Rabbi Rayzel Raphael Reviews
Reviews
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Awards
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![Emanuelle]()
Emanuelle Sent on 02/24/2025The perfect Rabbi
Rabbi Rayzel brought an extraordinary level of warmth, wisdom, and inclusivity to our interfaith ceremony. Her approach to marriage preparation was both thorough and thoughtful, creating a space where both our faith traditions were honored and celebrated. The ceremony she crafted was deeply personal while maintaining religious significance, with careful explanations of Jewish traditions that engaged all our guests. Her surprise ceremonial elements added unique and meaningful touches to our celebration. The Ketubah signing and wedding ceremony were conducted with a perfect balance of gravitas and joy, creating an atmosphere of both celebration and spiritual significance. Her ability to connect with couples and craft truly personalized ceremonies makes her an exceptional choice for couples seeking a meaningful interfaith celebration. Everyone at our wedding was brought to tears during our ceremony because it was so moving. She was amazing!!!!! We can’t wait to work with her for future life milestones -
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![Evan]()
Evan Sent on 11/17/2024Rabbi Rayzel Raphael Brings a Beautiful Mix of Wisdom, Humor, and Heart
From the moment we met our rabbi, we felt her genuine care and effort to truly get to know us as individuals and as a couple. She brought an incredible sense of ease, blending her wisdom and unwavering presence with a beautiful mix of tradition and openness to who we are. Her humor and warmth added so much joy to our ceremony, making it personal, meaningful, and unforgettable. We couldn’t have imagined a better guide for such an important day. Highly recommend!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Hi you two,
I appreciate the thoughtfulness that you put into your ceremony- everything was so carefully thought out! It was a "chilly Philly" experience outside inNovember but warm hearts all around!:) Please stay in touch send pictures when you can ! Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
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![Ayushi]()
Ayushi Sent on 11/16/202410/10 Highly Recommend Rabbi Rayzel!
Rabbi Rayzel officiated the Jewish part of our interfaith wedding. She met with us via phone calls and FaceTime 5 different times before the actual ceremony to discuss various topics, get to know us, and help guide us on our journey of marriage. She was always flexible with meeting times, really made us feel comfortable and answered any questions that we had. On the day of the wedding, Rabbi did an incredible job commanding the audience’s attention and leading a beautiful ceremony with a touch of humor. It was evident that she came prepared. After the ceremony, many guests made it a point to share how much they enjoyed the ceremony primarily due to Rabbi’s positive energy and charisma. She truly went above and beyond and we are so grateful that we found her.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Ayushi,
Thank you so much for this review. Your Hindu - Jewish wedding was amazing and I did feel the Bollywood influence- the colors, the music, and the joy! It was my pleasure to work with you:) Please stay in touch!
Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
![Scott]()
Scott Sent on 11/02/2024Ketubah Ceremony
Rabbi Rayzel was phenomenal. She spent the time to get to know us before the ceremony. The ceremony itself was exceptional. Rabbi Rayzel was so warm, and entertaining too. I would recommend her to anyone.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Scott and sarah, although we only had short time to get to know each other, I really appreciated being invited into your life at that tender moment. Please any in touch, the photos are fantastic ! I felt like a very short person next to you two: thanks for sending, Rabbi Rayzel -
![Beverly]()
Beverly Sent on 10/23/2024Wonderful Inter-faith Officiant!
Working with Rabbi Rayzel Raphael for our interfaith (Jewish & Catholic) wedding was a wonderful experience from start to finish! She was easy to talk to, and really took the time to help craft the perfect ceremony for my husband and I. She provided us with many options and helped to guide us in choosing what felt meaningful to us. We loved how she ensured our focus was on the marriage, not just the wedding!
All of our guests raved about her after the ceremony too! They commented about how engaging she was to listen to and how well she explained the meaning behind different parts of the ceremony. They also loved her fun energy. Thank you Rabbi Rayzel for helping to make our wedding ceremony so meaningful and memorable! -
![Jody]()
Jody Sent on 02/15/2024We love Rabbi Rayzel! She's the best!
