Ketubot

The ketubah is the Jewish prenuptial agreement. This is a translation and explanation of the standard text. Many couples choose to alter the text to reflect the concerns and values of themselves and their communities.

What I offer

I can do just text, just art, or text and art.

If you have a printed border, I can fit your text into it. If you are working with another artist, I can fit your text into your artist’s work, or write the text out (in consultation with your artist) and then send her the text to work around. Either is fine.

I talk about my process for developing custom art here.

Agunah awareness

A Jewish wedding is dissolved with a get, a divorce document. The complex interactions of Jewish law and contemporary civil law mean that sometimes one half of the couple can maliciously prevent dissolution of the marriage by obstructing the get. This means the other party is “chained” to the marriage – an agunah, in a state of iggun. Contemporary Jewish law is still evolving to meet this challenge; are part of this evolution. When they become standard, this abuse of the system will no longer be possible. If you have a pre-nup, you are helping to evolve Jewish law in a humane direction.

To raise awareness of this issue, and to protect my clients, I will not write or illustrate a ketubah for anyone who does not have a prenuptial agreement covering iggun. The paperwork is relatively straightforward, and it is your officiant’s job really, but I will advise on this issue at no cost, because I care.

Jen Taylor Friedman's Torah site