and spiritual wedding celebration.

This compendium explores the rich history of wedding rituals and customs practiced by Jews through the years. Included are multiple options of traditional, contemporary, and creative rituals as well as prayers for couples of all approaches, orientations, and identities.

Beyond Breaking the Glass is a rich source of practical information for planning a Jewish wedding, and includes a variety of ceremonies, checklists, references, and a planning timeline. This beautiful guidebook will help all couples create a wedding that will resonate with Jewish tradition while offering the very best of contemporary innovations.

Table of Contents

Sample Pages:
115, 119

When I sit with couples planning their wedding, I am often faced with the challenge of taking a traditional ritual and creating a meaningful ceremony relevant to our modern lives. Rabbis and couples are always searching for sources that can add depth and creativity to the wedding ceremony. Beyond Breaking the Glass is exactly the resource that provides meaningful direction to help create a wedding that is both personal and creative.
- Rabbi Don Goor

Beyond Breaking the Glass offers a thorough, informative guide to Jewish wedding customs, both traditional and contemporary. Accessible and inclusive in its approach, the book encourages reflective decision-making in a way that will strengthen a couple's relationship, both with one another and with Jewish tradition.
- Rabbi Janet Marder, Congregation Beth Am, Los Altos Hills, CA

An invaluable and groundbreaking resource. Beyond Breaking the Glass presents a guide to Jewish weddings for couples of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and denominations. Rabbi Wiener illuminates how our collective Jewish experience is made richer through a mix of ancient and modern ritual celebrations. This is a gift to the entire Jewish community.
- Idit Klein, Executive Director, Keshet

An innovative, informative introduction to Jewish weddings that meets the needs of today's couples while respecting the integrity of Jewish tradition. A creative, inclusive, and eminently accessible resource for all couples. Rabbis and cantors should make this available to every couple with whom they meet in preparation for a wedding.
- Dr. Larry Hoffman, Barbara and Stephen Friedman Professor of Liturgy, Worship, and Ritual, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Thoroughly 'user friendly,' comprehensive, and adhering to high standards of compliance with respect to Judaic tradition and law, Beyond Breaking the Glass: A Spiritual Guide to Your Jewish Wedding is very highly recommended for personal, professional, rabbinical, community, and academic library instructional reference collections.
- Susan Bethany, The Midwest Review.

"New Reform Wedding Edition Confronts Same-Sex Ceremonies," JTA 2012 Article

DOWNLOAD: CCAR Premarital Counseling Guide for Clergy

DOWNLOAD: Beyond Breaking the Glass Checklists


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