Interfaith Testimonials

Nicole and Charles

Pre- Wedding Testimonial for Rabbi Allen:

When we dreamt up the ideal candidate to be our Rabbi, and thereby enter into one of the most important and sacred relationships our future would hold with him, we dreamt of Rabbi Allen. This is no exaggeration. Our uniquely combined backgrounds (Charles is French and Catholic, Nicole is American and Jewish) made for a challenge, as we wanted to have both a Rabbi and a priest to co-officiate our wedding. Charles’ priest and close family friend had agreed to make the trip from France and to work with a Rabbi.

We never imagined we would find someone who was caring, compassionate, open-minded, intelligent, would marry alongside a Priest, and speak French! In addition to spending years living in France and studying at the Sorbonne on a Fulbright Scholarship (impressive!) Rabbi Allen also had a long and wildly successful career as an Opera singer. Nicole is an actress and runs her own theatre company and so sharing a passion for the arts and a dedication to a career in the theatre/opera with Rabbi Allen was a coincidental (or perhaps fated) icing on the cake.

And now here we are, about two months away from our wedding day and we feel so incredibly blessed to have found Rabbi Allen, and to enter into the beginning of the rest of our lives together with him as our mentor and spiritual guide. To date, Rabbi Allen has spent countless hours and shown tremendous warmth while getting to know us, allowing us the privilege of getting to know him, developing a relationship with our Priest, Jean Marc, over the phone trans-atlantically, and writing a ceremony that speaks to our unique union and backgrounds.

We will, no doubt, write again after May 30th when Rabbi Allen and Jean-Marc marry us to tell you how wonderful everything went and how beautiful Rabbi Allen made our ceremony. Because of Rabbi Allen, the inaugural moment of our lives together will, we are confident, set the tone for a life of love, happiness, and joy.

Post-Wedding:

We are married now! The wedding was truly the wedding of our dreams and the ceremony was especially meaningful, beautiful and everything we had hoped it would be. One of our favorite photos from the wedding is a shot of Rabbi Allen and our priest, Father Jean-Marc Schoepff sitting on a bench talking before the ceremony. It truly captures how wonderfully invested Rabbi Allen was in working with Father Schoepff to make our ceremony personal and customize it to our particular union. Friends and family commented on how wonderful the ceremony was – (and how beautifully he sings!).

Rabbi Allen, thank you for being such an important part of our lives – we will consider you a part of our family forever and will always be grateful that we found such a wonderful person and rabbi to marry us!!

Love,
Nicole & Charles

Jenny and Mike

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We wanted to say thank you so much for all you did to make out wedding the most special day of our lives!

We can’t even begin to tell you how many people came up to us to say that ours was the most special ceremony they had ever been to. Your personalization was just perfect!

We could not imagine a ceremony that would be any more appropriate to capture who we are as individuals and what we have become as a couple.

We can’t imagine what our wedding would have been like without you.

There are no words to express the gratitude we feel for you. You will forever be a special part of our family. We hope you love the picture as much as we do!

All our love,
Jenny and Mike

Bob and Mercedes Dellon

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Thank you for making our wedding day perfect!

Everyone was so touched. You saw us both in the way we see each other and we are happy for it.

You exceeded our expectation.

Happily,
Bob and Mercedes

 

Midori and Michael Levitz

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Michael and I are doing really well. We moved to Brooklyn and are really enjoying married life. We are talking about starting our family this Fall!

Rabbi Allen, you were absolutely wonderful and so thoughtful in performing our wedding, which combined both Japanese and Jewish traditions. We were married under a Chupa decorated with cranes folded in origami. Not only did we drink the white wine, but we also incorporated a short sake ceremony to unite both families.

All of our guests responded with such emotion to the ceremony, from the symbolism used to express our love for one another, to the bits of humor you used to lighten the moment and your beautiful voice as you sang the Seven Prayers. You did a wonderful job and we think back on our wedding day with such fond memories.

Thank you Rabbi Allen for marrying us! We are just shy of 8 months and in marital bliss!

Fondly,
Midori and Michael

Amie & Jordan Romney

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We want to thank you so much for officiating our wedding ceremony. You personalized everything and tailored the ceremony to our needs, beliefs, and expectations. It was exactly what we wanted. The words you spoke about our love story, relationship, and future goals were so heartfelt and genuine. You spoke so eloquently and sang beautifully. After the ceremony, everyone wanted to know where we had found you! We felt that we were in good, loving hands having you officiate our ceremony. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us, for writing a personal ceremony, and for respecting our varied spiritual traditions. We will always remember your kindness and our beautiful ceremony.

Take care,
Amie & Jordan

Sarah and Brian Potetz

Dear Rabbi Allen,

I don't know how we can ever thank you for the beautiful job you did for our wedding ceremony. The words that you said touched our hearts and it meant so much to us that your message was so personal and loving. You are a wonderful Rabbi and we are so lucky that we found you. Also, our guests had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. They talked about how moving your speech was, how funny and romantic your speech was, and what a talented singer you are.

Who knew that your incredible voice would only be the icing on the cake! We are also so pleased that we took the time to come to Philadelphia to get to know you and soak up your words of wisdom. The things that you have told us will stay with us for a lifetime and will shortly keep our marriage strong and happy.

We've been closed to a few pictures from our wedding to remember us by. You left us with wonderful memories of our big day and we hope that you will remember us fondly as well.

Much love,
Sarah and Brian

Rich and Lorraine Byer

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Lorraine and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful ceremony you wrote and performed for us. Our wedding was perfect in every way and you were a big part of that. I know that every one of our guest feels the same way.

We feel blessed to have met you. You have enriched our lives and now we look forward to enriching each other’s lives together.

