A ketubah is a Jewish marriage document traditionally signed before the wedding ceremony. Historically, it is a legal contract outlining obligations within marriage; today, ketubahs can also function as mutual covenants, statements of shared values, works of ritual art, and objects that couples hang in their homes for years after the wedding. Read more: The History of the Ketubah: A Contract That Learned to Travel.

It depends on the text. A traditional ketubah is an Aramaic legal document establishing the husband’s obligations to his wife, including financial and material responsibilities. Contemporary ketubahs can instead articulate mutual commitments around love, care, partnership, Jewish life, community and the home a couple intends to build together. Explore my ketubah text options: rbluth.com/texts

Yes. According to Orthodox halakha, a woman may scribe a ketubah. Bluth was trained in Jerusalem in the traditional Jewish scribal craft of sofrut — the ritual calligraphy traditionally used by scribes to write Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzot. She trained with one of the few Orthodox rabbis teaching women this ancient craft, learning to form traditional Hebrew scribal letters by hand using a feather quill, kosher ink and klaf (parchment). While Orthodox halakha places additional restrictions on who may scribe sacred STaM texts such as Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzot, those restrictions do not apply in the same way to a ketubah. A woman may use these traditional scribal skills to hand-scribe an Orthodox ketubah.

Start with your identities, Jewish backgrounds, relationship to halakhah, the kind of commitments you want the document to express, and—importantly—what your officiant requires. I work with traditional Orthodox texts, Conservative/Masorti texts, Brit Ahuvim, Reform and Humanistic texts, my Commitment of Care, interfaith texts and entirely custom options. And you don’t need to figure it out alone. I’m always happy to help couples find the text that works for their identities, values, vibes, backgrounds, observance level and officiant’s preferences. Read more: How to Choose a Ketubah Text.

Yes. If your rabbi or officiant requires a particular text, you’ll send it to me along with your completed Personalize Your Ketubah form, which you receive after purchasing your ketubah. I can work with texts beyond the options already in my Text Library, and I always recommend having your officiant approve the final text when they have specific requirements.

No. In fact, traditional ketubahs are generally written in Aramaic, not Hebrew. More contemporary Jewish marriage documents are often written in Hebrew, while Reform, Humanistic, interfaith and custom ketubahs may include Hebrew and English together. The language usually follows naturally from the type of text you choose, but there is lots of room for creativity. Read more: Hebrew, Aramaic or English? What Language Should Your Ketubah Be In?

Yes. English can be a direct translation of the Hebrew or Aramaic, or it can be a separate set of personal commitments or vows. Some couples also choose to keep only Hebrew or Aramaic on the artwork itself and have me create a separate English translation to accompany the ketubah.

Absolutely. I’ve created multilingual ketubahs incorporating languages including Spanish, Italian, Gujarati, Japanese and Greek alongside Hebrew or English. A ketubah can hold the different languages and cultures that make up the home you’re creating.

Absolutely. A contemporary ketubah can be a beautiful way for an interfaith couple to articulate the commitments and values of their marriage while connecting the wedding to Jewish ritual and tradition. An interfaith ketubah has different halakhic implications than a traditional ketubah used within a halakhic Jewish marriage, but it can still function as a real contract or covenant of the commitments you are making to one another. I often use my Commitment of Care as a starting point for interfaith couples, and the language can be adapted to reflect both partners, their families, cultures and the home they are creating.

Absolutely. There are several options depending on what you want the ketubah to do. Brit Ahuvim offers a deeply Jewish, egalitarian covenant structure for two Jewish partners without organizing the marriage around the traditional gendered structure of kiddushin. Contemporary and custom ketubah texts can also be adapted to accurately reflect the Hebrew language, names, pronouns and identities of the people getting married.

Traditionally, a ketubah is signed by two witnesses, or edim. Exactly who may serve as a witness depends on the ketubah text, community and officiant. Traditional halakhic ketubahs have specific witness requirements, while many contemporary ketubahs offer much more flexibility around gender, Jewish status and the number of people who sign. Read more: Who Signs a Ketubah? Choosing Your Ketubah Witnesses.

It depends on the ketubah and officiant. Many egalitarian and contemporary ketubahs can absolutely be signed by women and people of any gender. When a ketubah requires two particular halakhic edim, I have also worked with couples who add additional yedidot, allowing other beloved people to participate in the signing while maintaining the witness structure required by their officiant.

