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About

Tacklingtorah is a wedding officiant service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rabbi Elyssa Cherney is ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She runs Tacklingtorah as a way to connect with others and help people think about the role Judaism can play in their everyday lives. Elyssa works with unaffiliated couples and families and is a rabbi at Temple Judea in Doylestown.

Services Offered
Rabbi Elyssa writes personalized ceremonies that are heartfelt and reflective of your love and personalities. She wants to help you think through the big picture of marriage and offers premarital counseling. She works closely with you to highlight all the celebratory moments in your relationship that have led your special day. Tacklingtorah is a very personal and individual service to make your ceremony unforgettable.

  • Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the price of your wedding officiant services?

Premarital Counseling

Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?

No

What is the starting price for ceremony rehearsals?

$150

What is the starting price for pre-marital counseling (per session)?

$100

What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?

Non-religious
Interfaith
Ceremony Rehearsal
Vow Renewal

What services do you provide?

Premarital Counseling

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Jewish
No Denomination

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.
30-60 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

CT
DE
DC
MD
MA
NJ
NY
PA
RI
VA

What languages do you speak?

English
Hebrew

Reviews of Rabbi Elyssa Cherney at Tacklingtorah

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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Reviewers had exceptional experiences with Rabbi Elyssa as their wedding officiant, praising her for creating unique, personalized, and meaningful ceremonies that incorporated interfaith traditions and catered to individual preferences. She was noted for her ability to keep couples calm during the chaos of wedding planning and provide spiritual grounding on the big day. Guests and couples alike appreciated her guidance, warmth, and inclusive approach. Many expressed gratitude for her attention to detail and the memorable moments she facilitated, making the ceremonies special and highly recommended.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Reviewers had exceptional experiences with Rabbi Elyssa as their wedding officiant, praising her for creating unique, personalized, and meaningful ceremonies that incorporated interfaith traditions and catered to individual preferences. She was noted for her ability to keep couples calm during the chaos of wedding planning and provide spiritual grounding on the big day. Guests and couples alike appreciated her guidance, warmth, and inclusive approach. Many expressed gratitude for her attention to detail and the memorable moments she facilitated, making the ceremonies special and highly recommended.

H
Hannah Sent on 12/03/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing experience with Rabbi Elyssa

There are not enough words to describe how wonderful Rabbi Elyssa was. The whole process was thoughtful, and she provided such a grounding experience on our wedding day. She handled the chaos with grace and humor, and helped both my husband and I feel more in touch with Judaism. I truly can’t imagine the day without her. She is an excellent person who is excellent at her work. 1000000/10
E
Emilie Sent on 05/20/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Simply the best!

Rabbi Elyssa was truly amazing! She took the time to get to know my husband and I both as a couple and as individuals. Our ceremony was unique and tailored to us. Rabbi Elyssa was also wonderful at guiding us through the components of a Jewish wedding so that we could incorporate the traditions that spoke to us. We could not recommend Rabbi Elyssa enough!!
Evan
Evan Sent on 01/06/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Gave Us Meaning

We knew Rabbi Elyssa was the best choice from our first meeting. She was eager to get to know us; attentive to our needs as an interfaith, interracial couple; and always responsive when we had a question. During the chaos of wedding planning, she was always reassuring and kept us centered. Just before the ceremony, within the marathon of the wedding day, Rabbi Elyssa pulled us aside and gave us a much needed moment of silent meditation. After the ceremony, all of our guests - and we mean all of them - came up to us and told us how it was possibly the best ceremony they'd ever been a part of. It was intimate, spiritual, and had a gravity that struck everyone in the room. We could not recommend Rabbi Elyssa more.
Vinny
Vinny Sent on 10/20/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Rabbi Cherney was excellent

Rabbi Cherney was kind, thorough and patient with us as we prepared for our wedding. Because we are an interfaith couple, Rabbi Cherney took her time explaining the rituals and their meaning, underscoring the importance of our wedding beyond the big party. During the ceremony, she was a calming presence that helped guide us through the process without any stress. Her words during our ceremony were beautiful, and brought laughter and happy tears to everyone in attendance. Our loved ones have repeatedly told us that the ceremony was one of the best they have attended.
V
V K Sent on 10/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Victoria & Julian 10/5/24

