It is a true privilege to accompany couples and families on their journeys.
Here are some of their words.
Wedding: Jeremy & Gracie
"It’s been about a month since our wedding, and we are still being told by our guests what a beautiful ceremony we had — a sentiment that is due in no small part to the attention, care, wisdom, and energy of Rabbi Loving. It was amazing, they say. Spiritual yet accessible, universal yet entirely personal, they tell us. 'One of the best ceremonies I have ever witnessed, even better than my own — and that was the best day of my life,' were the words of one of our guests. And of course, we’re grateful for these kind words from our friends and family. It makes us feel good to know that our wedding was as meaningful to them as it was to us. We loved the wedding that Rabbi Loving helped us create.
But we aren’t the least bit surprised by what she was able to do. We knew from the moment we first met with Rabbi Loving what a special person we had found. In talking with her, there was an immediate sense of ease and peace — a feeling that while a thousand other things had gone wrong in the intricate planning of this day, and a thousand more would likely go wrong still, this part would be perfect. Rabbi Loving exuded confidence, warmth, and experience. She knew all the things we didn’t and was happy to walk us through it all. And yet, she was careful at every step to remind and reassure us that this was our wedding, and there would never be another one like it. She gave us license to make the ceremony our own, to incorporate not just what was traditionally Jewish, but what was traditionally us. I was raised in a Conservative synagogue; my wife is Catholic. And at no point did either of us ever feel like our needs, our families, or our feelings were being pushed aside by the Rabbi. On the contrary, every detail of the ceremony catered to our unique, one-of-a-kind story. And the pre-marital counseling sessions helped us learn not just how to get married better, but how to love each other better. By the time we reached the day, we felt like we didn’t just have an officiant; we had a confidante, a guide, and a friend.
Thank you, Rabbi Loving, for helping to make our wedding so special, and for helping us lay the groundwork for a lifetime of happiness."
But we aren’t the least bit surprised by what she was able to do. We knew from the moment we first met with Rabbi Loving what a special person we had found. In talking with her, there was an immediate sense of ease and peace — a feeling that while a thousand other things had gone wrong in the intricate planning of this day, and a thousand more would likely go wrong still, this part would be perfect. Rabbi Loving exuded confidence, warmth, and experience. She knew all the things we didn’t and was happy to walk us through it all. And yet, she was careful at every step to remind and reassure us that this was our wedding, and there would never be another one like it. She gave us license to make the ceremony our own, to incorporate not just what was traditionally Jewish, but what was traditionally us. I was raised in a Conservative synagogue; my wife is Catholic. And at no point did either of us ever feel like our needs, our families, or our feelings were being pushed aside by the Rabbi. On the contrary, every detail of the ceremony catered to our unique, one-of-a-kind story. And the pre-marital counseling sessions helped us learn not just how to get married better, but how to love each other better. By the time we reached the day, we felt like we didn’t just have an officiant; we had a confidante, a guide, and a friend.
Thank you, Rabbi Loving, for helping to make our wedding so special, and for helping us lay the groundwork for a lifetime of happiness."
Wedding: Gabe & Justine
Los Angeles
"When looking for our officiant, my wife and I interviewed several Rabbis, but after speaking with Rabbi Loving, we knew our search was over. Her positive, funny, knowledgeable, empathetic, supportive personality was perfect for us and our wedding.
Rabbi Loving understands that a wedding is first and foremost a celebration of the love and commitment of the two people under the chuppah, promising to share their lives together. Their ceremony should be unique and also address how their commitment fits into a tradition dating back thousands of years.
We met with Rabbi Loving several times before the wedding, both for premarital counseling and to discuss the details of the ceremony. We're not very religious/observant, and she was both adaptable and educational. After she explained each facet of a traditional Jewish ceremony, we discussed what we wanted to include or adapt to our contemporary relationship. Rabbi Loving was completely understanding while also being a well of knowledge we could draw from.
The day of the wedding, Rabbi Loving was a calming force during a naturally hectic day. She knew exactly when to step in with a kind and calming word and when to stand back. Our beautiful ceremony wouldn't have been the same without her and we couldn't recommend her more highly."
Rabbi Loving understands that a wedding is first and foremost a celebration of the love and commitment of the two people under the chuppah, promising to share their lives together. Their ceremony should be unique and also address how their commitment fits into a tradition dating back thousands of years.
We met with Rabbi Loving several times before the wedding, both for premarital counseling and to discuss the details of the ceremony. We're not very religious/observant, and she was both adaptable and educational. After she explained each facet of a traditional Jewish ceremony, we discussed what we wanted to include or adapt to our contemporary relationship. Rabbi Loving was completely understanding while also being a well of knowledge we could draw from.
The day of the wedding, Rabbi Loving was a calming force during a naturally hectic day. She knew exactly when to step in with a kind and calming word and when to stand back. Our beautiful ceremony wouldn't have been the same without her and we couldn't recommend her more highly."
Bat Mitzvah: Curtis & Kristie
Long Beach
"Rabbi Loving, we are still basking in the glow of the wonderful bat mitzvah ceremony you led us through on Saturday! From the moment I reached out to you and we talked on the phone, I knew that you were the right person to make this happen for us! Your openness and helpfulness brought me to literal tears in our first call and that carried the whole way through.
As an interfaith family, making the decision to have a bat mitzvah, to figure out what it would look and feel like, to follow through with it, etc. -- none of that was easy! Your patience, caring and guidance was ESSENTIAL to helping us get through and embrace the process and for our daughter to do the same.
I appreciate how you encouraged, gently pushed and motivated us to create a wonderful experience for our daughter, for us, for our close family and for our extended family and friends. It was such a meaningful experience and day that we'll never forget. Thank you for everything!"
