Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek Reviews
Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 rating
25 Reviews
100% recommend it
Awards
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![Jordan]()
Jordan S. Sent on 10/04/2022Could not imagine a better Rabbi
At first, I was pretty lukewarm on the process of holding a wedding. Me and my now wife had already gotten a marriage certificate during the pandemic two years prior, and the thought of going through the entire process and expense of putting on such a production seemed to be overkill to celebrate something that had already "happened.''
Now, however, thanks primarily to Rabbi Brent, I look back at the lead-up to our wedding and our ceremony as a truly wonderful experience that I believe will pay dividends decades into the future. Alongside helping lead a beautiful wedding, we're convinced the process materially improved the chances of us having a healthy marriage that lasts in the long run.
As we began our introductory session, very quickly my wife and I realized that we were about to undergo the furthest thing from an assembly-line process a few of my friends have been disappointed in in their experiences with religious officiants.
Rabbi Brent began by quickly leading us into conversations in and out of session with him about the shape and tenor of our lives. These sorts of discussions we had occasionally engaged with but were too polite and non-confrontational to address directly. Rabbi Brent got us talking about what matters, like the shape and tenor of the lives we hoped to live with each other, what marriage meant to both of us, the expectations we had for each other in our relationship, and what role we wanted Judaism to play in our lives.
While leading into these conversations, he also gave us the tools to address them more constructively and from a more loving posture. We would check in every few weeks, check in on what serious life topics we discussed and what fights we had. Rabbi Brent is openminded and a world-class listener who did a masterful job of taking us into and beyond our disagreements and transforming them into learning opportunities on how we should best engage with each other. While he has a rough schema for the types of topics he wants to get into, he is flexible and skilled enough to use the "material" our relationship raises each week to bring us to where the discussions grow most useful.
The principles and tools he introduced and demonstrated on our disagreements helped us look at problems thematically and not settle for one-off solutions. For instance, the framework he kept coming back to, the need to recall the occasionally wide distance between impact and intention, is a really helpful way of looking at relationships I expect to come back to for decades to come. These discussions culminated in an exercise to write a ketubah which was deeply meaningful to both of us.
Our relationship was between a Jew and a gentile, and Rabbi Brent handled the discussions with sensitivity and grace. He led a beautiful ceremony us three developed together that was a life highlight.
I could not give a stronger recommendation for choosing Rabbi Brent to accompany you and your future spouse through your marriage process. If you have questions feel free to get in touch with me via linkedin or twitter https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorschneider https://twitter.com/jordanschnyc?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor.
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Zac M. Sent on 10/14/2023
His work is one of a kind and we could not be more grateful to have chosen him!
We couldn't have asked for a better wedding officiant than Rabbi Brent. His genuine care, eloquence, and ability to tailor our ceremony to reflect our love story made our day truly magical. If you want a memorable and personal wedding experience, Rabbi Brent is the perfect choice. Our love for each other deepened through our counseling sessions with Rabbi Brent. We have found a life long friend and advocate in Rabbi Brent. -
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![Perri]()
Perri S. Sent on 11/25/2023One of the best decisions we made for our wedding and our marriage
When thinking about the countless decisions we made for our wedding, I don’t think any were more impactful than our decision to work with Rabbi Brent. Not only did working with him lead to an amazing wedding day, but our many meetings together before the ceremony helped prepare us for the lifetime of marriage ahead of us. These interactions were so personal and instructive with how to approach the milestone of marriage, and working with him to discuss the true challenges and joys of this commitment provided us with an honest, sincere understanding of what is to come. Working with him to craft our own custom Ketubah text was such a meaningful and special experience and we are so glad that we will have this text to guide us throughout our marriage. We also can’t speak highly enough about how wonderful a job Rabbi Brent did on our wedding day. Our immediate family all recount our ketubah signing as their favorite part of the day, and we could not have imagined a more beautiful or meaningful chuppah ceremony. We’ve received feedback from numerous guests, both Jewish and not, about how great Rabbi Brent was and how the ceremony was both personal and accessible.