Thank you Rabbi Elyssa for the most beautiful meaningful wedding day. I should start by mentioning I am not Jewish. My partner is, but I am by no means an expert on any traditions least of all wedding ceremonies. Rabbi Elyssa made what I perceived to be very nerve wracking experience previously, fun and interesting. She patiently answered my questions, took the time to get to know us, and worked with us on our ceremony structure. We LOVED our wedding day with her. Before our Ketubah signing she took us for a meditative grounding moment which was one of our favorite parts of the whole day. It set the tone for the absolute beautiful ceremony that followed. She worked wonderful with my pastor to create a special interfaith ceremony from both our religions. We got so much feedback on how much people enjoyed it from both sides! I love Jewish ceremonies and am thrilled we could incorporate some tradition in. We will remember it forever. We also loved getting to meet with Rabbi Elyssa so much! She is funny, serious when need be, and calm. We really enjoyed getting to know her and working with her. Thank you so much for everything!
S
Seth Sent on 09/30/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding Ceremony

Everything we could ask for in a Rabbi and more . Kindness, patience, understanding, and wisdom. She helped create a successful wedding, despite wardrobe malfunctions, and a lightbulb that would not break.
E
Ely M. Sent on 09/12/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Wedding Ceremony with Rabbi Elyssa

Rabbi Elyssa made our wedding ceremony even more special than we could have imagined. She took the time to get to know us beforehand and guided us to find deeper meaning in our wedding and our future marriage. Guests were commenting on how beautiful the ceremony she conducted was. I would recommend her to anyone!
Alyssa
Alyssa Sent on 02/02/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Rabbi Elyssa is AMAZING!

Working with Rabbi Elyssa was truly delightful. Her warmth and friendliness instantly put us at ease, making the connection with her effortless. Our discussions leading up to the wedding were not only meaningful but also immensely helpful. We delved into topics such as our relationship, future plans, and family aspirations, creating a comprehensive picture around the wedding.

Rabbi Elyssa transformed our wedding into more than just an event; she turned it into a magical experience. The ketubah ceremony she crafted for us was unparalleled, evoking a sense of spirituality and transcendence. The chuppah ceremony was equally extraordinary – intimate and personalized, yet wonderfully inclusive for our guests. The impact of her touch on our special day is still resonating, as our guests continue to express how uniquely special and memorable it was!
C
Chelsea Sent on 12/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Rabbi who made our day special!

Rabbi Elyssa is truly fantastic. From our initial meeting with her, we could tell by her energy and personality that she was the Rabbi for us. Being that my husband and I are of different faiths, we had struggled to find a Rabbi who was willing to work with us and one who was understanding of our situation and different backgrounds. We met with Rabbi Elyssa multiple times leading up to our wedding and by the time our wedding day came, it felt as though we had always known her and as if she had always known us. Planning a wedding can be stressful, but working with Rabbi Elyssa was far from that. She arrived to the venue early and kept the whole day on schedule. So many relatives from our families loved the ceremony and could not speak highly enough of how beautiful it was. My husband and I could not be happier with our choice to get married by Rabbi Elyssa and cannot wait to continue working with her for future celebrations.
Ashley
Ashley Sent on 12/05/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Like having a friend guide you

Rabbi Elyssa was incredibly supportive throughout wedding planning. She provided one-on-one sessions for marriage counseling and took the time to not only explain the Jewish wedding traditions but helped us create our own unique ceremony. One of our favorite parts of our wedding was our Ketubah signing ceremony where she held space for us to catch our breath before we walked down the aisle. Rabbi Elyssa also did a magnificent job co-hosting an interfaith union. Finally, she made herself available as we navigate our first year of marriage together. We highly recommend Rabbi Elyssa for your future wedding!
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Awards

37
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner

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