Rabbi Rayzel's warmth, humor, joyful and loving presence, and wise council was deeply felt and appreciated by all who attended
our ceremony. We could not have been more pleased with our entire experience, from planning, to her officiating, to celebrating.
Everyone raved about her special spirit, and way of making everyone feel comfortable participating with meaning and joy.
We whole heartedly recommend Rabbi Rayzel to work with to create a personalized and meaningful wedding.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Your wedding made my heart sing:) The exchange of poetry and song was amazing, I don't see that at every ceremony. May your love continue to grow and spill over to all who witness you together>
Blessings,
Rabbi Rayzel -
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![Mitchell]()
Mitchell Sent on 07/02/2023Highly Recommend! Excellent Interfaith Ceremony!!
Rabbi Rayzel was an absolute pleasure to work with! I loved that Rabbi Rayzel was more than willing to officiate our interfaith ceremony with many Jewish customs while still conforming to my wife’s faith. The ceremony was absolutely stunning and was inclusive of Jewish and non-Jewish family members and friends. Our guests could not stop talking about how amazing our ceremony was. Rabbi explained everything to us prior to the wedding and we met with her many times via Zoom so that both my wife and I knew exactly how the Ketubah signing and ceremony was going to go. We will 100% agree with one of Rabbi’s other reviews. Rabbi Rayzel made our Ketubah signing absolutely memorable, making it more than just a prayer and signing of a legal document. We would highly recommend her to anyone who is seeking a Rabbi for their wedding!! -
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Sarah Sent on 07/01/2023
Rabbi Rayzel Led the Most Wonderful Wedding
We are so lucky we were married by Rabbi Rayzel. She led the most beautiful ceremony, we were so moved and our guests kept coming up to us throughout the wedding to share how grateful 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.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Sarah,
I love this photo, look how much joy you two spread around! It was my pleasure to work with you two. You were thoughtful in your approach to many details and it payed off! The event was amazing! -
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![Deana]()
Deana Sent on 10/24/2022Rabbi Rayzel
Rabbi Rayzel was wonderful to work with. We only had about a month to get everything together and she was super quick and flexible with us. We also loved that she let us pick and choose what kind of ceremony we wanted. She suggested some traditions, but did not push anything onto us. She's the perfect progressive Rabbi.
- Deana & EvanRabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
It was my total pleasure to be there for you! The weather cooperated, and it was all good. Please stay in touch! and send a picture when you get/ Blessings for a great life together !!! -
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![Karla]()
Karla Sent on 11/29/2021Best. Ceremony. EVER!
Rabbi Rayzel was absolutely amazing! The ceremony was so beautiful and unique - all of our guests could not stop raving about how incredible it was...and usually it's the food and the band that get all of the attention at a wedding. Even my friends that are not Jewish are considering using her because they loved the ceremony so much. 10/10 I would recommend her to anyone, and are looking forward to being part of her community for years to come. Thank you Rabbi!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Karla and Ari,
Thanks for this great review:) I had so much fun at your wedding, you had a receptive crowd, and your little one riding in the wagon down the aisle ( almost) upstaged the bride and groom:) That was such a cute moment!....Yes, please keep in touch. It was an honor to be your officiant!
Blessings of life and love, Rabbi Rayzel -
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Jamie Sent on 06/30/2021
Highly recommend!
Rabbi Rayzel was absolutely amazing!! I grew up Jewish but my husband did not. I loved that Rabbi was more than willing to officiate our interfaith ceremony with many Jewish customs. 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!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Thank you for your kind words! It was great day! Your family is so much fun, and you two are meant for each other. I loved learning about both of you. Stay in touch and thanks for the pictures !
Rabbi Rayzel -
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![Michelle]()
Michelle Sent on 06/25/2021Rabbi Rayzel is the best!!