Traditionally, the couple does not sign the ketubah; the witnesses do. Many contemporary ketubahs include signature lines for the couple as well, especially when the text functions as a mutual covenant or set of shared commitments.

Often, yes. Contemporary and custom ketubahs can be designed with additional signature lines. If you are using a ketubah with specific halakhic witness requirements, check with your officiant before deciding who will sign.

It depends on the text. Traditional halakhic ketubahs have limited room for changing the legal language, although there may be smaller personalization options depending on your officiant. Contemporary texts can generally be adapted much more extensively, and I can also work with couples to create an entirely custom text and have it translated into Hebrew.

Anything from a traditional Hebrew verse or blessing to a line of poetry—or nothing at all. The classic is אני לדודי ודודי לי — Ani l’dodi v’dodi li, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” Other options include verses from Song of Songs, Ahavah (“Love”), a piyut, blessing, sacred heading or something personal to the couple. And sometimes leaving the top completely blank creates the cleanest design. Read more: What Should You Write at the Top of a Ketubah? Jewish Verses, Blessings & Title Ideas.

Yes. This is one of my favorite ways to approach custom work. I’ve created ketubahs adapted from historic Indian ketubah designs, pieces inspired by Moroccan carved woodwork and architecture, and work drawing from Ashkenazi, Sephardi and other Jewish visual traditions. We can also begin with a family object, textile, landscape, photograph, architectural detail or other source that feels meaningful to you.

Jewish communities have been decorating ketubahs for centuries. The artwork can reflect hiddur mitzvah—the Jewish impulse to beautify and elevate ritual—and historic ketubahs often absorbed the visual languages of the places Jews lived. But a ketubah doesn’t have to be decorated. Some of my favorite ketubahs are incredibly simple, allowing the Hebrew or Aramaic text and calligraphy itself to become the art. You can choose a minimalist design, a calligraphy-focused piece, or a fully hand-scribed ketubah where every letter is individually written. Read more: Why Does a Ketubah Have Art?

My printed ketubahs use my custom digitized Hebrew calligraphy and are produced as fine-art giclée prints on archival cold-press paper. A hand-scribed ketubah is individually written by me, letter by letter, as a soferet and calligrapher, making the writing itself part of the handmade ritual object. Hand-scribed ketubahs can be created on beautiful archival cold-press paper or on klaf, traditional prepared hide. Both can be completely personalized; the hand-scribed version is a more artisanal, one-of-a-kind heirloom where the act of writing itself becomes part of the art and ritual.

Yes! The personalized text and design are sent to you and your officiant for approval before the ketubah is finalized. This gives you both an opportunity to review everything carefully and request any needed edits or revisions before printing or scribing.

I recommend ordering your ketubah as early as possible so there is plenty of time for the design process, personalization and revisions without feeling rushed. I work with couples who order anywhere from about a year in advance to just a few weeks before the wedding, but three to six months before your wedding is a great sweet spot. Hand-scribed ketubahs benefit from more lead time because each one is individually written by hand. If your wedding is coming up soon, reach out anyway—I’m always happy to see whether I can accommodate a rush order.

Many of my ketubahs are created at 18 × 24 inches or 15 × 20 inches, which gives the text and artwork enough space to feel substantial once framed and hung in your home. We can also work smaller—11 × 14 inches, for example—or create a custom size depending on the artwork, amount of text and where you plan to display it. Hand-scribed ketubahs on klaf can also be larger, depending on the piece.

I recommend a Micron 03 archival ink pen for signing most of my ketubahs. It gives you a fine, controlled line and permanent pigment ink. For hand-scribed ketubahs on klaf or another specialty material, check with me first and I’ll recommend the best pen for the particular surface.

Yes! Your ketubah is designed to live beyond the wedding as a piece of art and ritual in your home, so I recommend having it professionally framed after the wedding. A good framer can help you choose a treatment that complements the artwork and protects it over time. For hand-scribed, handmade or especially precious pieces, I recommend using archival framing materials and UV-protective glazing.

Yes! I work with trusted local printers around the world for my printed ketubahs, and I can ship handmade and hand-scribed ketubahs worldwide from my Toronto studio.

Yes! This is part of what I do. Send me a little about who you are, your backgrounds, what kind of Jewish wedding you’re having, what matters to you, and anything your rabbi or officiant has requested. I can help you navigate the text, language, witness and design options so that the finished ketubah actually fits the marriage you’re creating.