TESTIMONIALS and quotes
When my wife and I set out to find an officiant for our wedding, we thought we had not only a tall order, but an impossible one. We actually thought that given what/who we were looking for, that we might have to hire two separate people to perform different parts of our ceremony. It was important to us that our ceremony have traditional Jewish elements, be queer and feminist, connect us to earth-based sprituality, and be witchy. When we first met with Rebekah to see if she would be a fit, we couldn't believe that we found someone who we both connected with and who understood all the elements of what we were hoping to weave together. Rebekah was generous with her time, taking care to get to know us and learn about our love and our relationship, ways we have struggled, and the ways we have grown. She crafted a ceremony that truly reflected who are separately, as a couple, and as part of a community we hope to support and be supported by. As we were, our guests too were moved and touched by our ceremony and by Rebekah's ability to weave together our values, our families, Jewish tradition, and a connection to the natural world. Rebekah is also simply a wonderful, kind, reassuring, and warm person-- which made it all the more pleasant (especially for two shy people) to go through the process of creating a ceremony together and ultimately getting up together in front of a ton of people we love. She also ran a rehearsal the day before our wedding which was really helpful in making the day itself run smoothly. Her presence on the day of the wedding, even aside from officiating the ceremony, was calming and protective in the most perfect way. If you are looking for an officiant who will listen to your wishes and artfully help you create a ceremony that reflects who you are, I very highly recommend Rebekah.
-Ra
Finding Rebekah to officiate our wedding feels like a gift from the universe. When we first met her, we knew we wanted a different kind of wedding that honored the uniqueness of our own individuality and relationship, but were at a loss for what that ceremony would actually look like. Working with Rebekah was a truly collaborative process; she brought her own skills and experience in ritual-based performance and together we created the most beautiful, sincere, and meaningful ceremony that incorporated our voices, along with those of our closest friends. Everyone who attended said it was the best wedding they had ever been to! In addition to the creation of the actual ceremony, Rebekah provided guidance and feedback on the writing of our vows, knew how to turn our content into an actual live ceremony, and how to direct all of the participants and staging, and provided a steady and calming presence for us. She was super responsible, always on time and professional, and a joy to be around. I am so honored and thankful that we found her -- she was the perfect officiant !!!!! I wish we could get married many more times, just to have the opportunity to work with Rebekah!
-James
We were skeptical about finding an officiant who shared our values and off-beat brand of spirituality. That made us feel especially blessed to find Rebekah! At our initial meet-up, she spent time getting to know me and my partner on a personal and spiritual level. When we met up again, she presented us with a thoughtfully-chosen menu of ceremony ideas that tied Jewish traditions to our psychological needs as well as our earth-based spirituality. On the day of the ceremony, Rebekah took us aside for a mikvah - time away from the fray for spiritual cleansing. That moment of peace and reflection turned out to be the most meaningful part of our wedding experience. Rebekah also guided us and our families through our hand-crafted ceremony with aplomb. So many people told me that it was the most authentic and genuine wedding they had ever witnessed. And my mom says that afterward, all the Jewish mothers asked her for Rebekah's number!
-Ariana
Rebekah was instrumental in helping my partner and I with ideas for writing our own vows. Her guidance gave us a jumping off point to get our minds and hearts aligned in bringing to life our vows. We had a pagan hand fasting ceremony, which Rebekah was amazing at taking the reigns as our officiant. We worked together on crafting the ceremony and she met with us to make sure we were feeling good about the direction of the service. Our ceremony was beautiful and I will never forget how quickly Rebekah helped us to create an unforgettable ritual, tying in our closest friends and family. I'm so happy Rebekah was our officiant! She was warm, kind and supportive!
-Akasha
Spend time with Rebekah, and you will see for yourself what a warm, present, inspiring, generous person she is. My daughter and her partner hired Rebekah and could not have been happier with the relationship they developed with her. As the mom of one of the brides, I was thrilled about their choice and felt very connected with Rebekah as well.
-Marilyn
More than anything, we felt very held by Rebekah throughout our entire ceremony process. From the thoughtful suggestions on how to create a ceremony that truly reflected us, to the gentle yet powerful presence she held during our ceremony, Rebekah helped us stay grounded without getting caught up in the hype surrounding weddings. She listened when we were having a hard time with our families and helped us reflect our queerness when it felt quieted. We could not be more happy with her work.
-Maggie & David
Rebekah Erev conducted my clients' wedding ceremony. An absolute pleasure to work with, and she continues to be a wonderful colleague. Being a wedding planner, I have worked with many officiants, but no other offers the same service, art or knowledge. She works directly with couples to carve out a special ceremony, totally customized to their style and passions. Her ceremonies and rituals are fantastic, which allows couples and their guests to feel totally at ease. It feels almost as if a very good friend is officiating. Ryan Rebekah Erev is so unique because she offers a wonderful alternative to the "norm" and there is a sense of ease and community with her service. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a meaningful wedding.
-Korinna
Rebekah's personal warmth and commitment to inclusivity made each ritual feel intimate, loving and fun. Ultimately, as participants, we felt joyful and useful. Her orchestration helped make us a smoothly functioning unit.
-Susan & David
Rebekah respected our shared vision and supported us in creating rituals that began months before the wedding. We had a beautiful blessing circle for our engagement the year before our wedding that Rebekah helped us to vision. Rebekah helped me to do a sacred mikvah cleanse days before the wedding. Rebekah stood waiting for us under our chuppa, in a gleaming white suit with metallic gold bow tie and matching cumber bun. I will speak for all three of us when I say that we entered an altered state under that chuppa together. It was such an honor to have her witness us, support us, and lead us in ritual that was simultaneously ancient, politically radical, and full of creativity. Her voice calls in a spirit of love and peace and she blends the best parts of old world ancient Judaism with witchy earth magic. We highly recommend her as someone to officiate the most precious and complicated of life cycle rituals.
-Dalya
Growing up in Egypt as a Mitzrahi Jew, I felt disconnected to Judaism. It was a time when Judaism was predominantly a male driven religion. When I met Rebekah and became fascinated by her pursuit of Judaism and giving it as a gift to many who had doubted Judaism or who did not know how to access it from a spiritual place. Rebekah teaches people who have been intimidated by Judaism and who have that birthright to connect in ways that grab one by the soul.
-Josee
