Ah, the joys of June!  It’s such a beautiful time with so many Jewish couples getting married and starting their new lives together. My own wedding is like a dream. I was so nervous and shy about being the center of attention that the experience seems surreal. These days, I’m much better at appreciating the rich symbolism in Jewish wedding traditions.

The ceremony is a blend of many rituals that vary slightly by community. Typically, the bride and groom do not see each other the week before the wedding. This helps to build their excitement for the day.  Just prior to the ceremony, each has a reception known as Kabbalat Panim, when they greet their guests separately.

Just after this reception, the bride and groom come together, and the groom places the veil on the bride in the ritual known as the badeken. This symbolizes his love for her inner beauty over physical appearance. It also reminds us of the Genesis story in which Rebecca covered her face before marrying Isaac.

The actual wedding ceremony takes place under a white wedding canopy, the chuppah. This symbolizes the new home they will be creating together.  The bride and groom are escorted under the canopy by their parents.

An interesting custom in Ashkenazic communities is the bride circling the groom seven times to create an invisible circle around their new world with each other.

Next, the wedding couple drinks from a cup of wine as the rabbi recites betrothal blessings. What follows is the presentation of the bride’s wedding ring, and it is the defining moment in the Jewish wedding ceremony. This is because the marriage becomes official only after the groom has given the bride something of value, and the wedding ring serves this purpose.

Before placing the ring on the bride’s finger, the groom says to her, “Behold, you are betrothed unto me with this ring, according to the law of Moses and Israel.” If the bride will be giving a ring to the groom, this is done later.

The next step is the reading of the ketubah, the Jewish wedding contract. It details the husband’s obligations to provide food, shelter, clothing and emotional support for his wife. Oftentimes, the document is a beautiful work of art that is framed and displayed in the couple’s home.

Then comes the recitation of the “Seven Benedictions,” followed by the couple’s drinking of a second cup of wine. One of the most anticipated parts of the Jewish wedding ceremony is the groom’s stomping on the glass wine cup to shatter it. This reminds us of the destruction of the Holy Temple, a tragedy that we can’t forgot even with the day’s many moments of joy. The glass shards are typically gathered up and displayed as a keepsake in a mezuzah.

The ceremony ends with everyone shouting, “Mazel Tov!” as the couple leaves the chuppa.

In this season of weddings, if you’re looking for a thoughtful way to congratulate the couple, check the Traditions Jewish Gifts’ online catalog for some great ideas. You’ll find a variety of artistic pieces – including candlesticks, mezuzahs, seder plates, menorahs, personalized photo frames and much more – that can be used to celebrate Jewish traditions throughout the year. Your gift will be a memorable, meaningful addition to their new Jewish home.

Gary Rosenthal is one of those rare people who can look at a lump of cold metal and envision something exquisite. He takes ordinary copper, brass and steel,melts it, combines it with fused glass and magically transforms it into stunning Judaic art. Gary’s collection is always in demand with our customers at Traditions Jewish Gifts because it’s perfectly functional and yet beautiful enough to enhance a home’s décor.

I met Gary in 1994 and know that he discovered his natural talent for metalworking by serendipity.  He dropped out of Cornell University after his sophomore year and went to work in his father’s appliance repair business. That’s where he learned about welding and how he could create amazing art by shaping molten metals.

Gary started out in the mid-1970s making and selling large decorative wall pieces. Soon he added a series of small figurines depicting hobbyists such as dancers and scuba divers. When he featured these items at an art show in Baltimore, a customer admired them and asked if he could make a menorah in a similar style. When Gary agreed, he opened the door to amazing artistic opportunities.

You see, back then, contemporary Judaica did not exist. So people who wanted modern-styled Jewish art simply couldn’t find it. Turns out that Gary’s work was exactly what they were looking for.

Gary always shows great intuition in knowing what people will like and use for major Jewish holidays and life events. For weddings, for example, the bride-to-be might choose a special mezuzah from the Gary Rosenthal Collection, and insert a personal note to her bridesmaids or small gift for her guests. His other mezuzahs are absolutely lovely for displaying glass shards from the marriage ceremony.

I especially like Gary’s Heartholders group. It features memorable gifts such as picture frames and bookends that allow recipients to complete a gift by making their own additions – everything from photos to glass shards and other small mementos. Many of these items can also be inscribed with names, dates and special text.

To see Gary’s work, check out Traditions Jewish Gifts’ online catalog.  I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do. And if you’re looking for a great gift, don’t miss our limited-time discount on Gary’s collection. Simply go to our home page or the Gary Rosenthal page of our website for details.

A Jewish wedding may be one of the most beautiful events a person will experience in their lifetime.  From the wedding canopy (chuppah or huppah), to the breaking of the glass it is such a grand and unique day for friends and family.

