Interfaith Jewish Catholic Weddings

We each had the calling to enter seminary studies and become ordained clergy, not only to officiate at wedding ceremonies, but for the larger purpose of being of service to our congregations and all people by leading and being there for them at many stages of life events, baby namings, baptisms, marriage preparation counseling, ministering to the sick and suffering and end-of-life ministering. Officiating at interfaith wedding ceremonies together is a high point for us and one of our most treasured ways to help others.

We met over 20 years ago where we were each asked to officiate at a wedding ceremony that was a bit impromptu and, incredibly were not told that there would be another officiant, representing the Jewish and Catholic faiths. We shook hands, made a nice plan and said, "let's do this!"  It went beautifully - and the rest is history!

Planning the Ceremony:

We meet with you in person (preferably) or by phone or skype (if it is more convenient for you) and we provide you with materials and options to assist you in planning the ceremony.  We listen to your preferences and requests and incorporate them into the ceremony.

 

Officiating for You:

We will personally officiate at your ceremony.  Some other Interfaith Officiant services will substitute and send officiants who are not known to the couple.  You can rest assured that with us, this will never happen. We understand that couples who request us do so because they specifically trust in our reputation and in our teamwork and personal approach.  This is our commitment to you.

 

Signing the Ketubah

Rabbi Katz will help you every step of the way to find a Ketubah that fits your unique needs and desires.

 

PreMarital Counseling Available:

We enjoy being able to share with couples our experience and acquired wisdom about living and enjoying life in an interfaith family including considerations about how you may  educate your children.  If requested or desired, we also offer a sensitive and  balanced program called Prepare & Enrich which helps couples to build a strong foundation for communication, conflict resolution and other important aspects of your relationship.

 

We have been officiating together for over 20 years, first on Long Island and New York City, then gradually around the tri-state area. In the last 3-4 years we have been asked often and have really enjoyed officiating more and more in the Phildaelphia area. Also in the past five years we have received more requests for destination weddings including trips to New England, Southeastern US states, Ireland, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

Rabbi Katz

• 20 Years experience officiating at Interfaith wedding ceremonies throughout NYC and Long Island and beyond

• Masters Degree in Sacred Music and Masters Degree of Rabbinical & Cantorial Ordination from the Hebrew Union College Jewish Seminary , NY NY

• Ordained in 1994 as a Cantor in New York and 2024 as a Rabbi in New York

• Currently the Rabbi/Cantor of Or Elohim in Jericho, Long Island

• 20 Years experience as a Wedding Officiant and counseling couples preparing for Marriage

 

Father Callahan

• 25 Years experience officiating at Interfaith wedding ceremonies throughout NYC and Long Island and beyond

• Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Philosophy (double major) from Cathedral College, Queens, NY; Masters in Mental Health Counseling - University of the Cumberlands

• Masters Degree in Divinity and Pastoral Counseling from Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, NY

• Ordained in 1980 as a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY

• Now affiliated with the Old Catholic Church

• 30 years experience as a Wedding Officiant and counseling couples preparing for Marriage

• Fluent in Spanish

How Do You Help Us With The Marriage License?

We guide you on the steps for obtaining your license. After the obtaining all necessary signatures and filling out the Officiant’s section on the Marriage License on the day of the wedding, we will send it to the Clerk’s Office for processing so that you will receive your Marriage Certificate (legal proof of your marriage) within approximately one month of your wedding.

How Often Do We Meet With You?

We meet as often as you wish. At a minimum, we have an initial meeting for getting acquainted and for us to share with you the resources we provide for planning your ceremony and personalizing it. This first meeting is uually on Zoom. We then recommend that we meet in person as this is the best way for all four of us to get to know one another. Even if you are out of town and not living in the NY area, we can often arrange this at a mutually possible time. We also always have a Zoom meeting for a final review of the ceremony about a month before your wedding. So beyond those minimum number of meetings, we are always glad to have more meetings with you in person or on Zoom. There is no fee for any of these meetings.

 

Can You Speak With Our Parents About Any Concerns They May Have?

Absolutely! We are happy to do this and often speak with family members as it is understandable that an Interfaith Wedding Ceremony may be unfamiliar to them and they may be concerned about things like the balance and flow of the ceremony. We are glad to explain and show them them how it would work beautifully.

 

We both practice yoga. We both enjoy hiking. Rabbi Katz is a professional singer and Father Callahan is a writer.