Life Cycle

From the birth of a baby to the death of a loved one, from consecration to confirmation, from weddings to vow renewal ceremonies — life cycle events are at the heart of Temple membership.

• Brit Milahs & Baby Namings
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah
• Weddings, Commitment Ceremonies, Vow Renewals
• House Blessings, Funeral Services, Yahrzeit Remembrances

About Weddings

Weddings are a Jewish expression of your legal commitment as a couple. You can have a wedding at CSC or Rabbi Karen Isenberg can officiate elsewhere.

Weddings at Congregation Shir Chadash are an authentic, memorable Jewish expression of your commitment to each other. Officiated by Rabbi Karen Isenberg, all Jewish and multi-faith, couples are welcome! Rabbi Isenberg will lead the service with you under the sacred space of the chuppah, the Jewish wedding canopy, at a location of your choice. All couples must meet with Rabbi Isenberg for two or three hour-long sessions to get to know each other, discuss the ceremony, and chat about the significance of creating a Jewish home.

You can personalize your ceremony with traditional and creative rituals. Let your loved ones receive you as a couple with shouts of Mazel Tov, and then move on to your celebratory reception!

Honor special guests by asking them to read poetry or sing blessings.

End your service with the tradition of breaking the wine glass to symbolize the breaking of all barriers between you, your beloved, and your communities.

Practical Details

Here are a few things to consider when planning your wedding at Congregation Shir Chadash:

• Please try to book your wedding at least six months in advance.
• Once the date is set, you can set up two or three meetings with Rabbi Isenberg to plan the ceremony. Rabbi Isenberg can officiate weddings indoors or outdoors… or anywhere in the world. Cost varies depending on location and travel requirements.
• The sanctuary space inside Congregation Shir Chadash is available by donation for members and for a reasonable rental fee for non-members. It can hold up to 200 people for the service.
• Our Kitchens are Kosher so please be aware that all food and drink items brought into our synagogue must be approved.
• The social hall at Congregation Shir Chadash is also available for a reasonable rental fee and can seat approximately 250 people for the reception, depending upon the room’s setup (for example, banquet and dining only or for music and dancing). Events can begin as early as noon and end as late as midnight.
• In return for the rental fee, CSC staff will set up tables according to your floor plan, vacuum, and put tables away after your event ends. Renters are responsible for setting up and cleaning up all food, decorations, table settings, and flowers.

Vow Renewals

After years together, you and your spouse may want to re-affirm your wedding vows. Traditionally, vow renewals occur during Shavuot as a community event, but you can renew your vows at any time. For information about having your vows renewed at CSC or officiated by Rabbi Isenberg elsewhere.