Rabbi Rayzel Raphael

ry first conversation, Rabbi Rayzel was incredibly kind, attentive, and genuinely interested in our story. She didn’t just officiate our ceremony—she was a true partner in helping us prepare for this important moment. What stood out the most was her deep care for us as a couple. She took the time to listen to every detail of our wedding planning, and even the challenges we faced leading up to the big day. She asked thoughtful, meaningful questions that encouraged us to reflect and connect on a much deeper level, both individually and as a couple. It was clear she was fully invested in helping us start our marriage on the best possible foundation. Rabbi Rayzel’s warmth and empathy made us feel completely comfortable and supported. She made our ceremony deeply personal and memorable, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect person to share such a special moment with. We are so grateful to have had her as a guide and a friend during such a meaningful time in our lives. If you’re looking for someone who will truly care about your relationship and help you create a ceremony that reflects your love and commitment, Rabbi Rayzel Raphael is an absolute treasure.

touch and we asked her to be our Rabbi for our twins baby naming ceremony. We had it a tad later than expected and the babies were up and moving around during the ceremony and Rabbi was beyond accommodating. (there were 7 kids total there) She made the ceremony fun and interactive. HIGHLY recommend Rabbi Rayzel for any wedding, baby ceremony or any other need. She is the BEST!!!

e meaning of each aspect of the ceremony (which was very important as most of our guests weren't Jewish) and gave us many options to choose from. She made our wedding ceremony feel very special and we cannot recommend her highly enough! We'll forever be thankful to her for making our ceremony unforgettable <3

ecommend for anyone, especially those who would like a rabbi for an interfaith marriage!

e Jewish traditions that were meaningful to us while still respecting our hopes for the ceromony. She took the time over the year to learn about us and get to know us which made the ceremony so personal and special. We had so many guests comment on how great the ceromony was, and how they never were so interested and entertained during a ceremony like that before! I could go on and on about how amazing she was. We could not recommend her enough to anyone looking for someone to make their wedding day very special.

d Spanish, and our vibrant Purim theme. She was thoughtful in helping us craft everything with true intention. We met with other officiants who were lovely, but everything felt a bit too rehearsed. Well, Rabbi Rayzel gave us our spontaneity!!! She even danced down the wedding aisle, as we hoped she would, and wore a fantastic, colorful Purim ensemble. Of note, Rabbi Rayzel really takes time to talk with you as a couple, and gives homework. It was extensive and thorough, and forced us, as an engaged couple, to REALLY think through some very tough topics--family traditions, beliefs about fertility/pregnancy/adoption/abortion, Palestine/Israel, potential divorce, pre-nups...The conversations were so meaningful. This type of work helped cement the goals we have for a future together, and a mutual understanding of our ethics and priorities. If you are looking for something fun, colorful, quirky, individualized, and truly thought-provoking, this is your person!! Of note--we were quite thrilled that, when she addressed our guests, she acknowledged the presence of non-binary, LGBTQIA and neurodivergent attendees. It wasn't a "Welcome Ladies and Gentleman" vide, it was more of a "All our welcome in this space!!"

ome great stories and even a few good jokes--all of which made everyone relaxed, reflective, and comfortable. She found a way so that everyone who was meant to had a meaningful way to participate, and she kept the love and specialness of the occasion at the forefront for the bride and groom. It was a joyous and deeply meaningful experience that was all just a lot of fun. I recommend her wholeHeartedly.

ing. It was an absolute pleasure to work with her. I look forward to working with her in the future!

xcellent Rabbi who cuts to the heart of what spirituality and togetherness means. I cannot recommend her enough.

eful they were to witness our wedding. We had an amazing wedding and looking back, the ceremony itself was the highlight. Rabbi Rayzel also led our ketubah signing and it was such an incredible start to the wedding, she really valued what we wanted and was incredibly inclusive of all of our guests. We would recommend her to anyone who is seeking a Rabbi for their wedding.

akes a personal interest in you, your family and your guests. She and Cantor Naomi Hirsch worked together to make a very special occasion one which always be remembered with a smile on your face.

