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What is Ketubah Personalizing?

You have the option to have the artist complete the blank spaces within the ketubah text including your names, the date and the location of your wedding in both Hebrew and English. This is done by hand in matching or complementary calligraphy if the print is a lithograph. In most cases the artists fill in their own ketubot. If the artist is unavailable, the ketubah will be filled in by a calligrapher experienced in matching that artist's lettering style. On giclee prints the fill in is incorporated seamlessly into the artful computer lettered text. There is usually an additional charge for this but some artists include it in their price. If you plan to have your rabbi or cantor do the fill-in be sure to ask them first if they are willing.

PLEASE NOTE: Our artists offer the service of personalizing your ketubah. There are many different papers that ketubot are printed on and each artist is experienced at choosing the proper ink and pen type for their artwork. If you're having a rabbi fill in the blank spaces as a contract, we recommend using a medium ballpoint pen. If you are having your own calligrapher fill it in , please note that you and/or your own calligrapher must take full responsibility if any damage is done to the artwork.

Filling out the Ketubah Personalizing Form
We can’t stress enough the importance of filling out this form accurately and LEGIBLY. Double check spellings and dates. But don’t be intimidated. We are here to help. We know that sometimes you will need to search for names and we can make suggestions on where to look. We are happy to call your rabbi to ask more questions. This document is a record of your family’s Jewish names that may be referred to by future generations.

Date:
We can calculate the Hebrew date for you. Since the Hebrew date changes to the next day at sundown of the previous evening (e.g. Saturday night after sundown is considered to be Sunday) we need to know if the ceremony is before or after sundown. If your wedding is at dusk please ask your rabbi how it should be calculated. If your wedding is Saturday evening, though not technically after sundown, it is particularly important that you ask your rabbi or cantor if the date should reflect the seventh day of the week (shabbat) or the first day of the week.

Place:
The texts require the city and the state of the wedding. If no Hebrew spelling is provided we will transliterate from the English. Transliterating is very subjective so if you think your rabbi will have a spelling prefernce please find out what it is.

Names:
Since the kettubah is a document, it is most common to have your first, middle and last names in the English section. A bride should supply her maiden name or the name that she enters the marriage with. Write the names exactly as you wish them to appear. It is okay to use just a middle initial or no middle name at all if that is your preference. Do not include titles such as Dr., Hon., etc. Most artists do not use the parents names in the English section but a few do so we ask you to provide their names as well.

In Jewish tradition you are identified as being _______ the son or daughter of _______ and _______. Therefore, we ask that you provide your Hebrew name(s) and those of your parents. If it is a challenge to find out the names you can start by asking your parents. From there you can find out if they have their ketuba which will have their Hebrew names on it. They may even have a circumcision or naming certificate with your name on it. You can fax any of these over to us and we can usually solve at least part of the mystery. Then try grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings. We feel it is important to document the Hebrew names as accurately as possible so that if, in the future, anyone is looking for these names they will be able to refer to your Jewish marriage contract.

Hebrew names can be written in English letters if you are using the on-line form or if you do not know how to write them out in Hebrew. We will write them in Hebrew and check with you and your rabbi, if necessary, if there are names that are uncommon or have variations in spelling. If you prefer to provide us with the Hebrew you can spell out the letters on the on-line form (alef, beit, gimmel, etc.) or simply use our printable form and then fax it over.

For a partner that does not have a Hebrew name we transliterate his or her name into Hebrew letters as well as the parents’ names. On occasion, couples decide to choose Hebrew names that are related in meaning the the English name. It is a good idea to confer with your rabbi or cantor before you decide to do this.

The last names in Hebrew are usually not used in the Traditional Aramaic text. If you have a particular spelling of your last name in Hebrew please provide it since it may be used in other texts. Most Orthodox and some Conservative rabbis only use the fathers’ names in the Aramaic text so if your rabbi is one of the above and you would like to include your mothers’ names please check with him to be sure it is okay. To avoid confusion, do not provide your mother’s Hebrew names if they are not to be included in the text. In most Conservative and all Egalitarian, Interfaith and Commitment texts, we do use the mothers’ names.

Bride’s Status:
Applicable only to Traditional Aramaic (Orthodox) & Conservative, Lieberman Clause.
Depending on whether this is the first marriage for the bride, or if she is a widow, divorcee or convert and if her father is living or deceased, some phrases of the Aramaic text change.

Signatures:
Most Orthodox and Conservative rabbis will require two witness signatures under the Aramaic text and any English vows should be below these signatures. The strictest requirement is for these signatures to be one above the other. Most Traditional Aramaic Only texts are layed out this way. However, if you choose Aramaic with English sometimes the witness signatures are side by side or are on the bottom with no witness signatues separating the Aramic and English texts. Check with your rabbi for his requirements. The signatures under the English vary but most commonly there are five - Bride, Groom, two witnesses and Rabbi. All other texts most commonly have all of the five signatures under both the Hebrew and English with none under the Hebrew.

The Jewish marriage contract should be signed with a non-smearing pen. Do not use a felt tip or fountain pen. An old fashioned ballpoint works very well. You can also get a micron uniball pen from the art store that is pigment ink, fadeproof and waterproof. These are not expensive and are readily available.