When you work with Rabbi Brent, you become a member of his congregation - this means you are privy to his wisdom, his kindness, and his generosity as he works personally with you as a couple to plan a memorable wedding ceremony and a meaningful life ahead. We are SO glad we chose to work with Rabbi Brent and would do it over again in a heartbeat.
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![Scott]()
Scott M. Sent on 09/10/2023Outstanding Rabbi
Rabbi Brent made our wedding experience so meaningful and rich with love and laughter. From the first time we met Rabbi Brent through to our wedding day he truly took an interest in our lives and relationship. His concept of "pre-marriage" counseling made our relationship stronger in the stressful months leading up to the wedding. At the end of the day we left with a lifelong friend and and mentor, would highly recommend to anyone. -
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![Erica]()
Erica T. Sent on 07/16/2023Amazing experience
Don’t even think twice about hiring rabbi Brent for your wedding. He is thoughtful, engaging, professional, and really helped us get to get deeper as a couple. He led us to a really great place and we loved working with him. The ceremony was exactly what we wanted and he really listened to us. Thank you so much for everything rabbi Brent!! Highly recommend! -
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Chloe L. Sent on 11/06/2022
A perfect start to our marriage!
Working with Rabbi Brent was wonderful! We both loved having so much time ahead of the wedding to meet with Brent so that he could get to know us better as a couple and so that we could work through big and small details about the future of our relationship. Brent was so kind, professional, compassionate, and thoughtful. Nothing felt cookie-cutter, everything was tailored to us and our unique experiences. It was so easy to talk with him and just as great to listen to him! So many of our guests remarked on how beautiful his words were during our ceremony -- while we were a little over-stimulated and excited while it was all happening, we have so enjoyed re-watching the video of the ceremony and loved all of the personal and touching remarks Brent made. It was the perfect way to start our marriage! Thank you, Brent! -
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Rachel G. Sent on 10/19/2022
The most meaningful part of our wedding process
There's a reason Rabbi Brent has exclusively 5-star, heartfelt reviews: he is simply the best. Working with Rabbi Brent was our favorite part of the wedding process. This took us by surprise in the best way: we're an interfaith, interracial couple (Jewish, and Dominican Catholic-turned-atheist), and we didn't come in with too many needs beyond wanting a ceremony that was accessible to everyone and that felt "like us." But we got so much more than what we expected. While planning for a wedding can be a mix of happiness and excitement (as well as wedding-industrial complex hell, at times...) most of it isn't particularly "meaningful," for lack of a better term. In other words, every other vendor for a wedding is, understandably, about locking down details for the big day: flower arrangements, table settings, photos, transportation, etc. We didn't realize that Rabbi Brent would be the only part of the process that ensured we had a built-in time to explore what our marriage really means at large: we were able to really focus on us as a couple, and put the work into investigating how we want to foster a long, healthy relationship together.
Rabbi Brent is so compassionate, curious, generous, funny, and wise, and met us where we at every step of the way. There was nothing about his process that was dogmatic or exclusionary to someone who didn't grow up Jewish, but at the same time, he really knows his stuff and how to apply all his knowledge to your individual relationship. It was also fun! We looked forward to our meetings with him so much, and were constantly telling all our friends about it: each time after we met with Rabbi Brent, we'd have a date night and review a thoughtful series of questions he shared with us. Those questions are honestly something I believe every couple, regardless of religion or marital status, would be better for asking and exploring. We came to consider Rabbi Brent a dear friend and part of our community. And the day-of was just as we wanted, too: meaningful, funny, thoughtful, accessible, and felt "like us". We truly could not recommend Rabbi Brent more! -
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![Noa]()
Noa N. Sent on 09/21/2022Prioritize your marriage, not just your wedding
Rabbi Brent is so much more than a wedding officiant, and we couldn’t be happier to have found him. Working with him for the time leading up to our wedding, instead of just hiring someone for the day of did so much for us. Rabbi Brent’s approach is different in the best way. We instantly felt comfortable with him, and looked forward to each meeting together. During this time, not only did he help us to reach a deeper understanding of one another, he also got to know us very well, as individuals and as a couple, which made our ceremony all the more special and meaningful. Our wedding guests are still commenting on how awesome our Rabbi was, and how beautifully he lead our ceremony.
