Judaism Unbound Episode 451: Irwin Keller - Jewish Weddings — Who is the “Client?”
Irwin Keller is the spiritual leader of Ner Shalom in Sonoma County, California, author of the new book Shechinah at the Art Institute, and — importantly for this conversation — one of the most thoughtful wedding officiants you’ll find anywhere. He joins Dan and Lex for a conversation exploring the ritual work that weddings do, along with a variety of perspectives regarding who they are for (who is the “client”). This episode is the 3rd in a Judaism Unbound mini-series exploring Jewish weddings.
Image Credit: Adam Shemper
[1] Purchase Shechinah at the Art Institute via this link, and learn more about Irwin Keller via IrwinKeller.com. For previous Judaism Unbound episodes in this mini-series on Jewish weddings, see Episode 439: Interfaith Weddings - Ari Saks and Episode 445: Intermarried Rabbis — No Longer Banned.
[2] Check out our upcoming Fall 2024 courses in the UnYeshiva (beginning mid-late October) by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/classes!
[3] Explore Keller’s t’shuvah (it sounds like the word for repentance/return on High Holidays — but in this case it refers to a rabbinic answer to a question of Jewish law), entitled “Where You Go I Will Go: A Halakhic & Symbolic Consideration of Ruth’s Oath as a Wedding Vow,” via this link.
[4] For the original text from the book of Ruth that Irwin refers to, see Ruth 1:16-17. For the text from Song of Songs that Keller mentions, and the classic wedding-vow text known by its first two words “harei at,” click here.
[5] Check out Keller’s fantastic TedX talk, entitled “Irwin Keller: A Love Story” — which hones in on his own wedding story, expanding on his remarks in this episode — here.