Sincerely,
Rich and Lorraine Byer

Colleen and Matt Mason

Dear Rabbi Allen,

It was a pleasure to work with you for our wedding. We really appreciated being able to visit you at your home, getting to know you before the ceremony. Colleen and I were both glad that you had plenty of experience doing interfaith ceremonies like ours, and able to help organize many of the fine points and details of the ceremony we were concerned about. You worked very well with the reverend we chose for the ceremony. Even though the reverend has been a friend of the bride's family for many years, and we had just met you a few months ago, the two of you worked wonderfully together. The ceremony was balanced, spiritual and beautiful, with neither you nor the reverend dominating its course. The ceremony you wrote went so smoothly that many of our guests assumed that the two of you had known each other for a long time. We really appreciate all the time and consideration you put into our wedding.

Thank you so much,
Colleen and Matt Mason

Michael and Rhonda Lowe

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We want to thank you very much for the amazing wedding ceremony that you crafted for us, and then delivered for us. You were essential to making our wedding the very special day we both found it to be. The ceremony was beautiful, with just the right amount of humor to lighten the mood at the appropriate times.

Almost every single guest at our reception told us how much they enjoyed the ceremony and how much they liked you. I can't tell you how many times we heard "your Rabbi was great!" from our guests. You really were great. We cannot thank you enough for the time and attention you spent on our ceremony. Neither of us had the slightest idea of how to go about the business of putting together a wedding ceremony, and your gentle guidance was invaluable.

Please feel free to share our comments with anyone you wish, and if any couples are considering having you perform their ceremony and wish to talk to us about our experiences, please feel free to give them our information.

We're sending a few pictures from the wedding. We hope that you found our wedding to be memorable to you - obviously we will never forget it and will always remember it as a happy occasion - thanks in great part to you.

Love,
Michael and Rhonda Lowe

Janine and Joe Metzger

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Janine and I want to let you know how wonderful you made our wedding day. We were very pleased with the beautiful ceremony you wrote, and received many accolades from other guests about how warm and inspiring you were. Your weaving the Filipino customs was expertly done and very pleasing to Janine’s family. Many guests even went so far as to say that it was one of the best ceremonies they've ever seen, and we also received quite a number of compliments about your singing of the Seven Blessings.

Fondly,
Janine and Joe Metzger

Dear Rabbi Allen,

I want to thank you for the wonderful ceremony that you conducted for my son, Joe, and his bride, Janine. The spirituality, tradition, love and humor that infused a ceremony, that also included their Jewish and Filipino heritages, made for an individual and moving experience. Your resonant voice was a wonderful addition as well. Many of the guests remarked on the beauty of the ceremony and said it was the most moving one they had attended. It even brought tears to men’s eyes. Thank you for making the day special for us all.

Sincerely,
Marge and Allen Metzger

Linda Russ

Dear Rabbi Allen,

It was truly a pleasure having you officiate at Marissa and Brian's wedding. You brilliantly wrote a beautiful, warm service, incorporating all the important traditions of the Jewish and Filipino faiths.

Our guests raved about your voice and eloquent delivery of the service. You brought significance and meaning to the customs of our religions. The ceremony flowed beautifully; it's was personal and genuine. You were organized and diligent in planning the events leading to the special day.

Prior to the wedding, your meeting with both Marissa and Brian was informative, interesting and helpful to both of them.

We feel fortunate that we came across your name to perform this service for such an auspicious occasion. It was a wonderful experience working with you. We both look forward to keeping in touch and in seeing you at another wedding in the future.

Fondly,
Linda Russ 

David and Eugénie Olson

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful job you did at our May 11 wedding. It was solemn without being stuffy or boring, yet it was upbeat without being silly. It really reflected the two of us and our relationship, and our wedding guests said as much. They were all impressed by how engaging the service was, and everyone also mentioned how much they liked your singing. It certainly added an unusual element to the service, and your voice sounded great in that space. We are also grateful for the suggestions you made for the service; it was helpful to be able to talk about what we had in mind and get an idea of how it would all fit together. All in all, it was a great wedding, and your service was a very big part of that. Thank you again!

Best,
 
David and Eugénie Olson



Bob and Lynn Caron

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Lynn and I want to thank you so much for all that you have done to make our interfaith wedding day a complete joy. Since the first time we both met with you, you felt like a long lost family friend. To say the least, our fears were put to rest as we placed our trust in your hands. You made us both feel very warm and welcome.

As our wedding day approached, and we worked together, you crafted one of the most magnificent ceremonies that either of us could possible dream of. The intertwining of the two faiths made the ceremony more splendid than either could have been if they stood alone, just as two individuals are as they become a couple in marriage. For many of the people sharing in our special day, this was their first experience with the Jewish faith and traditions. We were told repeatedly that they enjoyed the explanation of the customs, all of your personal stories, and the stunning chanting of the Seven Blessings that gave our wedding it's personal and heart felt touch. It was if you and the priest choreographed a discourse in which both of you built on each other's ideas.

As we look at our wedding album now, months later, we can see the joy and love of all of our friends and family that surrounded us on that day and, we can truly say that it could not have been possible without all of your help and attention to detail.

Lastly, I personally would like to thank you and remind you of the phone call that you gave to me on the morning of my wedding as I hurriedly finish the construction of the chupa. You gave me feeling of calm and camaraderie that I will not soon forget. You are more than a Rabbi to us, you are a friend.

All the best,

With love,
Bob and Lynn Caron
“The Willows"

 

Maureen and John

Dear Rabbi Allen;

There are a few times in life when the Hand of God touches us gently and makes profound differences. That day happened when John and I met each other. Every day since has been filled with many experiences, all shared together. We have in each other happiness neither us thought possible.

