Choosing a Ketubah Text
The text you choose depends on the type of ceremony you are having, what your rabbi or officiant advises, and your own preferences. For ceremonies in the Orthodox and Conservative traditions, your text will be the traditional Aramaic text, which is written with Hebrew letters. The standard Reform text is in Hebrew. If you would like an English translation, you can select a literal or creative version. Because the traditional text is a legal contract, its language is antiquated and some find it unpoetic. Many couples opt for creative translations, or they write their own English (or Spanish, or Yiddish -- whatever applies) text together. For more information about the origins of the traditional ketubah text, Gallery Judaica and My Jewish Learning offer concise historical summaries.
There are also texts available for interfaith, secular, and same-sex ceremonies, along with a wide range of original texts in English. You can choose from the selections below, or you can source or write your own text to insert into your ketubah design. Translation of your custom English text into modern Hebrew is available for $85. Please email texts to the artist in a Word, PDF or Davka file, and do not include Hebrew vowels. When ordering, specify which fonts (shown at left) you prefer. You'll also need to submit the appropriate personalization form, available below.
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