Rabbi David Mordechai

Wedding Ceremonies in Israel and Around the World

A personal ceremony that reflects exactly who you are – traditional, Reform, or secular

A Versatile Rabbi Who Tailors the Ceremony to You – Not the Other Way Around

Rabbi David Mordechai is an ordained, experienced, and genuinely versatile rabbi, guiding couples in Israel and around the world through one of the most meaningful moments of their lives: the wedding ceremony. Years of experience, combined with a warm, open-minded, and deeply human approach, have made him a trusted choice for couples who want a ceremony that tells their unique story — exactly the way they dream it.

What sets Rabbi David Mordechai apart is his true flexibility. He officiates every type of Jewish wedding: a traditional Jewish ceremony rich in its ancient layers of halakhah (Jewish religious law); a Reform (also known as Progressive) chuppah — egalitarian, contemporary, and deeply meaningful; a secular Jewish-cultural ceremony grounded in Israeli culture and poetry — and any creative blend of these paths. The Rabbi believes that no two couples are alike, and therefore no two weddings should look the same.

Before every ceremony, Rabbi David Mordechai meets with the couple for a series of in-depth conversations. He listens to their story, learns about their cultural and family background, the values they share, their emotional and familial considerations, and their vision for the big day. Through a dialogue of mutual respect and genuine attentive listening, he builds the ceremony together with them — not a pre-packaged template, but a living, breathing ceremony tailored precisely to who they are.

Whether you are an Israeli couple looking for a warm, family-centered traditional ceremony; a Reform couple seeking an egalitarian and spiritually rich Jewish wedding; an interfaith couple searching for a balance between two traditions; a second-generation immigrant couple wanting to weave in customs from your country of origin; a couple from abroad getting married during a trip to Israel; or an Israeli couple planning a destination wedding overseas — Rabbi David Mordechai will come to you and design, together with you, precisely the ceremony you will remember for a lifetime.

The Traditional Jewish Wedding

The traditional Jewish wedding ceremony is one of the most beautiful and deeply layered rituals in the world. Its structure has taken shape over many generations, and every stage of it carries profound meaning and powerful emotion. Rabbi David Mordechai knows the traditional ceremony intimately and performs it with full respect for the tradition, the family, and the moment.

The Structure of the Traditional Ceremony

• Reception and the chatan’s tisch (“groom’s table”) – A short gathering where the groom sits with guests, often sharing a brief Torah teaching or receiving blessings. Meanwhile, the kallah (bride) sits on her “kisei kallah” (bride’s throne) and receives blessings from her loved ones.
• The badeken (veiling of the bride) – The groom approaches the bride, looks at her, and lowers the veil over her face. An ancient and moving custom that expresses the personal covenant between them.
• Ascending to the chuppah (wedding canopy) – The chuppah symbolizes the shared home the couple is about to build. In many traditions, the bride circles the groom seven times (hakafot) — a custom with deep kabbalistic and emotional meaning.
• Birkat Erusin (the betrothal blessings) and kiddushin – The Rabbi recites the blessings over the wine and over the betrothal. After drinking the wine, the groom places a ring on the bride’s finger and recites the traditional formula: “Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel.”
• Reading of the ketubah – The ketubah — an ancient marriage contract detailing the groom’s obligations toward the bride — is read aloud before the assembled guests and then handed to the bride for safekeeping.
• Sheva Brachot (the Seven Blessings) – Seven blessings that celebrate the joy of the bride and groom, linking their happiness to the joy of the Jewish people and the vision of redemption. Recited by fathers, grandfathers, relatives, and close friends — often as a special honor reserved for meaningful guests.
• Breaking of the glass – The moving moment that seals the ceremony. The groom breaks a glass in memory of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, as a reminder that even at the height of joy we remember the wider world. The crowd erupts with “Mazal Tov!”
• Yichud (the seclusion room) – After the chuppah, the couple retires privately for a few quiet moments alone together, before returning to the celebration.