During some Jewish weddings, the bride will  present a ring to the groom, often with a quote from the Song of Songs: “Ani l’dodi, ve dodi li” (I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine), which may also be inscribed on the ring itself.

At Traditions Jewish Gifts, we provide a variety of wedding bands for the groom. From the 14k  Florentine Hebrew Wedding band with a rope patterned border to the 14k Ornate Ani Li Dodi V Dodi Li Wedding Ring that features an ornate border and hammered background.

Are you or your groom more of a sterling silver fan?  We have that covered, as well, with our Hebrew beloved wedding ring. This highly polished sterling silver wedding band also includes the classic phrase “Ani Li Dodi V Dodi Li”, (I Am My Beloved’s And My Beloved Is Mine”) embossed with a black enamel.

Are you attending a Jewish wedding in the near future and need a unique Jewish wedding gift idea?  Traditions Jewish Gifts has a beautiful wedding ring holder made from ceramic by Danny Azoulay. It is colorfully, hand painted with a blue and pink design.

No matter what your style and preference is, Traditions Jewish Gifts is your one-stop-shop for all your Jewish wedding band needs.

Special Promotions:

Save 10% off Judaica Art Glass by Tamara Baskin now through 9/19. Use coupon code TBAG10.  All Tallit now 10% off  through 9/15. Use  Coupon Code: TALIS2011.  Become our newest Facebook Fan here: https://www.facebook.com/TraditionsJewishGifts

A Crushed Wedding Glass Mezuzah makes a great gift for the new Jewish bride and groom! At TraditionsJewishGifts.com, we have many beautiful and unique Crushed Wedding Glass Mezuzahs to choose from! This Wedding Glass Mezuzuah with its deep, amethyst stones makes a perfect wedding gift that will be cherished for a lifetime!  Handcrafted, elegant and gorgeous, this custom Mezuzah can be personalized with the wedding couple’s crushed glass after their wedding ceremony! The Crushed Wedding Glass will be encased inside of the sterling silver and glass mezuzah. We will send you a gift card with a picture of this beautiful Jewish Wedding Gift for you to present to the wedding couple!

Or, create a cherished keepsake without sending the glass away, when you gift this Woven Wedding Glass Mezuzah from the Gary Rosenthal Collection.  (Featured photo on the right) This artful handcrafted brass and copper mezuzah, surrounds the glass tube that holds the crushed wedding glass and scroll. “Simple elegance” describes another delicate design from the Gary Rosenthal Collection. This  heart-shaped Wedding Glass Mezuzah is another perfect Jewish Wedding Gift idea!

Special Promotions & Twitter Contest: Sign up for our Mailing List now and you will receive a $5 coupon towards your very first purchase and be the first to learn about our special promotions throughout the year!  Plus, become a @TraditionsJG Fan on Twitter now and Enter to Win a Free Pack of Jewish Symbol Bands! For complete Twitter Contest rules and details, read here: http://www.traditionsjewishgifts.com/Twitter_Contest.html Plus, Get your Free Lucite Shofar Stand with any Shofar purchase of just, $70 or more, now through August 14th!

Create a Gift Registry for your Special Event at TraditionsJewishGifts.com! Register at TraditionsJewishGifts.com for your special life event and let your friends and family know exactly what you’d like to receive -no matter what the special occasion may be!  Create your Jewish gift registry from our expansive online retail store, offering over 6000+ Judaic gifts to choose from! Our Gift Registry is perfect for: Jewish Wedding Gift Registry, Jewish Baby Gift Registry, Bar Mitzvah Gift Registry, and Bat Mitzvah Gift Registry, kortadura de fashadura, or, “cutting of the swaddling clothes.” brit milah and brit habat celebrations.
Creating a Jewish Gift Registry is so easy! Once you have registered, then simply select, “Add to Registry” when you see an item that you would like added to your Jewish Gift Registry! Register with TraditionsJewishGifts.com before having a Jewish Baby Naming Ceremony (brit milah or brit habat) and friends and family will know exactly what you’d like to receive for your new son or daughter. Creating a Jewish Baby Gift Registry is easy, fast and fun!
A Jewish Wedding Gift Registry can be created by the Jewish Bride and Groom, too. Because TraditionsJewishGifts.com offers hundreds of Jewish Wedding Gifts to mark and celebrate this special occasion in the Jewish faith, choosing gifts for a Jewish Wedding celebration can help your guests purchase exactly what you want to mark your special day!
Special Promotions: Become a TraditionsJewishGifts Facebook Fan and stay connected for the latest sales and in store promotions here: https://www.facebook.com/TraditionsJewishGifts You can also follow us on Twitter too! Follow us on Twitter @TraditionsJG.  Join our Mailing List to receive the latest news and an instant $5 coupon for your very first purchase! And, from now until August 14th, 2011, get a Free Lucite Shofar Stand With The Purchase Of All Shofars Over $70.00!