If you are a Jewish couple or an inter-faith couple like us (Jewish and Christian) get in touch with Rabbi Rayzel for your wedding!! She started off by calling us, getting to know us as a couple and us getting to know her. As we had to moved our wedding date three times, she was able to move with us each time! We appreciate that so much! We decided to have a Ketubah Signing ceremony and I was SO glad we did! This included our parents and siblings as well and Rabbi Rayzel made it so personal and meaningful! It was such an intimate time before the ceremony that I highly recommend. Next, Rabbi planned the most perfect and sweetest ceremony. Her personality also shined through to create humorous moments as well! All of our family and guests loved her. We feel so lucky that Rabbi Rayzel married us!
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Michelle and Ben
I wish you and your families the very best ! It was my total pleasure. Best rooftop wedding- didn't even feel the 90 degrees because we were focused on your overflowing joy and happiness! :) Enjoy life, enjoy each other, have fun!
Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
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![Kathy]()
Kathy Sent on 11/08/2020A Special Rabbi & Person
Rabbi Rayzel guided my son and his future wife through her conversion and also helped tp create a most memorable wedding during the time of Covid. The couple's destination wedding celebration was postponed, but they decided to marry on their date in a small private ceremony. Rabbi Rayzel performed the most beautiful and intimate wedding and Ketubbah signing. She was flexible, helpful and supportive and not just to the couple, but also to the mother making this wedding at her home! I would highly recommend Rabbi Rayzel to any couple and family looking for a special Rabbi and a special person with a fabulous voice! KDRabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Kathy, , Thank you for taking theme to write this review! I really appreciate hearing from the parents as well as my couples! I like it when I can make families happy:)
Blessings to all of you in this new life chapter
Rabbi Rayzel -
![Brittney]()
Brittney Sent on 10/11/2020Amazing and Thoughtful
Rabbi Rayzel was an amazing officiant that took the time to get to know my husband and I before our wedding day. She was very thoughtful and brought a calming presence to our conversations and to the ceremony. The ceremony was filled with such positivity. At one point my niece ran up to us during our ceremony and she took it in with kindness and handled it very well! It made the ceremony funny and spontaneous. She made our day so special! We cannot say enough about Rabbi Rayzel. She is awesome!!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Britanny and Jake,
It was my pleasure to celebrate your love! And yes, sometimes the unexpected moments can make the ceremony most memorable:) after all Life is full of surprises!
Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
![Rachel]()
Rachel Sent on 05/16/2020Would highly recommend!!!
We are extremely grateful for Rabbi Rayzel’s part in making our wedding ceremony and wedding day as special as it was. I am Jewish but my husband is not, so Rabbi Rayzel took the time 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. -
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![Marnie]()
Marnie Sent on 02/18/2020Our Rabbi for life
In addition to performing the ceremony for my daughter’s recent Bat Mitzvah on 2.1.20, Rabbi Rayzel Raphael also performed my wedding ceremony 15 years ago, and my youngest daughter’s Baby Naming Ceremony in March of 2012. Suffice it to say, Rabbi Rayzel is my family’s Rabbi for life! Although we are very close now, after 15 years, we had just met in 2005 when my husband and I went looking for a Rabbi that specialized in interfaith marriages. Even then, Rabbi Rayzel took the time to really get to know us. We met on many occasions before the actual wedding day where the Rabbi guided us through deep and profound conversations that forced us to really contemplate, and ultimately strengthen our commitment. We became so close through the process, and formed a bond with Rabbi Rayzel. We did not hesitate to call on her 7 years later to perform the Baby Naming ceremony for our youngest daughter. It was like no time had passed, and our bond strengthened even more.