The Hand of God touched us again when He sent us you. Since that day, our lives have been richer. We enjoy your words of wisdom and caring and we smile with the humor and wit you interject. However, nothing quite compares with the marriage ceremony you composed for us. It was truly a thing of beauty. Our family and guests were awed; they had never heard a more meaningful and expressive service, regardless of religious denomination. You made our wedding day one that will be cherished forever.

Words of gratitude and thanks pale; they are simply not sufficient to tell you all that we wish to convey, but know that you have given us a very special gift --- yourself.

Maureen and John




David and Sabine Shaman

Dear Rabbi Allen,

When we decided to marry last year, we knew there were several hurdles to overcome-- two cultures, two languages, and family living across the ocean from one another. Most of the French did not speak English. Most of the Americans did not speak French. And as 2003 got underway, the two countries were not exactly on the most-popular list with one another. (Although we happily can report that Franco-American relations without our home have been, and remain, excellent.)

One of our greatest concerns was finding someone who could preside at our ceremony, express the sentiments important to us, and do so in a way that would be inclusive for all the people dear to us. To complicate matters further, we concluded it was easiest to do the civil paperwork by marrying first in Pennsylvania, but we knew the best place to gather all the family together was down in the Dordogne in France. So make that two cultures, two languages, and two ceremonies!

Rabbi Allen, you came to our rescue. We were very pleased when you agreed to marry us in Pennsylvania and again in France. But we can now say that this statement alone hardly does justice to how delighted we are that you were the person to marry us.

You were more than just the solution to a thorny problem. We feel deeply that the ceremonies on both sides of the Atlantic were something special and memorable-- the warmth and humanity you brought to the occasion touched us both and had us completely at ease. You took the time to get to know us and let us get to know you. You provided us with the framework of a ceremony and allowed us to participate in determining its final detail. The interactive exercise of crafting some passages in French and in English (bi-lingual not being the same as 'repeat everything in two languages'), and choosing texts for brothers and sisters to read, and preparing a ceremony outline so all could always follow -- while sometimes a challenge -- was also a process of constant fascinating exploration.

The service was especially wonderful at the May 2003 ceremony at the chateau in France, where your tone and spirit helped to bring together our two families -- even where they could not speak the same language. We know the day brought joy to both our families gathered together beneath our huppah and we will cherish those memories. 

Cara and Dave

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Thank you for coming all the way from Philadelphia to Mesa, Arizona to marry us. We should probably have married in Philadelphia, where most of my family is, but I wanted to please Dave’s parents who find it difficult to travel – and he has a really large family in Mesa. I’m sure a judge could have married us in a civil ceremony, but your words contained such spirituality that I am sure a Justice of the Peace could not have spoken as you did.

I am so happy that I met your daughter in High School. We have been like sisters. When she asked you to marry us in Mesa, you told her that you had the time and you would do it. Your only requirement of us was that we come to you for premarital counseling. We were so pleasantly surprised to find out that you would write our ceremony, E-mail it to us for our comments and let us choose readings. There really wasn’t anything to change. We loved your words. We look forward to seeing you if we get back to Abington for a visit.

Our warmest best wishes,
Cara and Dave

Nimia and Ron

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We decided early in our planning process that we wanted to have a ceremony that combined the traditions of our respective backgrounds—Jewish and Filipino-Catholic. We were seeking a delicate balance.

That is why we feel so fortunate to have met you and to have been able to work with you to develop the ceremony. We particularly appreciate the time that you spent with us, getting to know us both as a couple and as individuals, and sharing your personal insights. We had worried that developing a truly integrated ceremony would be difficult, but your enthusiasm about incorporating the various Filipino rituals into the ceremony and your willingness to seek our input and suggestions made the process surprisingly smooth. Your advice about how to equitably divide the ceremony between Father Reilly and you, and your experience with keeping the ceremony interesting without dragging were especially helpful.

On our wedding day itself, your dedication and hard work really showed. You and Father Reilly officiated beautifully. It was impossible to tell that the two of you had never worked together before; you handed off seamlessly. To this day, we continue to hear from our guests that the ceremony was the most beautiful they have seen. One of our guests asked to borrow our video so he could show the ceremony to his fiancée and her mother as an example of the kind of ceremony he wants at his wedding (they’ll be married in Los Angeles; otherwise he would have wanted you to officiate!).

Rabbi, thank you again for everything especially for your guidance and support. We wish all the best to you and your family.

Sincerely,
Nimia and Ron 
 

Ariann & Steve

Dear Rabbi Allen,

You married my cousin Ariann in Philadelphia in August. It was without a doubt the most moving wedding ceremony I have ever witnessed. You injected a tremendous amount of spirituality and warmth into the service. It was obvious that much time and thought were put into your remarks and your beautiful cantor's voice contributed much to making it a very special ceremony. Our family will always be grateful to you for your sensitivity in handling this Interfaith marriage.



Sue and Scott Dubow

>Dear Rabbi Allen,

We wanted to write and thank you for the role you played in our ceremony. The way in which you intertwined our two faiths was beautiful. We received many compliments on our ceremony. The words used in our ceremony portrayed all of the feelings in our hearts. Your singing of the blessings was quite beautiful and inspiring. Thank you very much. We will be sending you and e-mail with a scanned picture soon.

Thanks!

Love,
Sue and Scott Dubow

Shana and Michael Herring

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We cannot thank you enough for the wonderful job you did in conducting our wedding ceremony! We have received countless compliments from our guests who, after attending many other weddings, have said that our ceremony was the best they had ever witnessed. Thank you again. We look forward to getting together with you soon so that we can develop your favorite proof of us all.

Fondly,
Shana and Michael Herring

Eun-Mi and Michael

Dear Rabbi Allen,

When you united us you united two cultures – the Korean and American. Toronto is has an enormous Korean community and it seemed as if half the chapel was filled with them. They sat on one side and Michael’s family and friends on the other.