My husband and I were raised with different levels of exposure/connection to our Jewish heritages, and Rabbi Brent was an informative and gentle guide through the Jewish learning areas while always being open and not overbearing, and sent us helpful material to learn from on our own. He prepared us for the inevitable ups and downs of a long lasting marriage, and our sessions even helped ground us during the exciting, but also overwhelming process of wedding planning. Our beautiful Ketubah, which is now framed in our living room, was written by us, with the guidance of Rabbi Brent, and we love that it’s so personal to us.
After this experience, we believe that this process should be a standard for all couples before getting married. We will surely recommend Rabbi Brent to any Jewish and Jew-ISH friends and family who decide to get married in the future. -
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![Ethan]()
Ethan L. Sent on 10/09/2022So Much More Than a Wedding Officiant
My wife, Leah and I were looking for a rabbi to officiate our wedding at the Roundhouse in Beacon, NY. Rabbi Brent came highly recommended by the venue, and as soon as we met him for the first time we understood why.
During that first meeting, we sat on his front porch and talked about our family dynamics, our relationship to each other and to Judaism, our thoughts and feelings about marriage as an institution, and why we wanted to get married in the first place. He had a way of making us feel at ease, allowing us to open up about things that are deeply personal but really important to discuss before taking such a huge step in life together.
From that afternoon on, through dozens of conversations, he helped us understand each other on a deeper level and communicate effectively about topics that had the potential for causing tension and frustration. He always seemed to have the perfect things to say, drawing from his own writing and his favorite selections from literature (both religious and secular). The ketubah we produced with his guidance is a really special keepsake that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Working with Rabbi Brent was essentially like doing pre-marriage couples therapy. His process was thorough and it required a significant amount of effort, but it was hands-down the most important investment we made throughout the two years we spent planning our wedding. We formed a really special bond with Rabbi Brent and we feel so fortunate to have him as a resource in our lives, from these early months as newlyweds and beyond. We love him!! -
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Janelle A. Sent on 08/07/2022
We loved Rabbi Brent!
We loved working with Rabbi Brent! As soon we had our first conversation with him, we knew we were in good hands. Part of his process was to get to know us and prepare us for the ceremony over 10 Zoom sessions. During these sessions we had thoughtful discussions and Rabbi Brent took the time to get to know us as individuals and as a couple. We come from different religious backgrounds, and he helped facilitate conversations around religion, as well as emotional intelligence, our families, and our relationship. We worked together to write our ketubah and plan our ceremony. On our wedding day, our family and friends were touched by how well Rabbi Brent knew us and how personal and beautiful the ceremony was. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! We highly recommend working with Rabbi Brent and hope our paths cross again. -
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![Sammi]()
Sammi V. Sent on 07/19/2022Best Decision Ever
There is truly no words that can express our gratitude, appreciation, and love for Rabbi Brent. As a jewish couple, it was very important for us to have a rabbi that aligned with our jewish beliefs was important to us. But also, one that actually knew us as a couple and had a connection to our love and this commitment we were making to each other. While my husband and I did not have relationships with rabbis from growing up, we were starting from scratch. We got married in beacon (The Roundhouse) and during my husbands search for Rabbis in the area, up popped Rabbit Brent Spodek. We met with him in September 2021 in person and from there, we connected instantly. He made us feel comfortable as we shared our story, what we wanted from our wedding, and our dreams and hope for the future as a couple. Leading up to our June 2022 wedding, we spent the next 9 months meeting with Brent over ZOOM for sessions where we talked about our families, the kind of marriage we wanted for ourselves, our communication styles - essentially pre-martial counseling. While we did not anticipate this when we started our rabbi search for our wedding, this was a blessing I know my husband and I are grateful for. Through these sessions, Brent not only got to know us better - but also guide us on how to strengthen our relationship and areas in our relationship that needed support. Two months before the wedding, we talked through logictics of the ceremony and ketbuah - and Brent was incredibly helpful, organized, and knowledgeable. Then, the day of the wedding, when we had our ketubah signing, I was so emotional - in the best way possible. Feeling so grateful for the day and for Rabbi Brent being in our lives and helping us to this day. The ketubah signing and ceremony went off without a hitch. Actually, a bee landed on my hand as I was reading my vows and Rabbi gently brushed it away. He kept us calm, focused, and looking ahead. Even in the sun, while it was quite warm, the rabbi kept his cool. I know he will be a part of our lives forever and we are forever thankful to Rabbi Brent. -
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![Melissa]()
Melissa R. Sent on 07/01/2022HIGHLY Recommend!!