So here we are, another 7 years later, and we call upon our Rabbi to coach us through our oldest daughter’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah. At first, she wasn’t sure if she would be available for our date. We were devastated. She recommended a Cantor with whom she had worked with before on Bnai Mitzvahs, and told us that if it came to be that she was not available, the Cantor, who would be giving our daughter her lessons, could perform the Bat Mitzvah on her own with no problem. We agreed, and trusted our Rabbi’s recommendation. We started the lessons with the Cantor and everything was moving along smoothly. Rabbi Rayzel had us covered. Then came the call; “I’m coming home for this. I’m coming home for you. Of course I’m coming home. You’re my family. We’ve been together since the beginning. I would not miss this.” I mean, who does this? She had an ill close family member, and work obligations out of state, and she was flying back to Philadelphia for our daughter’s Bat Mitzvah! Before she left town, our Rabbi met with us as a family multiple times to get to know my daughter (and little sister!) and hear from my daughter about what she envisioned for the ceremony, her bat mitzvah project, and her speech. The Rabbi stayed in constant contact with us while she was away, and even let us have her Torah in the house while she was gone as a reminder of what was to come! Face-times, phone calls, in-person lessons, hours and hours of work put in by all for months and months. As we get closer, our Rabbi and our Cantor worked tirelessly on the prayer booklet for the ceremony, which included prayers, songs, rituals, readings, and of course, my daughter reading from the Torah. It was the most beautiful service. My daughter did an amazing job, leading the Havdalah service almost entirely in Hebrew.
What a beautiful late afternoon and night!!
Throughout this process, our Rabbi was a calming, supportive, loving presence for everyone involved. For me, the mother of the Bat Mitzvah girl, my Rabbi was a counselor, a solution seeker, an adviser, a friend, a guide, and a loving sister in arms. I can’t say enough, other than.....can’t wait for the next one in 4 years! But I’m sure it won’t be that long before we talk again, because my family, especially me, loves our Rabbi, and we are so grateful for her loving presence in our lives.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Marnie, this review has really moved me and touched my heart. It is families like yours that make me feel blessed to have chosen this path of the rabbinate. I am so grateful you have let me into your lives like this, I am honored.... and “fa-klempt “/choked up with emotion. I wish all of you many more years of joy and happiness and hope I can share in it:)
Blessings to all of you! And thanks for my hundredth review! This was the perfect one for that!
I love you all,
Blessings Rabbi Rayzel -
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![Dori]()
Dori Sent on 10/31/2019Fabulous interfaith service!
Rabbi Rayzel made everyone feel welcome at my son’s wedding last week. The wedding was interfaith with Jewish undertones. She did an amazing ketubah signing with both families participating. No one was excluded. She took the time to personally meet my son and his future bride at her home. She also did some phone meetings as well. She was so engaging, and our friends of all faiths loved her service and enthusiasm. We were told by many people how wonderful her service was, and for many of them it was their first Jewish wedding. She truly engaged everyone who attended.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Dori I can't thank you enough for your kinds words. It was my total pleasure ! Please stay in touch and send me a picture if you get a good one, everyone looked beautiful!
Rabbi Rayzel -
Adam Sent on 10/15/2019
Excellent experience for our wedding
Rabbi Rayzel did an amazing job with our wedding ceremony. It seemed like every guest I talked to went out of their way to comment on how much they enjoyed it. I have been to weddings where the ceremony drags on or is too short. Ours was perfect and it was nice to know all of our guests felt the same way.Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Adam and Alyssa, it was my pleasure to shepherd you - and your family members:) through this wedding! I took forward to the ongoing conversations and where they will lead. I Know we will be in touch!
Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel
Ps if you get a good picture send it my way:) -
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![Diana]()
Diana Sent on 08/30/2019A tale of two cultures
Rabbi Rayzel helped make our wedding that much more special by seamlessly incorporating traditions from both our cultures (my husband is Jewish and I am Chinese). From start to finish, 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!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Diana, Thank you for going the extra step to post this wonderful review! You took the same care with your ceremony as the beautiful writing here. I wish you all the best. Please stay in touch and PLEASE send me a a few pictures when they come in ! Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
![Melissa]()
Melissa Sent on 07/11/2019So easy to work with!
We really enjoyed working with Rabbi Rayzel. We needed someone to officiate our interfaith, Saturday afternoon ceremony, and she was the perfect choice. She listened to what we wanted to be included, and helped tailor the ceremony to us. She was entertaining and kept our friends and family engaged, but wasn't over the top. Our guests are still talking about the singing during circling, and my favorite part was the ketubah signing ceremony, which made us feel surrounded by love. Highly recommend!! -
![Alexandra]()
Alexandra Sent on 03/29/2019Excellent experience !