While your ceremony, written especially for us, was beautiful – even poetic, your personal words to us continue to resound in our minds and hearts. We requested a copy of your words to us and I think they are so beautiful, caring and thought-provoking, I’d like you to put them on your web site.

The wedding ceremony is a coming together of many elements. There are the symbols of the service. There are emotions of feeling and sharing. There is the presence of those who are here with us today and those who could not be.

Both of you come from very different cultures, which, while from opposite sides of the globe, have much in common. To paraphrase Kipling: east is east and west is west but the twain have met with superb results. Both of you come from backgrounds that have heritage and values bound up with family.

Eun-Mi, your beautiful spirituality began with your parents, whose commitment to love and sharing and caring have transformed many challenges and trials into a kind of fulfillment that you might otherwise never have known.

You will have the opportunity to preserve and strengthen your traditions. As you have shared wine from your own special cup during the consecration of your marriage, I adjure you to bring your joint heritage into your life, into your shared love, into your home.

You have the gift of your own God-given abilities ... the intelligence and energy with which each of you has been endowed in a unique way. Apply these gifts not only to your work, but to your marriage above all, for there is no endeavor of greater significance for the very substance and meaning of your lives. Nothing you can do will be more rewarding for your future happiness and fulfillment.

You have been given the divine gift of a soul that in Hebrew is called a neshama. From that soul come your capacity for faithfulness and responsibility.

Faithfulness, responsibility to another human being, is the bedrock of any marriage.

These, then, are the gifts that you bring with you today: the gifts of family, of tradition, of your own capacities, of your souls. When you bring these gifts to your new home, to your marriage, you will be truly gifted in love. And as it grows and becomes richer year by year, your love in turn will become a gift to all who love you, all who know you, all who behold you

Love always,
Eun-Mi and Michael

Canaan and Randy Lundquist

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Thank you for the beautiful ceremony you wrote for our wedding. More than anything else, your officiating made it the special occasion that it was. The one thing that our guests mentioned more than anything else about our wedding was how wonderful the ceremony was. The language you used was perfectly suited to an Interfaith ceremony and we were happy that we made the choice of having you as the only officiant.

You explained all the traditions to those who were unfamiliar with them and your chanting of the Seven Benedictions was a real highlight of the ceremony. We were doubly blessed by having your skills as both a rabbi and a cantor for our ceremony.

Randy and I appreciated all the extra time you spent meeting with us and getting to know us in the months prior to our wedding. The effort you put into making our wedding so special meant the world to us. Thank you again.

Sincerely,
Canaan and Randy Lundquist

Nicole and Raj

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We want to thank you for the beautiful wedding ceremony that you personalized for us. It seems quite amazing that you could put together an Interfaith ceremony for us when you had to deal with four religious backgrounds: Jewish, Protestant, Hindu and Sikh! I remember you saying that you did research for two days on Hindu andf Sikh wedding practices. You must have done everything correctly because all four parents were very happy with the ceremony that you wrote.

Words cannot express how grateful we are to you for your patience and, in your desire to be correct in everything that you did, to even visit Raj’s in their home in Connecticut. As soon as you heard that they lived not far from your son, you volunteered to visit them and spent three hours discussing the Hindu and Sikh aspects of the ceremony.

Both of them are academics and tried to change what you wrote. I'm happy that you held your ground while giving them the feeling that they were contributing as well.

You incorporated all aspects of the religions represented. Your singing of the Seven Benedictions from the Jewish portion of the ceremony was awesome. Many people who attended our wedding said that you should have been singing opera. I was very happy to tell them that you did indeed sing opera internationally for twenty-two years.

Once again we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a day that we will never forget.

Love,
Nicole and Raj

Gaby and Michael

Dear Rabbi Allen

Michael and I just celebrated our second month married and we really want to tell you how glad we are for having you prepared and officiated our wedding. It was wonderful. Our first meeting with you was great. We had a great conversation and we will always remember your good advice. We are very grateful for the time you spent in preparing our ceremony because we know that you put a lot of time and heart into preparing our ceremony. It was unique to have it in both English and Spanish. Your Spanish is very good. Everybody was surprised and impressed at the wedding of your great pronunciation. Our families were so happy for having you and Father Flanagan at our wedding. You conducted the wedding in such a smooth way; we felt we knew you for a long time.

You said very important words during our ceremony and the message of those words will stay in our minds and heart is forever. Our friends too told us how wonderful the ceremony was. You did a great job and we are sure that we just had the best ceremony someone can ever dream of.

Thank you very much again. You have friends in us and we know we will always find a friend in you.

Best wishes,
Gaby and Michael 

Gina Buchalter Otis and Kevin Otis

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We have just moved into our new home and we've finally settled in! We wanted to take a moment to say thank you again for our wonderful and memorable wedding ceremony. You well surpassed our expectations for having a personal and romantic ceremony! You mixed just the right amounts of religion, faith and love, while interjecting such personal touches that made the ceremony truly ours!

My mother, along with Kevin and I, have received so many compliments on your ceremony, which meant a great deal to us. It was so nice to hear that everyone could relate to and be touched by the service, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Again, we thank you for your time and attention to planning our ceremony. You made our day very special! We hope to stay in touch with you and wish you all the best.

Shalom - Gina Buchalter Otis and Kevin Otis 

Sheryl A. Garman, Wedding Consultant

Dear Rabbi Allen:

I'm writing this letter to thank you for your assistance in making Naina Narayana and Steven Chernoff's wedding ceremony one of the most beautiful I've witnessed. It was a pleasure working with you before the wedding day and I truly appreciate the time you spent assisting me.

Your professionalism and kindness made me feel comfortable in knowing that you would handle the ceremony with utmost dignity. Both Naina and Steve were so happy with the way both the Jewish and Hindu ceremonies were performed.

