Who Signs a Ketubah? Choosing Your Ketubah Witnesses
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
One of the things I love about ketubah witnesses is that they remind us that a Jewish wedding isn’t private or isolated; the collective is built in. The ketubah isn’t only a document between two people. In some sense, it’s also between the couple and their community.
The couple makes the commitments, and the witnesses sign on behalf of the community surrounding them: we’re here. We witnessed this. We’re in this with you. Marriage takes a village, and the signatures make that village visible.
So, who actually gets to sign?
Who Can Be a Ketubah Witness?
Traditionally, a ketubah is signed by two witnesses, called edim. But who those witnesses can be—and whether the couple signs too—depends on the ketubah text you’re using, your community, and your officiant.
For a traditional halakhic ketubah, the requirements are the most specific. The two edim are traditionally Jewish men who are not related to the couple or to each other and who meet the halakhic requirements for serving as witnesses.
In contemporary Orthodox practice, this commonly means observant, shomer Shabbat witnesses.
There is some halakhic discussion and precedent around how the classical requirements for witnesses apply to Jews with different levels of contemporary observance and upbringing. Different rabbis draw these lines differently, so if there’s someone meaningful you’d like to honor who doesn’t fit the conventional definition, ask your officiant rather than assuming they can—or can’t—serve as an ed.
For Conservative/Masorti weddings, witness requirements depend on the particular ketubah and officiant. Reform, Reconstructionist, Humanistic and other contemporary ketubahs generally allow much more flexibility around the gender, Jewish status and relationship of the witnesses.
And with custom or interfaith ketubahs, there may be no prescribed religious requirements at all. Your witnesses can simply be the people you want standing beside you and signing their names to the commitments you’re making.
Do We Sign Our Own Ketubah?
Maybe!
Traditionally, the couple does not sign the ketubah. The witnesses sign because their signatures attest to the marriage agreement.
Many contemporary ketubah texts, however, include signature lines for the couple as well. If you’re choosing a Reform, egalitarian, interfaith, Commitment of Care or custom ketubah, you may want to sign your own names beneath the commitments you’re making.
Again, the text and ritual framework determine what makes sense.
Can We Have More Than Two Witnesses?
Absolutely, when the officiant and text allow it.
Sometimes couples are using a ketubah that requires two particular halakhically qualified edim, but they also want women or other beloved people to participate in the signing.
In Conservative practice I’ve worked with, including through Beth Tzedec and Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, couples have used additional yedidot alongside the required edim. This preserves the required witness structure while making room for additional beloved community members to participate in the signing.
And beyond satisfying the technical requirements, I encourage couples to choose witnesses who represent the community they want supporting, witnessing and helping hold their marriage.
If you’re unsure what witness lines your ketubah needs, I’m happy to coordinate with you and your officiant before we finalize it.
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