This morning I came across an article in The New York Times that I felt was an interesting statement in terms of religion and marriage. To be more specific, the Jewish marriage certificate, known as the ketubah is being adopted by non-Jews.

The ketubah is an embellished document that has been signed by marrying Jewish couples for centuries. According to the Times, the earliest known version dates to the fifth century B.C. in Egypt.

The ketubah is a combination of a work of art and a document; it originally was meant to protect the wife financially in the event of a divorce. It was traditionally the husband’s decision as to whether he would extend financial support. It is still an apparent vestige in present day katubot in indication of a divorced man having to pay his ex-wife “200 silver zuz.”

The article speaks of Christian couples who use the ketubah to affirm the Jewish roots of their faith. There is a growing desire among some non-Jewish people to learn more about the culture and religion that their religion was built on. An increasing number of gentiles have taken up Jewish  practices such as “holding a Passover Sedar, eating kosher food and studying kabbalah, the Jewish mystical movement.”
The ketubah is now associated with the covenant of marriage and is a beautiful ritual. Where these were once put away for safe keeping, many couples now display them.

To read the entire article please visit this link  

Now my segue. My friend Neil is a great hardworking guy. He owns my local health food store and was essentially married to it; he opened early and stayed late. He only closed on Christmas. How could he have time to date let alone find a potential wife? Then came the solution: internet dating.

I believe that when your heart is open, love finds a way in, and so it did for Neil. He seems to have met the love of his life on the internet; after a loving courtship on the net, Neil was set to marry.

How strong is love? As strong as you allow it to be. Neil doesn’t speak Chinese and Ling doesn’t speak English. Love manages. He went to China and they met in person. Her family liked him. He liked them. They married. He came home to NY. She didn’t.

It took about eight months for Ling’s papers to come through. Neil went back to China to claim his wife and bring her home. He’s been sending photos of his journey and updating us customers. I bet he and his new wife will be home next week.
I wonder if they’ll get a katubah.

May love find you. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Klimt inspired modern ketubah

reply greenwytch wrote on Feb 12, ’11 i had never heard of this document before.   it sounds like a very good idea. what a beautiful story about your friend and his wife….i wish them all the best.

reply nomadtraveller wrote on Feb 12, ’11 Fabulous!  I love this.  I hope they will get a katubah!  They’re beautiful!!

reply irishgall13 wrote on Feb 12, ’11 The document is for the protection for the wife and the children.

reply sousonne wrote on Feb 12, ’11 Wow..that’s quite a story about your friend.  If neither could speak each other’s language how in the world did they communicate enough to know that they were a good match?  Bless their hearts….

reply kittigory wrote on Feb 12, ’11 Oh, what a sweet story!  I am such a sucker for romance and happily-ever-afters, Sue!  What a lovely blog!

reply kittigory wrote on Feb 12, ’11 sanssouciblogs said when your heart is open, love finds a way in Well said, Sue!  And I heartily agree!

reply exukbritbrat wrote on Feb 12, ’11 What a fabulous blog.

reply bogieface wrote on Feb 12, ’11 smiles…what a wonderful story

reply beatriz171 wrote on Feb 13, ’11 nice story of Cesar especially now that Valentine’s Day arrives

reply beatriz171 wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Parece pintado por Gustav Klimt

reply knightstar wrote on Feb 13, ’11 sousonne said If neither could speak each other’s language how in the world did they communicate enough to know that they were a good match? This would be my question, too, Sue. ~M

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 beatriz171 said Parece pintado por Gustav Klimt Yes, this is based on Klimt. The old ketubahs, as seen above, are hand embellished documents. As years passed they were available pre-printed. If you look on-line you can see the evolutionary process to today’s ketubah. (plural: ketubot). They are signed at the wedding ceremony by the bride, groom and the rabbi–and sometimes a priest or whoever officiated the ceremony.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11, edited on Feb 13, ’11 It is sweet, isn’t it, Deb? Things like this just happen!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 I thinks so too, Neil. I hope theyr’e happy. It will be a hard adjustment for her.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Hi, yes, it was mainly intended to protect he wife. Interesting how ancient Jewish laws were very evolved.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Thanks, Ter, I agree with your agreement!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Thanks Bee. I’ve been following the story for months. All the customers are so excited. Neil, by the way, is Jewish. Hey, nothing like Chinese food on Christmas for us yid kids.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Thanks, Deb!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Hi Beatriz, thanks!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11, edited on Feb 13, ’11 Oh, getting back to communication…well, as Neil puts it, they “managed.” I suppose that when that spark is there between people, they use what I used to use as a teacher of the deaf: “total communication.” I think they were just both ready to be in love and be in a relationship. As Neil put it, “she knows the word ‘baby’ and she wants one!.”

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11, edited on Feb 13, ’11 Ha! It’s like going on a trip, a real journey–when I used to travel I always had a Berlitz book in hand. Love goes beyond words! Electricity travels through wires!

reply sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Feb 13, ’11 I really enjoyed the article! Love is the core of all that is good in this world….we need much more of it throughout society! Happy Valentine’s Day to you,my friend. May you be richly blessed with all your heart desires! MWAH!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 And a happy one to you, too with all the blessings love can offer.

reply moniquemkk wrote on Feb 13, ’11 How interesting. ONe of our TV presenters, a divorced Jewish lady called Vanessa Feltz, is now engaged to a Nigerian born-again Christian. He was on a Sunday morning current affairs programme today, being asked whether people should change religion when they marry soemone of a different faith. There was a representative of the Jewish Marriage Council who was quite convinced that Vanessa is only engaged to this guy whose name I can’t remember, though he seems very nice,   because she’s rebelling agains very early childhood pressure to conform. Vanessa Feltz is in her late 40s, and her first husband was a Jewish surgeon. I think she would have rebelled a long time ago if , not at this stage of her life. http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/radio/presenters/vanessa/ This guy’s view was that if you love someone, then you allow them to be themselves, which includes letting them have their freedom to decide how they worship, which is integral to their personality. It was also the view of an Anglican clergywoman and a male representative from the Muslim Cpuncil of Britain and an atheist. A friend of mine is engaged to a Chinese girl, though they met at university here and she speaks pefect English now. It’s takne a lot of toing and froing between here and China, of them and her parents and visits to embassies and phone calls to the immigration people to get just their engagement organised.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Feb 13, ’11 Monique, your comment is fascinating! I think that where there is love there is a way. It seems like the boundaries of years ago are falling away. People seem to be more open-minded about culture, age gaps, distances. What the heck, whatever makes you happy!

reply starfishred wrote on Feb 15, ’11 wonderful blog sue 🙂

reply skeezicks1957 wrote on Jun 21, ’11 Great blog!  I came looking for you as I had not heard from you for a while and found this post from Valentines Day.  I could not get the link to work.  Hope all is well with you and yours.