I look forward to working with you in the future. Be assured that I will refer you to any couples who will be in need of a Rabbi for their weddings and feel free to give my name as reference, if needed.

We make a great team and I look forward to working on-site with you at many weddings in the future!

Sincerely,

Sheryl A. Garman
Owner, Perfect Weddings

Barbara and Craig Millman

Dear Rabbi Allen:

Craig and I would like to thank you for the beautiful interfaith wedding ceremony that you wrote for us. We were concerned that it would be difficult to incorporate Craig’s Jewish beliefs and my Catholic beliefs into the same ceremony without losing something from each. This was definitely not the case as you managed to combine them effortlessly into something wonderful and new. You took great care to show respect for both religions and gave equal time to our co-officiant, Father Curran. The ceremony which you composed made our wedding truly special.

As a Catholic, I was not familiar with Jewish traditions. I really appreciated your time and patience in explaining some of the history and language to me. You never pressured me to convert or made me feel inferior because I was Catholic. I was concerned that because you were a Rabbi, this would be the case, but I could not have been more wrong. In fact, I was impressed by your extensive knowledge of the Catholic religion and all religions.

You gave us such a wonderful choice of readings that it was difficult to pick two. We chose readings from The Song of Songs and Paul to the Corinthians. You were perfectly willing to share the spotlight with Father Curran. It was such a special day. Your deep and resonant singing of the Seven Benedictions will stay with us always. I may not understand Hebrew, but I do understand the beauty of the language and how you sang the benedictions with such emotion. There were many times in the ceremony that I was brought to tears, even though I tried to hold them back. I found it deeply touching.

We would recommend you highly to anybody looking for a wonderful officiant to perform their wedding ceremony.

Sincerely,
Barbara and Craig Millman 

Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey E. Jacobs

Dear Rabbi Allen,

I want to thank you on behalf of Cathy and myself. You definitely connected with us on a deep level, and perhaps more importantly, made us connect at an even deeper level. You helped us look more into ourselves and into our relationship, and that is precisely what we needed at this point in time, with the stress of the wedding plans, the defining of relationships and the logistics of life together. With that immense pressure, we were losing sight of the main thing that brought the three of us together in the first place--that is, Cathy and I love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together. I had not felt that much raw love towards her in awhile. (I made sure to tell her that afterwards.) I was being very sincere yesterday when I told you how much you did for us and that I could never repay you for what you have done so far. I usually do not get choked up and emotional in front of others, especially someone I just met.

Rabbi, you really did touch me. You also gave us a lot to think about and showed us some areas upon which we need to work. There can be nothing but the bettering of our relationship coming out of even our short session yesterday. We are both so happy you are going to be part of our lives forever.

After introductions, I told you that out of frustration, "I made the mistake of falling in love with someone who is not Jewish, but I still was Jewish and wanted a rabbi to co-officiate". Rabbi, you quickly but gently admonished me that I did not make a mistake and that love is never wrong. We talked more about my views, my wife's views, and what we wanted in our future. We made an appointment to meet again so that you might get to know us better and he could help us (Cathy and me) get to know each other better. Rabbi Allen, you made it very clear that you do not marry just anybody; both partners must have a belief in G-d and both must be in love with each other or you will not perform the ceremony.

Our meeting with you was more than we could have imagined. You put us in touch with our feelings and got us closer than we had ever been during those hours of "work". We left your home with a deeper, more spiritual love. We also worked on the logistics of our wedding, since, as you explained, each wedding is different. Between this meeting and our wedding, we spoke, or emailed, many times. You are not just a "Rent-a-Rabbi" - You are our Rabbi.

The ceremony came off beautifully on May 28, and it was truly mine and Cathy's. It combined in a respectful way both of our religions, our traditions, our families, and ourselves. Our guests continue to this day to compliment our wedding. (By the way, Rabbi Allen, you have a magnificent singing voice, and it added greatly to the service.)

Rabbi Allen, Cathy and I cannot recommend you highly enough. We continue to be in contact with you, whether it is to ask for advice or to exchange a joke or humorous anecdote. You really are our Rabbi and our friend.

Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey E. Jacobs
 

Rev. William B. Kauffman, Catholic priest

"In planning the wedding ceremony of which I was a part, Rabbi Allen showed great sensitivity to my faith community. I found him most affable, a superb cantor, and a delight to work with."

Rev. William B. Kauffman, Catholic priest

From Parents, Lynne and Barry Green

Dear Rabbi,

Lynne and I just wanted to send you a most sincere "Thank You" for all that you did to make Jen and Brian’s wedding truly something special. With just two days notice, you were able to consult with Father Luke Nelson and create a ceremony that was praised by everyone who attended. All the guests were truly moved by the feeling created by the two of you, none more so than Lynne and I.

We were so pleased that you were able to be involved, and we would certainly recommend you to anyone seeking to do an Interfaith marriage. Please feel free to have any prospective brides, grooms, or their families call us.

Thank you again for all that you did to make this most special day so much better.

Lynne and Barry Green

Ellie and Bob Arend

Dear Rabbi Allen:

We can’t thank you enough for helping to make our wedding such a success. From the time of our first meeting we knew we had chosen the right person to marry us. You were warm, understanding and made us feel very comfortable. As you can imagine, we were initially concerned about how a Rabbi would handle an interfaith wedding. You did so with amazing compassion and insight.

The ceremony itself was beautiful. With your guidance we had a wedding ceremony that was full of tradition, family and friends. You were open to suggestions for changes and additions that made our wedding personalized. We can’t express how we felt while you were speaking and singing – we were moved from tears to joy at different moments. Your appreciation for our love for each other was apparent in your words and actions.

My family and friends loved you and we were told by many that it was the nicest wedding they ever attended. You provided us with memories well above and beyond our expectations and hopes. As soon as our pictures are developed we will be sure to send you one of the three of us.