The Traditional Ceremony as Officiated by Rabbi David Mordechai

When a couple requests a traditional ceremony, Rabbi David Mordechai carefully preserves every element of the ritual as it has been practiced for generations: the chuppah, the betrothal blessings in their traditional wording, the giving of the ring according to halakhah, the reading of a kosher ketubah, the Sheva Brachot, the breaking of the glass, and the yichud room. He guides the couple through preparing the ketubah, advises them on questions of minhag (custom — whether Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Yemenite, or other), and helps them honor grandparents, parents, and close friends — making every family member feel like a full partner in this moving occasion.

Rabbi David Mordechai walks the couple step by step before the chuppah: how to prepare the ketubah, how to handle the emotional moments, what to say and how to stand. His ceremonies are warm, personal, rich with Torah insights and personal stories about the couple — making the traditional ceremony accessible and deeply moving even for guests who are not religious.

The Reform Jewish Wedding – Progressive and Egalitarian

The Reform (or “Progressive”) chuppah is a full Jewish wedding ceremony that includes all the core elements of tradition — but is performed through a liberal, open, and egalitarian lens. It bridges the depth of Jewish tradition with modern sensibilities, and allows both partners to be active, present, and genuinely expressive at every moment.

Features of the Reform Jewish Ceremony

• Full equality between the partners – Both partners participate equally in every part of the ceremony. Both recite the words of kiddushin, both give and receive a ring, and both speak personally. The ceremony moves the bride out of a passive role and presents both partners as full and equal partners in their covenant.
• An egalitarian, modern ketubah – The couple, together with the Rabbi, crafts a ketubah that expresses their mutual commitment, shared values, and vision for their life together. The text can be a modernized version of the traditional Aramaic wording, or a freely composed contemporary text that reflects who they are.
• The language of the ceremony – The ceremony blends biblical Hebrew, Aramaic (for the traditional portions), and modern spoken language — so that all guests can follow and emotionally connect with what is taking place.
• Faithful to the traditional structure – The ceremony preserves the chuppah, Birkat Erusin, kiddushin with a ring, reading of the ketubah, Sheva Brachot, and the breaking of the glass — maintaining an unbroken thread with Jewish history and tradition.
• Room for the couple’s own voice – Couples are invited to add personal vows, spontaneous words, a blessing from a loved one, a favorite song, literary passages, or a cherished family custom — transforming the ceremony into something personal and one-of-a-kind.
• Open to couples from all backgrounds – The Reform ceremony allows flexibility regarding the identity of the partners, including couples where one partner is not recognized as Jewish by the Israeli Rabbinate, same-sex couples (in appropriate settings), and couples seeking a meaningful alternative to the Orthodox chuppah.

How Rabbi David Mordechai Builds Your Reform Ceremony

Shaping a truly personal Reform ceremony requires a shared process of depth. Rabbi David Mordechai meets with the couple for several preparatory sessions, during which they learn together about the elements of the ceremony, explore what is meaningful to them, and design every detail with care.

In these conversations, he asks questions such as: What does Judaism mean in our lives? What family traditions did we grow up with? What do we want to carry forward from tradition, and what do we want to renew? What shared values do we want spoken under the chuppah? Which of our loved ones should play an active role? And more.

Based on the couple’s answers, Rabbi David Mordechai proposes a structure — and together they decide which parts to preserve, what to add, how to phrase the ketubah, which blessings to assign to which loved ones, and how to weave personal elements into the ceremony without compromising its depth. The result is an egalitarian, profound, and moving Jewish ceremony that is entirely your own.

The Secular Ceremony – A Personalized Israeli-Cultural Ceremony

The secular ceremony (sometimes known in Israel as a havaya or “sovereign” ceremony) is a wedding ceremony not built on a religious-legal framework, but on the couple’s full and free choice in every element. At its foundation lie the values of Israeli and Jewish culture, Hebrew poetry, Jewish and Israeli literature, and universal values of love, partnership, equality, and commitment.