You could stop there and be fully satisfied with an officiant, but what the Rabbi also provides is a true exercise in actualizing your love and commitment to your partner. She does this through consultations and exercises, which were invaluable to us as the big day approached. So even before the wedding day, which gave us the photos and a ketubah and memories that will last forever, we had co-written and signed a document defining what our life and love together should aim to be, and to uphold the promises held within; we're gonna read it annually and celebrate for sure! Rabbi Rayzel was kind enough to lend us huppah poles and their bases as well, which we appreciate so much. In addition, the Rabbi created for us an amazing piece of painted silk artwork which wonderfully completed our huppah on the wedding day, and now brings joy to our home. So many thank yous and our love go out to Rabbi Rayzel! She's a top choice for your officiating needs.

iscussed (some topics we had talked about prior, others not so much). After which we had a few sessions with Rabbi Rayzel where she offered help, recommendations and discussed our topics and answers together. I believe this really helped us figure some outstanding things out between my wife’s religion and mine (and the unification of the two). I am Catholic and my wife Kaidy is Jewish. We had a mixed ceremony with both Rabbi Rayzel and a priest. In addition to the pre-marital exercises, we also went through the ceremony in detail choosing which Jewish traditions we wanted and which Catholic traditions we wanted. Never did Rabbi Rayzel make us feel pressured to do anything however she did offer guidance where necessary which was great. We truly felt the ceremony was our own. I have to say, it was done so well! Many of our guests came up and complimented how nice the ceremony was and that credit goes to Rabbi Rayzel and the priest. They performed the ceremony as greatly as I could have imagined from the traditions to the personal touches. Overall, working with Rabbi Rayzel in the months leading up to the marriage, the days leading up to the marriage and on the wedding day were amazing and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience and a better person to help us through the entire process!

ost every guest we talked to couldn't help mentioning how wonderful the Rabbi made the ceremony. However, what really made the experience special for us was how much Rabbi Rayzel added to the ketubah signing. She made it so much more than just a prayer and signing of a document. We are so glad we chose to go with Rabbi Rayzel for this once in a lifetime moment.

th wedding, but also to capture our Nigerian/Jewish traditions. Rabbi Rayzel did EXACTLY that! She was fun, quirky, professional, hilarious, and passionate all in one! She got to know each of us personally, and she helped navigate securing our Ketubah and other important ceremony items. She was also able to entertain the crowds on our wedding day as we were running significantly behind schedule which we highly appreciated. We loved her vibe and her colorful persona inside and out. She was the best part of our ceremony, and so many of our guests (including the very conservative guests) raved about her! She’s so great and we HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend!!!

emony, we had been running around taking photos and things were feeling a tad stressful, but as soon as we got the the Ketubah ceremony, we were reminded of why were there. It was grounding, emotional, and relaxing. For the larger ceremony, she helped us create a custom ceremony for our interfaith wedding, and the end result was a personal and beautiful ceremony that was based in Jewish tradition but was also inclusive of our non-Jewish family members. Our guests were raving about the ceremony, and we couldn't have asked for more.

nd I remember them telling me how difficult it was to find someone to officiate. Luckily, after a quick search I found Rabbi Rayzel! I knew right away after speaking with her that she was the right fit for us. She made my non-Jewish husband very comfortable with all aspects of the ceremony and encouraged him to find ways to make sure he felt represented. We also really enjoyed the cohabitation document process. It was really nice to have a chance to sit down and discuss some “big questions” prior to the wedding. After meeting with Rabbi Rayzel a few times and deciding what we wanted to include, she created the most personalized ceremony for us. So many guests told me that it was the most personal ceremony that they had ever attended and that although we had around 150 guests, it felt so intimate. Our guests really liked that she got them involved in the ceremony as well, commenting that they loved singing along with her! I think the ceremony was one of the easiest parts of our wedding. Rabbi Rayzel made everything so effortless and was so open to allowing us to personalize everything and each feel represented.

he is so prepared for every possible outcome! She even had a checklist for us for the day of the wedding so we didn't forget anything! Every single person who attended the wedding raved about our ceremony and how Rabbi Rayzel made everyone feel so welcome, regardless of religious background. She explained every tradition so clearly and beautifully. I truly don't believe there is a better option out there!

or 2 couples per year, including 1 year when my wife Lee cooked a 3rd Seder . To the one , they were over the moon after observing your ceremony , many the 1st experience at a Jewish wedding. We are grateful, thanks so much, you made our blessed evening even more so blessed.

around what we wanted or didn't want. During the ceremony itself, her special touches, including her songs, blessings, and words, really elevated the entire experience. We were really impressed! Overall, we'd recommend her enthusiastically.