With much love and thanks, Ellie and Bob Arend

Father Robert P. Daly

Rabbi Allen has the unique ability of composing a wedding ceremony that is distinctively personal to the couple before him. He is warm and sincerely caring himself and keenly aware that god is alive and reaching out to the world through all people of faith.

Rabbi Allen is a warm and compassionate man who believes that God is alive and active in all bona fide religious persuasions. That is the reason it is a joy and pleasure for me, a Catholic priest, to co-officiate with him at Interfaith marriages.

Father Robert P. Daly

Sharon and Mike

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We just want to thank you for exceeding our expectations in making our Wedding Ceremony a huge success. Everyone told us how meaningful and eloquent it was. When we decided to get married, we both knew we wanted a quiet private ceremony, which would be officiated by one who could relate to both of us. For most brides and grooms who belong to the same congregation or practice the same religion, making arrangements for a religious ceremony may seem relatively simple. Being that we were an interfaith couple we had to search for someone to perform such a ceremony. This process made us closely examine what our wedding ceremony meant to both of us. We had to decide if we wanted a traditional, religious, or more secular humanistic ceremony. We wanted a mixture of both, where we could personalize our wedding rituals and cultures.

Our search came to an end when we called you to inquire about your services. After sitting down and discussing with you our preferences and personal beliefs about marriage, we both knew we had finally met the person in whose hands we could totally leave a meaningful ceremony to be planned. We were ecstatic you could speak French and that you were also a Cantor in the Synagogue. We couldn't quite believe our luck. After spending 6 hours with you, for the first time, we left your office feeling so relieved. We were definitely right and it was indeed a wonderful ceremony. All our family members kept commenting about what a wonderful, special, and personal ceremony we had. We speak for our entire family and friends when we say we cannot thank you enough.

We are back from our Honeymoon and we would like to meet you to continue our discussions of visiting a Reform Jewish Synagogue, and taking some classes. Please let us know when you are available. We hope all is well with you and your family.

Regards,
Sharon and Mike.

Holly & Vin San Angelo

Dear Rabbi Allen:

Thank you so much for the beautiful ceremony. Vin and I were so pleased with the ceremony. We had our concerns with an interfaith ceremony especially with Vin's religious grandparents but they particularly enjoyed the ceremony. So many of our guests complimented the ceremony throughout the evening. In fact, they truly listened to your words because they were repeating various portions all night long.

We did not want a Judge to marry us because we felt that a wedding is a spiritual and religious event. The ceremony brought together not only Vin and I but our friends and family as well. Although we met face to face on one occasion prior to the wedding and had a few conversations on the telephone or via e-mail, I felt that your words truly mirrored the nature of my relationship with Vin. You were able to capture and express our bond together.

Rabbi, you may not believe this, but I am an extremely particular person who pays a lot of attention to detail. I spoke and met with other Rabbis and Priests before we met. I had no doubt in my mind after Vin and I met with you that my ceremony would be everything that I wanted. You impressed as wanting to learn about our relationship and caring about us beyond the wedding.

We were very, very fortunate to have such a beautiful wedding (the only glitch, of course, being that Vin forgot the license). I understand the legality involved but I was confident that everything would work out. I cannot thank you enough for writing the service.

If you ever have a couple who has questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to use us as a reference. Please keep in touch!

Fondly,
Holly & Vin San Angelo

 Andrew and LeeAnn Kress

This couple wanted a Nondenominational Ceremony and I convinced them that Interfaith would be better.

Dear Rabbi Allen,

LeeAnn and I can't thank you enough for the wedding - your participation definitely set the tone for a perfect evening for our guests and us.

While we wanted a non-denominational ceremony, we didn't want it to be devoid of personal significance or spiritual meaning. You were able to combine elements of both of our religious and cultural backgrounds in a way that was cogent and moving. We appreciate that you took the time to work with us through multiple drafts of the ceremony until you were sure it was what we were looking for.

We can tell you that most of our guests commented on how wonderful the ceremony was. In fact, we received comments from several guests that it was the best wedding ceremony they had ever heard. Your singing of the blessings was definitely one of the highlights. We had both been to many weddings where the ceremony seems a mere formality, and can tell you that in this case not only us, but our friends and family all felt that they were participants in this special event - it definitely underscored the sense that LeeAnn and I had of being part of a greater community.

Best wishes, Andrew and Lee Ann Kress   

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Fran and I are having difficulty putting into words the feelings we have regarding our recent wedding, which you officiated early this month. Since then, we have spoken to quite a few people who attended; and they, too, have expressed their extremely positive thoughts about our celebration of vows.

How can we start? When we first met? From the very first moment, we felt connected to you spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. It was as if you knew us, guiding us through our beliefs and expectations, reconciling our positions regarding faith, and affirming our love for each other. We will never forget the hours we spent with you talking about life, love, and happiness; and about the special gifts we were soon to receive, in giving and receiving love and sharing life together.

You found a way to express all of this, and so much more, on the day of our wedding. You knew there was so much to be said and proclaimed. You found a way. We each remember looking into the other’s eyes during the celebration, but frankly, as we so often think back to that momentous occasion, we remember how you were so intimately involved with us. We so vividly remember your words and actions; how sincerely you expressed yourself on our behalf. We know this because, obviously, you had to be feeling with us; you were intimately involved with us. We just can’t imagine how our celebration could have been any better, and much of the honor and genuine thanks, from our hearts, belong to you.

There’s so much more to say. We haven’t even touched on your prayers, and your glorious singing, your meeting and discussions with our guests, and your smiles. What we do know, however, is that you found a most personal way to connect, not just Fran and I, but connect all of us together who attended our wedding. I am confident without any doubt, that our celebration will be remembered forever. You touched us deeply.