Features of the Secular Ceremony

• Complete freedom in designing the ceremony – There is no fixed structure that must be followed. The couple chooses what enters the ceremony, in what order, and in what style.
• Drawing from Israeli and Jewish culture – The ceremony can incorporate Hebrew love songs (from classical Israeli songwriters to contemporary artists), literary passages (from S.Y. Agnon to Meir Shalev), verses from Shir HaShirim (the Song of Songs) or the Book of Ruth, or passages from world literature that hold special meaning for the couple.
• Jewish symbols by choice – Couples may choose to include a chuppah, rings, an alternative ketubah, and the breaking of the glass — or to leave them out. Every element is chosen out of meaning, not obligation.
• Personal vows – One of the defining features of a secular ceremony. Each partner writes and reads aloud their words of love and commitment — often the most emotional moment of the ceremony.
• Honoring loved ones – Cherished family members and friends can take an active role: reading a poem, offering a blessing, telling a story, singing, or bringing a personal element of their own.
• Open to every couple – The secular ceremony is a welcoming option for interfaith couples, same-sex couples, couples who are not halakhically Jewish, and anyone seeking a free and personal framework for their wedding.

How Rabbi David Mordechai Builds Your Secular Ceremony

A secular ceremony with Rabbi David Mordechai also begins with a relaxed getting-to-know-you meeting. He listens to the couple’s love story, learns about their cultural backgrounds, the texts and songs they love, the life values that guide them, and the character they envision for the ceremony — intimate or grand, emotional or humorous, brief or expansive.

He then proposes a working framework — a kind of “skeleton” to build upon: an opening and welcome, introductory words about the couple, readings of texts and songs, mutual vows, exchange of rings, blessings from family and friends, and a festive conclusion. The framework is entirely flexible — the couple is fully in charge, deciding what goes in and what stays out.

Rabbi David Mordechai serves as a sensitive and skilled master of ceremonies. He bridges the parts of the ceremony with carefully chosen words, shares personal moments drawn from the couple’s own story, and knows how to manage the rhythm — when to shift pace, when to pause, when to deliver a smiling line, and when to let silence speak. In his hands, a secular ceremony becomes a formative, profound, and deeply moving experience — no less than any religious ceremony.

Comparing the Ceremonies – A Quick Overview

The table below highlights the key differences between the three types of ceremonies and can help you begin thinking about which style fits you best. In your personal meeting with Rabbi David Mordechai, you will of course be able to refine every detail to suit exactly what you are looking for.

* For any ceremony performed by Rabbi David Mordechai in Israel, official registration with the Ministry of Interior requires an additional procedure. The Rabbi will be happy to guide you through the available options.

In Summary – One Ceremony, Endless Possibilities

A wedding is one of the most meaningful and unforgettable moments in your lives. It is the moment when you announce, before those you love most, the covenant you have built with one another, and begin a new chapter together as a family and as a home. A moment that deserves the right professional by your side — a rabbi who truly knows how to listen, adapt himself to you, and turn every detail of the ceremony into something that reflects precisely who you are.

Rabbi David Mordechai offers you full freedom: a warm and profound traditional ceremony; an egalitarian and contemporary Reform chuppah; a personal and uniquely crafted secular ceremony — or any creative combination of the three. He travels to officiate ceremonies anywhere in Israel and anywhere in the world, and makes sure every couple receives the full, attentive, and deeply personal guidance they deserve.

There is no single “right” ceremony – only the ceremony that is right for you. And Rabbi David Mordechai’s role is to discover together with you what that ceremony is, and to help you bring it to life in the most beautiful, dignified, and moving way possible.

We warmly invite you to reach out to Rabbi David Mordechai for an initial, no-obligation conversation. In a short meeting, you will be able to sense his approach firsthand, share your vision, and receive a clear picture of the possibilities — so that you can confidently choose the path that is right for your big day.

Rabbi David Mordechai – Mazal Tov!