ate together as a couple in to the years following our marriage, the Ketubah selection and signing (which was a very sweet ceremony!), and then actually selecting the components of our ceremony. We had been in contact with Rabbi Rayzel for over two years prior to our wedding day and it was so worth the wait to be married by her! Guests were coming up to us throughout the evening saying that throught it was the BEST CEREMONY EVER! And we agree! Our friends were singing her songs and complementing her all night. The ceremony itself was so inclusive. We are grateful to have found a rabbi that would marry an interfaith, same sex couple! Our guests were part of the ceremony as the Rabbi led them in song and blessings. We really felt the love and the community support... it was just beautiful! We can’t recommend Rabbi Rayzel enough for your wedding day and beyond!

our backgrounds, and she also was so warm, welcoming, and made it so easy for us to open up to her. The Ketubah signing ceremony was more special than we could have ever imagined. This gave our families a chance to have an intimate and meaningful moment before the actual ceremony. The ceremony itself was so magical. We can’t tell you how many people let us know how special it was. We even had people saying they wanted to learn more about Judaism afterward. Rabbi, we cannot thank you enough for making us feel so comfortable, and being part of what made our day so special!

because our story was quite compelling in that we are an interfaith couple (Jewish and Quaker), in our 80’s, a second marriage for both as we lost our spouses of 60 years within a month of each other during 2019. Rabbi Rayzel guided us through the ceremony, putting our anxieties at rest. It turned out to be an inspiring and memorable occasion. She interviewed us separately, asking the same questions about what we expected from this marriage and the things we admired about our future spouse. That the answers were so similar was telling and insightful on her part. The Quaker segment was heartwarming as guests got up one by one with kind words for both if us. Then Rabbi Rayzel, in her own inimitable way, conducted the Jewish portion. Her relaxed, sometimes humorous comments were endearing and the signing of the Ketubah was at the apex of the entire service. Afterwards, all my Jewish relatives who attended told me not once, but many times, this was absolutely the best Rabbi they had ever witnessed. The friends and families were absolutely inspired by Rabbi Raysel’s words and also said it was a wedding they would long remember. Thank you Rabbi Rayzel fir making this occasion so meaningful for us. Gerry Henry and Charlie Philips.

int in creating an inclusive, interfaith ceremony since one of us in Jewish and the other is Catholic. On the day of the wedding, she did a fantastic job and guests came up to us throughout the night complimenting us (her) on the beautiful interfaith ceremony. She was a great advisor and ally throughout this process and most importantly, on our big day. Highly recommend!!

oms. She explained everything to us prior to the wedding and we met with her many times so that both my husband and I felt like we had known her for a while! She was prompt on the day of, led the most beautiful ketubah ceremony that my parents and in-laws loved, and then orchestrated an absolutely beautiful ceremony. The ceremony was the perfect length, included so many personalized moments for us as a couple and the guests of the wedding told us they enjoyed it as well. We couldn’t be happier to have gone with Rabbi and will definitely use her for baby namings and all events in the future!

y with only our parents. Rabbi Rayzel understood and supported our intentions, and she created an interfaith Tenayyim ceremony for us. Our ceremony was so beautiful and intimate -- it was more magical than we could have ever imagined! She emphasized the spiritual symbolism of various Jewish and Catholic rituals that we used, and she made our families feel so warm and welcome throughout the ceremony. The ceremony gave us an opportunity to acknowledge the journey of being engaged and to uniting our families together. In addition, she offered us excellent, personalized advice through our pre-marriage counseling sessions. These sessions gave us an opportunity to solidify some of our unsaid thoughts and feelings, as well as to discuss some topics that haven't yet come up in our lives. She made us feel comfortable during these sessions, and she helped us to see this engagement period as the time to prepare for our lifelong marriage. We are so grateful to Rabbi Rayzel for getting to know us, wholeheartedly supporting our unique goals, and crafting such a creative ceremony for us!

yzel took time to get to know us together as a couple, and then both separately, and that was reflected in her words. She explained all of the customs and traditions to us beforehand, and to our guests as well. Rabbi Rayzel also was extremely accommodating with our wedding date change due to covid, and open to all other ideas and suggestions we wanted to incorporate into the ceremony, including a special paw print on our ketubah! The guests all raved about her afterwards, as her style was much more enthusiastic, musical and inclusive than most of my guests were accustomed to with previous Jewish weddings they’ve attended. Rabbi Rayzel Raphael- we can’t thank you enough for everything. We would recommend her to everyone!