Thank you, once more, for making our celebration the best of the best. Fran and I truly hope we have an opportunity to visit with you in the near future and share with you some of our most fondest and precious memories (and pictures) of our wedding. If, in the future, you are called upon once again to involve yourself in a loving couple’s union, we would be most gratified to share with them how truly special you made our wedding.

Phil & Michel Penley

Dear Rabbi Allen,

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you how much we loved the ceremony and were astounded by your beautiful voice. Our wedding was Interfaith and Phil had never heard chanting but fell in love with our customs. I have much experience in this regard but have never experienced any chanting as beautiful. Your career in opera was quite apparent on our very special day. Our guests were so impressed that they continue to talk about it now.

The ceremony was very meaningful. Thank you for taking the time to customize it so that it would be memorable and cherished for the rest of our lives. We also appreciate the fact that you and Valerie were able to join us at the reception and I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent chatting.

Finally, we wanted to let you know how blessed we feel for having met you on the Internet and later on, in person. I don’t think we could have had a better wedding with a Rabbi we knew. You are truly professional yet very warm and unassuming. We appreciate your services and friendship.

Thank you for being “you” and for sharing in our very special day. We hope to continue to be in contact and that you and Valerie stay well. Please feel free to use this letter as a reference and my e-mail address for anyone who would like to ask me questions directly.

Fondly,
Phil & Michel Penley

Testimonials - Jewish Ceremonies

Kerry and Richard

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Our ceremony was breathtakingly real, easy to follow, and moving. We both felt not only connected to you, but to your words and your harmonious explanations of each tradition in a Jewish marriage. You are our teacher. You truly shared your wisdom with us and guided us as a couple. You were there for us unconditionally as you promised you would be when we began our pre-marital journey. You comforted us and assured us that marriages do last, and there are people who really do make it. You are proof of that. Rabbi, you were forthcoming with your own life experience and showed great tolerance for our choices. We feel that you were meant to be our Officiant and could not imagine our experience any more beautiful than it was. Thank you so much Rabbi Allen, for all of your guidance, your love, and your contagious enthusiasm!! - You have become family to Richard, Caleb and me.

A big warm Canadian hug with love to you and all of your family!!!

Kerry, Richard, and Caleb!
xoxo

Pamela and Howard Margolis

My Dear Rabbi,

What a beautiful ceremony you have crafted for us. You have captured what I wanted for a ceremony EXACTLY. I am touched and honored that you would create such a moving ceremony for us.

Please accept my belated Shana Tova wishes. As you can imagine, we’ve been very busy the past couple of months and I am finally able to take a few moments to thank you for creating a lovely wedding ceremony for us. Howard and I felt that the ceremony you created for us was unique and meaningful, and a perfect complement to our personalities. Your melodic voice contained a sincerity that added to the emotion and beauty of our special day. Above all, your advice and tender comments during the planning of the wedding were especially reassuring. Thank you again for making our special day a dream come true.

Fondly,
Pamela Margolis

Sarah and Aaron

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We loved the ceremony you wrote for us. It was so special! Your words and your singing of the Hebrew Blessings throughout the ceremony made the Horticultural Center in Fairmount Park seem to be a beautiful synagogue instead of a place to get married.

We are so grateful for the sincerity you showed in our premarital counseling, for it put us at ease about many things. Of course, this sincerity translated to the ceremony you wrote.

I wonder how many rabbis would take so many hours with a couple – and then send them a copy of the ceremony for review! We read everything except your personal words to us. It only made the ceremony more enjoyable for our non-Jewish guests for you to explain all of the symbolism. In your personal message you translated specific words from the Seven Benedictions that really spoke to what marriage should be.

We will remember your kindness and outgoing personality always . . . and when our children are born, look forward to your naming them as you have for our friends.

Much love,
Sarah and Aaron

Halle & Jake Finkelstein

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Many of our friends and relatives were skeptical when they heard we were planning the wedding ceremony with a rabbi we found on the internet. We ourselves had some initial doubts. However, your insight and communication – via e-mail, on the telephone, and in person at our counseling session – put us at ease and bolstered our confidence in our choice of wedding officiant.

Throughout the ceremony writing process, you were attentive and flexible – allowing us to mingle traditional words and actions with some less orthodox ones. You honored our wishes to have a loving and spiritual ceremony without going too heavy on the conventional religious jargon. Since the ceremony, we have received numerous compliments on the simplicity and beauty of the ceremony, and we must concede the credit to you, Rabbi Allen.

Thank you so very much for everything – your words, your voice, your kindness and openness. You played a large role in making our wedding the immeasurable success that it was, and we are forever grateful.

Sincerely,
Halle & Jake Finkelstein

Miriam and David

Dear Rabbi Allen,

How can we thank you enough? When we met with you for premarital counseling, we could never have known that we would become fast friends.

You spoke to us not just as a rabbi, but as a husband, father and grandfather. Your insights into what makes a marriage work were so meaningful. In addition to everything else, you made us laugh with the antics of your children and grandchildren.

Your kindness in offering us a 150-year-old tallit to use as our chupah and suggestions about how to use dowels for poles allowed our families to be part of the ceremony, something you truly believe in – that is to say that weddings should be family affairs, so our brothers, sisters and parents all could take part.

This seems to be your hallmark: humor, wit, kindness, caring and above all in the sanctity of marriage. We look forward to keeping in contact. You are unlike any rabbi we have ever met.

Love,
Miriam and David

Alissa and Anthony

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We are so very happy that you could marry us. The service you wrote especially for us was, we are certain, the most beautiful ever. Your premarital counseling was when we got to know you as you really are: kind, wise, intuitive to our needs and full of the love of humanity.