When looking for a rabbi for our wedding we were very specific in our interview process. We wanted to work with someone who didn’t just show up on the day of but showed up throughout the months leading up to the wedding and after. When we met with Rabbi Brent – we knew instantly it was a perfect match. He not only made our ceremony so personable, but he made the months leading up to the wedding so joyous. He reminded us of the importance to break barriers and really develop our emotional intelligence. He helped us understand our love languages and value what we were doing well in our relationship. Our wedding ceremony was also perfect. Our friends all commented on how personable and authentic it was. Rabbi Brent is someone you will love spending time with! We cannot say enough positive things about him as a rabbi and a person! We will cherish the discussions and ceremony for the rest of our lives! We HIGHLY recommend Brent! -
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![Jennifer]()
Jennifer A. Sent on 12/02/2021We are a stronger couple because of Rabbi Brent!
When we imagined what the process of getting married would be like, we knew that there would be many decisions to make about the wedding day. We wanted our engagement to not just be about the minutia of wedding planning, but also wanted to spend time preparing ourselves for the commitments we were about to make to each other. Rabbi Brent is more than just a wedding officiant. He gently and lovingly guided us through a process of learning about ourselves and each other. Our time meeting with him, working through a list of questions as a couple (over some wine), and writing letters to each other helped clarify why we decided to take this next step as a couple. Our letters to each other were the basis of the formal commitments we made to each other on our wedding day (in the form of a Ketubah). We are able to look at our ketubah every day and reaffirm our promises to each other. Our family and friends who attended our wedding spoke so highly of Rabbi Brent. They marveled at how beautiful the ceremony was and how well he knew us. The ceremony was deeply personal and reflected all of the work we did with Rabbi Brent. We feel so indebted to him for helping us become a stronger couple. We highly recommend him! -
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Rachel I. Sent on 11/12/2021
Best investment of our wedding!!!
Working with Brent isn't just about your wedding day: it's about the marriage you're creating, and the promises that each of you want and need to make to one another to build a meaningful and lifelong partnership. He guided is through a powerful and thoughtful process, which included writing our own custom marriage contract (ketubah). We LOVE this document, and read it often, because it's a beautiful reminder of why we're so great together and what we need to do to keep our marriage strong. When we navigated challenges leading up to our wedding, Brent was there to give us invaluable relationship and communication tools. And when our first year of marriage was unexpectedly filled with numerous medical scares and a global pandemic, those tools served us time and again. In all the hard of life, our marriage is what's rock solid, and we know that our choice to work with Brent helped us make that a reality. Plus, he couldn't have been better on the wedding day itself! We're so grateful to have worked with him, and truly couldn't recommend Brent more highly!! -
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Rose G. Sent on 08/15/2023
Rabbi Brent Review
Our wedding day was such a joyous occasion, and we owe a big part of that to Rabbi Brent! When we first met Rabbi Brent, we both agreed that we wanted him to officiate our wedding.
Not only did Rabbi Brent officiate our ceremony, but he also provided us with counseling sessions leading up to our wedding day. These sessions were an opportunity for us to explore our relationship further and gain insight into ourselves. Rabbi Brent guided us through each session. He provided a safe and nurturing space where we could openly discuss our hopes, dreams, and concerns. He took the time to get to know us as individuals and as a couple, allowing him to craft a ceremony that was personal and meaningful.
During the ceremony itself, Rabbi Brent integrated our values, beliefs, and traditions into the service, making it a true reflection of who we are. He created a welcoming and warm atmosphere during our sessions with him as well as on our wedding day. Thank you, Rabbi Brent! -
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