this one vs. that one

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Four Seasons Ketubah by Enya Keshet"][/caption]

I really can't decide which one I like more! They're both paper cuts and they both have printed (not calligraphic) text, but they're so different. The first one is cool because it's laser cut parchment over hand dyed silk, made in Israel, and the tree going through the four seasons is just so cool. But I just found it online today and there aren't a whole lot of options when it comes to picking the text, plus the poetry in the border is all in Hebrew. With the second one, I like the Toronto Reform text, that poetry in the border is in English also, and the fact that we saw it in person while looking for a ketubah and wedding invitations at Kolbo, in Brookline, MA.

[caption id="attachment_303" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="Gefen Papercut- Autumn by Ruth Stern Warzecha"][/caption]

I'm fond of the Toronto Reform text because it's in modern Hebrew and the English is a direct translation. The Toronto Reform text we'd like to use: source

On the  day of the week, on the  day of the month of  in the year 57 , corresponding to the day of the month of  in the year 20__, the groom, ______, said to the bride,______

“Be my wife by the consent of the Bet Din of  according to the law of Moses and Israel. I will cherish and respect you and work for our mutual sustenance, living with you as your husband.” The bride,_____, said to the groom, _______

“Be my husband by the consent of the Bet Din of  _____ according to the law of Moses and Israel. I will cherish and respect you and work for our mutual sustenance, living with you as your wife.” Bride and groom have promised to establish a Jewish home from this day forth. They have committed themselves to the covenant of marriage written this day between them. The symbolic acquisition by the groom and bride, with regard to everything written and explained above, has been performed.

All herein written is valid and binding.

Whitness

Whitness

Bride

Groom

Rabbi

And here's the English included if we choose the Conservative text, the traditional Aramaic with the Liberman Clause included (making the bride allowed to initiate a divorce): source

On the  day of  in the year 57__,corresponding to the  day ____of _____ in the year 20__ of the common era, the groom, _______, and the bride, _______,entered into the covenant of marriage in ________.

As we embark on life’s journey, we promise to love, cherish, encourage and inspire one another. May we continue to grow together, maintaining the courage and determination to pursue our desired paths.

Rabbi

Bride

Groom

And finally, here's a translation of the traditional Aramaic with the Liberman Clause included (making the bride allowed to initiate a divorce). This is the part that I'm not too keen on because it's in a language that's old and archaic and there are parts that aren't true (I'm not a young girl worth 50 goats). source

On the ______day of the week, the _________day of the month ______ in the year five thousand seven hundred and ______ since the creation of the world, the era according to which we reckon here in the city of _________________ that ________ son of _________ said to this (virgin) _________daughter of _____.

"Be my wife according to the practice of Moses and Israel, and I will cherish, honor, support and maintain you in accordance with the custom of Jewish husbands who cherish, honor, support and maintain their wives faithfully. And I here present you with the marriage gift of (virgins), (two hundred) silver zuzim, which belongs to you, according the the law of Moses and Israel; and I will also give you your food, clothing and necessities, and live with you as husband and wife according to universal custom." And Miss_____, this (virgin) consented and became his wife. The trousseau that she brought to him from her (father's) house in silver, gold, valuables, clothing, furniture and bedclothes, all this ________, the said bridegroom accepted in the sum of (one hundred ) silver pieces, and ______ the bridegroom, consented to increase this amount from his own property with the sum of (one hundred) silver pieces, making in all (two hundred) silver pieces. And thus said __________, the bridegroom: "The responsibility of this marriage contract, of this trousseau, and of this additional sum, I take upon myself and my heirs after me, so that they shall be paid from the best part of my property and possession that I have beneath the whole heaven, that which I now possess or may hereafter acquire. All my property, real and personal, even the shirt from my back, shall be mortgaged to secure the payment of this marriage contract, of the trousseau, and of the addition made to it, during my lifetime and after my death, from the present day and forever." _______, the bridegroom, has taken upon himself the responsibility of this marriage contract, of the trousseau and the addition made to it, according to the restrictive usages of all marriage contracts and the additions to them made for the daughters of Israel, according to the institution of our sages of blessed memory. It is not to be regarded as a mere forfeiture without consideration or as a mere formula of a document. We have followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery (kinyan) between ______the son of _______, the bridegroom and _______ the daughter of _______ this (virgin), and we have used a garment legally fit for the purpose, to strengthen all that is stated above, and everything is valid and confirmed.

And both together agreed that if this marriage shall ever be dissolved under civil law, then either husband or wife may invoke the authority of the Beth Din of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America or its duly authorized representatives, to decide what action by either spouse is then appropriate under Jewish matrimonial law; and if either spouse shall fail to honor the demand of the other or to carry out the decision of the Beth Din or its representative, then the other spouse may invoke any and all remedies available in civil law and equity to enforce compliance with the Beth Din's decision and this solemn obligation.

Whitness

Whitness

Groom