It is a true privilege to accompany couples and families on their journeys.
Here are some of their words.
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 and 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."
