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Orthodox Rabbi Officiates Same-Sex Wedding

Orthodox rabbi Steve Greenberg officiated at the wedding of Yoni Bock and Ron Kaplan. Greenberg is openly gay, and an Orthodox rabbi. It may also be the first time that an Orthodox rabbi has officiated a same-sex marriage in the United States.

The ceremony was held under a chuppah (canopy) and included the traditional breaking of a glass and the exchanging of rings. According to JTA “The ketubah, or marriage contract, was replaced with a Shtar Shetufim, or partnership contract.”

Bock and Kaplan wrote in a guide to the ceremony “We were encouraged by the legislation of same-sex marriage in our home ‘state’ of Washington, D.C. At the same time, both of us wanted a ceremony that would be meaningful halachically (in terms of religious Jewish law) and create a set of Jewish legal obligations between us.”