d offered a ton of guidance and advice. Aside from keeping us calm during wedding planning, she thoroughly explained Jewish wedding traditions over multiple phone calls and let us decide what aspects we wanted to incorporate into our ceremony. She helped us find readings, helped edit our Ketubah, and made sure that the ceremony was a reflection of who we are as a couple. The ceremony was absolutely lovely and she did an amazing job of making everyone feel involved in the celebration. We couldn't recommend Rabbi Rayzel enough. We will cherish our wedding ceremony forever.

three days before our wedding was to finally take place our officiant cancelled due to health issues . It was nothing short of a miracle that we got in contact with Rabbi. She was able to accommodate us in the predicament the we found ourself's in just days before our wedding. Rabbi Razel not only did a great job with the ceremony she helped us incorporate our entire family and taught us that marriage is not just to for us to know we love each other. But it is a public display of that love to our community. Rabbi Rayzel is not your typical officiant, and with her guidance and wisdom we were able to turn a near disaster into a spital joyous love filled event. Anyone should be honored to have her as an officiant, thank you again Rabbi Rayzel Raphael

es, humor. Those of us on the groom's side are not Jewish, so her details of why each gesture had meaning was touching. When she sang, her voice was beautiful and moving. Her attire was vibrant and celebratory. We loved everything about how Rabbi Rayzel conducted the wedding and we're still talking about how special and beautiful she made this special day.

befoure our wedding day, she was very accommodating and we really appreciate everything that she did for us. We were able to select readings and vows from an existing list that was provided to us but Rabbi Rayzel made no fuss when my husband and I made a last minute decision to write and read our own. Even then, she found a way to incorporate the ones we had previously selected in the ceremony. Since this is a quarantine wedding, it was just myself and husband along with Rabbi Rayzel but it was very touching (we both cried a lot!) Being new to Jewish traditions, everything was explained very well to me and I could not have been more comfortable. If my husband and I do decide on a ceremony with our family and friends after the corona virus pandemic, we will definitely be calling Rabbi Rayzel :)

notice she was available via zoom, was able to adapt a slightly different ceremony given the circumstances, and made the day feel just as special. She took time getting to know us, what is important o us and our families, and helped us talk through ideas and traditions. She is compassionate, flexible, warm and knowledgeable and we cannot wait to celebrate next year, in person, with Rabbi Rayzel.

or us with relatively short notice (we reached out to her only about 2-3 weeks in advance) and still managed to really and truly tailor the ceremony to our requests and to our personalities. I genuinely could not have asked for a better wedding, *even* given the circumstances, and we would both enthusiastically recommend her to anyone that wants something unique, warm, fun, and unforgettable. We hope to stay in touch with her and see her again!

m. She also did a couple phone sessions. We had an AMAZING ketubah signing with both families,parents and grandparents included. She made everyone a part of the celebration. The ceremony was great; it was engaging to all that attended. You could feel the love in the room that day. Many of our friends both Jews and nonJews told us it was one of the best ceremonies they ever attended. Rabbi Rayzel made everyone there feel included that day. Many thanks to her for a day we will never forget!

ime to explain Jewish marriage customs at our first meeting. She also provided suggestions to bring my husband’s heritage into our ceremony as well. Rabbi Rayzel provided examples while allowing us to create our own ceremony customized to us, with a Kiddush blessing and handfasting! She helped us find a Ketubah and made our Ketubah-signing ceremony with our families and witnesses one of the most special parts of our day. Countless friends and family members told us at the reception and cocktail hour how beautiful our ceremony was! I cannot recommend Rabbi Rayzel highly enough. She did everything to make sure our ceremony was unique to us and memorable for our guests.

nfamiliar with Jewish traditions) and added in her own unique touches such as musical elements and novel ceremonial pieces. We were guided all along the way to design a ceremony that we felt was unique to us and fully expressed our commitment to one another and our deeply-held values. Despite the pouring rain, many of our guests came forward in the weeks following the wedding to let us know how much they felt Rabbi Rayzel was responsible for holding an intimate and intentional ceremony. Would highly recommend!