I would like to thank and recommend Rabbi Rayzel , she made our ceremony so unique, beautiful and special. She included my parents that were not able to come to my wedding from other country and made our ceremony even more special for all of us. Positive actitude and good energy during the ceremony . She is the best Rabbi Ever !!! I can not thanks enough .
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
It was my total pleasure... The love between you was palpable. Please stay in touch and send pictures -
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![Marque]()
Marque Sent on 10/08/2018Rabbi Rayzel is the best! I literally had a very Catholic guest come up to me after the ceremony and say, "I would convert, just to have her do my ceremony". Another guest called Rabbi "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!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
It was totally my pleasure ! I had waited two years to officiate your wedding...I was excited as you!
I wish you much love and happiness for many, many years.
send pictures, your setting was beautiful!
Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
![PrincessPotato]()
Emily Sent on 04/04/2018Our wedding guests have not stopped talking about how absolutely incredible our wedding ceremony was, all thanks to Rabbi Rayzel! My husband (a lapsed Jew) and I (a Shiksa) had a Jew-ish/mostly secular wedding ceremony with some Irish influences tossed in, and Rabbi Rayzel was there to support and guide us every step of the way! She helped us to craft a totally unique and personalized ceremony script that was so warm and full of love. Rayzel was comfortable with our request not to have overtly religious wording or passages and truly created the perfect ceremony for us. Thank you again, Rabbi Rayzel!Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
It was my total pleasure. The wedding was heartfelt and sparkly! I'll never forget those gold bridesmaids:) I bless you two with lots of love. Stay in touch!
Rabbi Rayzel -
Jake Sent on 11/08/2017Rabbi Rayzel is a true professional. My wedding was 6 months ago and I still get comments about how great the ceremony was.
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Thank you so much ! and I love the picture ! Stay in touch!
Blessings, Rabbi Rayzel -
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Jessica Sent on 10/23/2017My husband & I had an interfaith wedding this past September and asked Rabbi Rayzel, and a priest, to officiate. She helped us think about the most important part of wedding planning - not necessarily the party, but our lives together as husband & wife. She was very thoughtful and helped us think more about important topics that we may not have considered. She also co-officiated a wonderful ceremony - we received so many compliments from our guests about our ceremony & about how it was so tailored and customized. We definitely recommend Rabbi Rayzel to anyone considering a Jewish or interfaith wedding!
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael's reply:
Thank you so much and a big thanks for posting the picture! -
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![Laurie]()
Laurie Sent on 10/09/2016Rabbi Rayzel was an integral part of planning our wedding. She was professional and understanding and extremely respectful of our wishes and needs while still instilling us with so much knowledge. She will be someone in our lives forever! Guests raved about her! -
![Liz]()
Liz Sent on 09/08/2015Rabbi Rayzel was a fantastic member of our wedding, both before and during the ceremony. Unlike some vendors that were hard to get a hold of, Rabbi Rayzel always made herself available and was very helpful in making sure everything was planned and done with the least amount of stress possible. She really listened to what we wanted out of our ceremony and, in preparation for the big day, made both my husband and I explore and answer some "big picture" questions that were difficult yet fulfilling.
When it came to the actual day, Rabbi Rayzel was amazing, leading the Ketubah signing with my family (Jewish) and his family (Episcopalian) flawlessly. During the actual ceremony, she was thoughtful and articulate. She even had a curve ball in the form of things my husband and I had said to one another without the other knowing. To hear his words and to see him react to mine was priceless.
Really can't say enough good things about Rabbi Rayzel. She was the ideal officiant who's color and energy matched ours perfectly. -
![Vicky]()
Vicky Sent on 10/19/2014I came to wedding wire to find an officiant after my rabbi refused to do my wedding because I was not marrying a jewish man. I couldn't have hoped for it to work out better. Rabbi Rayzel was wonderful and she really worked with our needs and both of our heritages. We got a ton of compliments on our ceremony and some people even cried. I cant speak high enough praises.
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