As an interfaith family, making the decision to have a bat mitzvah, to figure out what it would look and feel like, to follow through with it, etc. -- none of that was easy! Your patience, caring and guidance was ESSENTIAL to helping us get through and embrace the process and for our daughter to do the same.
I appreciate how you encouraged, gently pushed and motivated us to create a wonderful experience for our daughter, for us, for our close family and for our extended family and friends. It was such a meaningful experience and day that we'll never forget. Thank you for everything!"
Wedding: Lauren & Benji
"My partner and I live in Chicago, but were married in our hometown. We were nervous about finding a Rabbi from abroad that we felt reflected our values and wishes for our ceremony. Rabbi Loving far exceeded our hopes. She excelled at what seemed like an impossibly daunting task: taking the time to become familiar with us and our ten years together as a couple, and interweaving this knowledge into a deeply personal and meaningful wedding ceremony. By the time our wedding rolled along, my partner and I both felt like we had known Rabbi Loving for much longer.
In planning our ceremony, she listened carefully to our values, expectations, hopes, expressions, and desires and wove in meaningful traditions. Our ceremony was easily the most memorable and beautiful part of our wedding. Our friends and family still talk about how personal, intimate, romantic, and meaningful it felt. She hit the perfect balance of sweetness, brevity, and reverence. It reflected our values perfectly. There were very few dry eyes.
One of our most memorable moments occurred during our ketubah signing; she introduced herself to a crowded room of kibitzing and nervous family members by asking everyone to take a collective deep breath. Her presence was commanding yet deeply warm; it was a surprising and lovely combination.
We would not hesitate to recommend Rabbi Loving to any kind of couple seeking a meaningful and personal wedding officiant. We are so glad that we know her, she is a fantastic Rabbi and person and you will be undoubtedly impressed and transformed."
In planning our ceremony, she listened carefully to our values, expectations, hopes, expressions, and desires and wove in meaningful traditions. Our ceremony was easily the most memorable and beautiful part of our wedding. Our friends and family still talk about how personal, intimate, romantic, and meaningful it felt. She hit the perfect balance of sweetness, brevity, and reverence. It reflected our values perfectly. There were very few dry eyes.
One of our most memorable moments occurred during our ketubah signing; she introduced herself to a crowded room of kibitzing and nervous family members by asking everyone to take a collective deep breath. Her presence was commanding yet deeply warm; it was a surprising and lovely combination.
We would not hesitate to recommend Rabbi Loving to any kind of couple seeking a meaningful and personal wedding officiant. We are so glad that we know her, she is a fantastic Rabbi and person and you will be undoubtedly impressed and transformed."
Wedding: Chaesa & Philip
Mammoth Lakes
"Rabbi Loving, we truly cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for us; from the months leading up to the wedding where you encouraged and celebrated us, to the incredibly beautiful, personal wedding ceremony, you went so above and beyond our expectations. Driving home from the mountains, we talked about how anyone could help facilitate a wedding, but you truly helped us set the groundwork for an incredible marriage and lifetime together. We feel so blessed to have met you and to have you in our lives now - you are an extraordinarily kind person who brings joy and light to so many."
Wedding: Amy, for her son and daughter-in-law
Newport Beach
"My husband and I were both raised in the Christian tradition – Lutheran and Catholic respectively. We met Rabbi Loving while taking an Introduction to Judaism class through Temple Israel in Long Beach. Our son had recently become engaged to a woman of the Jewish faith and we wanted to understand and learn more about Judaism. At that point in time, we were primarily focused on learning about traditions and holidays. Little did we know just how enriching and meaningful our experience would be. Rabbi Loving is a gifted and engaging teacher. She explained things so clearly and we were so comfortable with her that we recommended that our son and future daughter-in-law consider asking Rabbi Loving to perform their wedding ceremony. We trusted Rabbi Loving to guide the process and preparation for an interfaith marriage. Our son and his fiancé were counseled by Rabbi Loving through their engagement. Both families were delighted that she agreed to perform the wedding ceremony.
There are no words to express the beauty and eloquence that Rabbi Loving brought to the wedding day. She illuminated the rituals and provided a meaningful context for each aspect of the ceremony. Her warmth, charisma, humor and prayerful presence touched everyone in attendance. One of my friends remarked that it was the most “God-filled wedding” he had ever been to. The experience was transcendent. Rabbi Loving did an extraordinary job honoring both the Jewish and Christian traditions and provided an authentic, honest and spiritually deep new beginning for our whole family. We could not be more grateful to Rabbi Loving for what she has brought into our lives. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Rabbi Loving for years to come."
There are no words to express the beauty and eloquence that Rabbi Loving brought to the wedding day. She illuminated the rituals and provided a meaningful context for each aspect of the ceremony. Her warmth, charisma, humor and prayerful presence touched everyone in attendance. One of my friends remarked that it was the most “God-filled wedding” he had ever been to. The experience was transcendent. Rabbi Loving did an extraordinary job honoring both the Jewish and Christian traditions and provided an authentic, honest and spiritually deep new beginning for our whole family. We could not be more grateful to Rabbi Loving for what she has brought into our lives. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Rabbi Loving for years to come."
B'nai Mitzvah: Erika
"L is still basking in the glow of her achievement in becoming b'nai mitzvah under your tutelage. Since it was our second time working with you, we knew the preparation would be smooth sailing. But I am astounded at how you were able to develop an equally rich connection with each of our very different girls. In addition, I am deeply grateful for your open-minded and flexible approach to taking a Saturday morning service and (twice!) making it work for our family based on unique needs. Both girls felt seen and heard and supported by you, and feel prepared to begin their Jewish adulthood. Thank you a million times over - You are truly a blessing to the world."