ish, Rabbi Rayzel was there to guide us in our journey not only to a beautiful wedding day, but more importantly, to a beautiful and loving life together! At first we were hesitant about getting a Ketubah (being a fairly budget-conscious couple), but we are so thankful that Rabbi Rayzel recommended we get one. The Ketubah signing still remains one of my favorite parts of the wedding day! I am a complete introvert so the thought of a big party was daunting in itself (we only had about 80 guests but even that felt like a huge crowd to me) -- That Ketubah signing was surprisingly just what I needed and set me at ease before the ceremony. I was so thankful to have those few moments of peaceful and intimate reflection on the day, the meaning of this commitment, and the melding of our families, cultures, and traditions. It was so beautiful, in fact, that I teared up when my MIL whispered her beautiful and loving words of wisdom/advice in my ear. Before I even start talking about how wonderful the ceremony was, I must mention all the priceless guidance Rabbi Rayzel provided us before the Big Day. She had us draft a "cohabitation agreement," which is a document that outlines all of the things in life that are most important to us, individually and as a couple. There were things on the list that we had never thought to discuss, but were definitely things we should have discussed before marriage. Going through the process of drafting that document really helped us ground our relationship and future commitment in reality. All too often, people get caught up in the whirlwind of wedding planning and perfecting every aspect of their Big Day, and they let slip the things that truly matter: how will you and your spouse live every day of the rest of your lives in such a way that both individuals are happy and fulfilled? I am so thankful to have been asked to really sit down with my husband before the wedding and discuss (agree on or compromise on) all these important details of our future lives together. So few officiants go out of their way to help couples prepare for their Big Day in this way -- Thank you, Rabbi Rayzel! Now, before I ramble too much, a little blurb about the ceremony itself: we had an outdoor ceremony and it was really really hot (high 80s), so everyone was fanning themselves with their programs. Despite the less than ideal weather, Rabbi Rayzel pulled off the ceremony beautifully! It was heartfelt, intimate, and a perfect union of our two cultures! Traditional Chinese wedding ceremonies are really quite simple and consist mainly of the Bai Tang (or three bows to Heaven and Earth), which honor the bride and groom's families and each other. Thus, we went with a mostly Jewish ceremony with the Bai Tang included right after the Moment of Remembrance, which was absolutely perfect! Thank you, Rabbi, for everything!! You helped make our day truly one to remember!

hone calls/Facetimes throughout our time. Rabbi was one of the major people that brought us back into reality about the day, reminding us it is not just about all the planning and details. The ceremony was all that we imagined. We had a interfaith ceremony, and both parts of the ceremony were perfect. Our favorite moment was the signing of the ketubah. We weren't sure what this moment would be like, but it was very emotional and unique. We have multiple keepsakes from the special day from our ceremony. Rabbi explained the importance and meanings of the different aspects of interfaith ceremonies, what this would look like for our big day, and have us decide what we would like to include. We would highly recommend booking your very special day with Rabbi Rayzel and we are so happy that we found her for ours.

e search for interfaith couples. Rabbi made us feel comfortable from our first phone conversation, and welcomed us to her home for our second meeting. She was warm, responsive, and helpful throughout all of the planning, and gave us exercises that really helped us get to know each other prior to the wedding day. Every single guest at our wedding said it was the most beautiful ceremony they've ever witnessed and that it was so uniquely "us" -- and raved about how entertaining Rabbi made it. Rabbi also helped us incorporate Jewish customs (like the Ketubah), while making it comfortable and tailored for us as an interfaith couple. I was particularly impressed with how astute Rabbi is. I placed some items on the table that I didn't mention to her, and throughout the ceremony she knew just when we wanted them and handed them over -- without me having to say a word. She added in some of her own flair to the wedding, including opening with a song, which was such a sweet surprise. Thank you, Rabbi Rayzel, for making our ceremony so special.

with the Jewish traditions. This was not the case at all and she really had a way of bringing everyone in and explaining things in a simple way. She facilitated such a powerful and emotional ketubah signing and ceremony. Both our families had nothing but great things to say about her! She really tried to get to know us as a couple and prompted us to have really thoughtful conversations as we were preparing for the wedding. I definitely recommend Rabbi Rayzel!

abbi "the wizard". People who knew nothing about Judaism felt included; people who hadn't yet met the groom, learned about him and our love through Rabbi's words. Rabbi even took distractions from the flower girl in stride, including it in the ceremony to engage everyone instead of ignoring it. Thank you Rabbi for making us both so comfortable and delivering a beautiful ceremony that was representative of our love!

hasized our ceremony planning to make the ceremony the best version of us. We felt so comfortable planning the interfaith ceremony with her and she was wonderful at providing us with the best information and recommendations. We initially wanted a very quick ceremony but she helped us create a ceremony that was extremely meaningful and specific to the two of us and everyone absolutely loved it. We received compliments from pretty much EVERYONE at our wedding about how much they loved Rabbi Rayzel and our ceremony. She is wonderful and I would recommend her to any couple getting married!