Renew Your Wedding Vows in Italy

What could be more romantic than Italy? What could be more beautiful than a personalized ceremony to renew your wedding vows in any one of Italy’s exquisite regions.

Choose a gorgeous villa, a lush private garden or our small synagogue, Ner Tamid del Sud in Calabria (the first active synagogue in Calabria in 500 years) as you renew and refresh your wedding vows.

Rabbi Barbara Aiello, the first woman rabbi in Italy, will make it happen for you. She will create a personalized Jewish, interfaith or non-sectarian spiritual ceremony that can include friends and family as well.

As one recent “bride” of 45 years said, “Back in the day, there were very few rabbis who would conduct an interfaith wedding. Now, after all these years, I’m finally standing under the chuppah!”

Rabbi Barbara will work with your event coordinator to make your wedding anniversary ceremony special, memorable, and affordable, as well.

Renewing Your Wedding Vows – “It’s Tradition”

In an article by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg, the rabbi examines halachic sources (sources in Jewish law) that underscore the Jewish tradition found in the beauty of renewing wedding vows.  Silberberg refers to the renowned Talmudic scholar, Rabbi Yosef Rosen (1858-1936) who wrote that a wedding is not a “one time event.”  Instead the wedding ceremony is the initial event that “reverberates and repeats itself every moment for the duration of the couple’s married life.”

Silberberg makes the case for renewing one’s marriage vows when he emphasizes that the “Shevah Brachot”  (Seven Wedding Blessings)  are recited after the marriage has been “finalized, ” meaning that the couple and their witnesses have signed the ketubah (the Jewish wedding document) and the rings have been exchanged. The chanting of these blessings and their place in the ceremony symbolize that the marriage is not a static event but one that grows, changes and adapts throughout the couple’s life together. Silberberg puts it best when he states, “Marriage is actually renewed at every moment!”

“It was ‘b’shert’ that I found her,” one husband says of his wife of 40 years.”  “The Spirit of the Universe brought our souls together,” says a wife who recalls, “I knew when we met as seatmates on a subway train  that he was the one for me!”

The Kabbalists, the Jewish mystics, would agree. In fact it is Kabbalistic teaching that uses delicate imagery to explain the relationship between Jewish tradition and the love that couples have for one another.  Referring to the first “wedding” held more than 3300 years ago in the Sinai Desert, Kabbalists say that God became “bridegroom” to the mystical bride, the Jewish people, and presented us with Torah as our wedding ring!

We Always Wanted A Jewish Wedding

Years ago it was often difficult for interfaith couples to have their wedding ceremony under the chuppah.  When rabbis would not officiate or co-officiate, Jewish interfaith couples often opted for a civil ceremony – all the while hoping for the spiritual experience that a wedding under the chuppah brings.

“My husband is Jewish and I was brought up Catholic,” says Donna who fell in love with Max when they were chemistry lab partners in college 45 years ago. Two years later Max proposed, Donna accepted and the both families were thrilled about the match.  “It was 1974 and we were hoping that we could find a rabbi who would marry us. But it wasn’t to be. Max always wanted a wedding under the chuppah, and I supported that, but times were different then. We were married in City Hall.”

Max and Donna’s story is not unique. “Back in the Day” most rabbis believed that interfaith weddings diminished Judaism (current research refutes that premise) and few rabbis would officiate for interfaith couples. But over the years, couples like Max and Donna, never lost their enthusiasm for a “wedding under the chuppah.”  

Max says, “For me and Donna, renewing our vows with Rabbi Barbara gave us our ceremony under the chuppah. Our sons and grandson escorted me to the chuppah. Our daughter and granddaughters escorted Donna up the aisle. Our family stood under the chuppah together. We signed an interfaith ketubah and I broke the glass.”

Donna chimes in. “Finally I could give Max his Jewish wedding!”

The Jewish Ceremony includes:

* bouquet for the bride

* three wine glasses – one to break and two to keep for future anniversaries (an Italian Jewish tradition)

*kipot (yarmulkes) for groom and any guests (up to 10)

NOTE: A ketubah or a vows renewal certificate is available at a reasonable price from MPArtworks.com where you can select text appropriate for you.

Rabbi Barbara on Renewing Marriage Vows

In our ancient tradition the Ba’al Shem Tov, a wise rabbinic sage and 18th century Jewish mystic said this: “In every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls that are destined to be together, when they find each other, their streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being.”

In the Jewish tradition, we have a word for this: “B’shert,” which means, “meant to be.”  And it was “meant to be” that you two should be together. You have so much in common. So much that you share.  Your ideals, your values, your hopes and your commitment to each other, to your family and to the world – these qualities brought you together and they have sustained you throughout your married life together.   

Your married life encompasses wonderful years and challenging years – years that brought simcha (great joy) and years that brought tsuris (difficulties and challenges) but from simcha to tsuris to simcha again, your love and dedication to each other and to your partnership has carried you through.  May the joy you felt on your wedding day and the joy you feel as you renew your vows – may that joy be with you always. 

The Fee

Our fee, which includes a contribution to Sinagogue Ner Tamid’s educational programs is $1,500 USD, Rabbi pays for her train travel to Amalfi Coast, Capri, Central Rome or Central Florence and one night’s stay in a hotel.

If the venue is outside of the city, the couple is responsible for transporting the Rabbi from the train station to the venue and back.

A one half, non-refundable deposit secures the date with the remainder paid no later than three weeks prior to the ceremony. The couple is responsible for securing the venue and for any costs associated with use of the space.

If you are looking for that once in a lifetime experience for yourself and the love of your life, you won’t be disappointed when you choose this historic Jewish location in the beautiful mountains of Calabria, Italy. Having your renewal officiated by Rabbi Barbara Aiello only adds to the uniqueness of this very special life cycle event.

To secure your date to Renew Your Marriage Vows in Serrastretta, Italy w/Rabbi Barbara email her HERE  

“The renewal ceremony was a surprise for my wife, Janne. I want you to know that I adopted our daughter when she was 7 and she was raised as a Jew. Thank you for involving her in the ceremony, as I feel that I committed to her as well as her mother when we married. Thank you for making the day unforgettable! I am so blessed to have the family I do and to be able to share them with you is a blessing.” ~Scott T