We enjoyed your humor and the explanations you gave us about Judaism I thought that confirmation was the end of study, but your further explanations of the various forms of Judaism and the options we all have made it clear to us that just being Jewish is not enough; that we have to continue to learn and study. You didn’t speak at us, but to us and you spoke from the heart. Your offer of helping and guiding us in the future will be requested.

Your singing of the Seven Benedictions was a revelation. We know that you sang opera internationally, but the Cantor in you made them even more beautiful. Our guests said they had never heard a Rabbi who sang like an opera singer. We sort of chuckled at that and didn’t let them know that they just had!

Love,
Alissa and Anthony

Carrie and Jim

"We want to tell you, once again, that we thought you did a superlative job at Carrie's wedding. I can't tell you how many people came to us and said what a beautiful, sensitive and caring ceremony it was. We will always be grateful to you for coming through both as a friend and a professional. All our love to you, Val and the whole mishpocha."

-Hank & Sheila (Parents)

 

Kerstin & Benjamin

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We really wanted to get back to you a lot earlier. Benjamin is busy these days (as always) and I am currently doing the last parts of my final exams.

Everything is well here. My tummy has grown huge and we can feel the baby moving. We are going to have a girl so that makes things easier. I guess it would have been difficult to find someone here in Munich for the Brit Milah.

First of all, I guess you know how happy we were to have found you for officiating at our wedding. I remember that I had searched the Internet for almost half a year until we found a rabbi whom we felt was the right one for our wedding. You can imagine how relieved we were when you finally (after many emails) confirmed that you would officiate at our wedding.

Well, the wedding was beautiful and touching indeed. It was wonderful that we had the chance to marry in the beautiful main sanctuary of the synagogue. That really made it very, very special to us.

You made us feel special and the ceremony was wonderful. Your words expressed our feelings and things important to us. (I was really glad that I just had to repeat the words in Hebrew. ;-) Benjamin knew them by heart but I still need help with my pronunciation.) All of us enjoyed your singing and wished that it had lasted a bit longer.

Our guests were touched too. Your explanations concerning the different parts of the ceremony, the signing of the ketubah and your humorous character really helped our guests (especially those who were not Jewish) to really enjoy the wedding. All of them told us that the ceremony had been beautiful. Today we got an email from our friends in New York. They wrote that they still tell people about our wedding as they were really moved. I guess that compliment is meant for you.

We really enjoyed the wedding and we are grateful for all the help we got. Please hug your wife for being one of our witnesses.

Best regards to you and your wife,
Kerstin & Benjamin
Munich, Germany

Maria Eugenia and Ilan Dabara

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We would like you to know that we are extremely grateful that you came all the way to Santo Domingo for our wedding. We never had a chance to tell you with all the commotion from the wedding party that the ceremony was beautiful. We had a mixture of English and Spanish speaking guests and family members and the ceremony had a perfect balance of both languages.

Your ceremony was written like beautiful poetry. Your singing was spectacular too. Every single guest of the wedding asked us were we found a rabbi / poet / baritone that could do a ceremony in both English and Spanish. We would then answer that you are also a friend / counselor, with a great sense of humor, and that you could have also done the ceremony in French and Italian!!!

Fondly,
Maria Eugenia and Ilan Dabara

Luba and Greg

Dear Rabbi Allen,

We would just like to take a moment and thank you for all that you did to ensure such a wonderful wedding ceremony for us. After Greg and I got engaged we knew that we were looking for someone that was flexible and easy to work with to perform our wedding ceremony. We found just that and much more in you.

We so much appreciate all of the time you took to meet, and get to know, us. Sitting and talking with you through our first meeting helped us both feel at ease, and we were grateful to see how flexible you were with everything.

Several times throughout our engagement we called you with questions, looking for suggestion, and concerns. You were always so helpful and personal. Each time we got off the phone with you we felt at peace again. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful, and your singing was incredible.

Several of our guests commented on the beautiful ceremony that you led. We know that you truly helped us create the best memory of our lives.

Thank you so much for everything. We will surely keep in touch. Please let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you.

Sincerely,
Luba and Greg

Jason & Jamie

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Well, now that we are back from Hawaii, we would like to thank you again for everything. People are still talking about the wonderful ceremony you performed for us (I knew you'd deliver another typical "Allen" command performance). I also wanted to thank you again for understanding all of the issues that were going on during our wedding day and for helping to keep an otherwise very tense and stressful time calm and cool.

Your poise, professionalism, superior skills and family relationship are all reasons why we turned to you for our wedding and you glowed as always. Thanks so much for making our wedding everything we could have asked for it to be, and we love you very much for that.

Until the next mitzvah......

Love,
Jason & Jamie

Dear Rabbi Allen:

Thank you so much for your wonderful ceremony! Dan and I were quite happy with how the ceremony turned out. It was everything that we had hoped for. Many of the guests, particularly a few Israelis who were in attendance, commented on how wonderful and special the ceremony was. My friend and her boyfriend even commented that they wish that they were Jewish just so they could have a similar ceremony!

Testimonials - Nondenominational

Juliet and Tom Ding

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Tom and I would like to thank you for such a lovely ceremony, which you wrote for Tom and me. I never thought that a Nondenominational ceremony could be so meaningful and spiritual. Your personal words to us were so beautiful that I would appreciate a copy.

I am planning to frame your personal words to us and hang them in a special place in our new home.

Fondly,
Juliet and Tom Ding

Oksana and Andrew

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Oksana and I want to thank you for the absolutely beautiful ceremony you wrote for us. The time you spent with us in our premarital counseling was wonderful in that we were able to see and feel what great chemistry grew between us.

Many in the Russian community could hardly understand the English, yet they commented on your sincerity, which evidently came through in the way you spoke to us and read the ceremony you wrote for us.

Oksana and Andrew

Andrés and Kirsten

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Andrés and I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to you for officiating at our wedding ceremony on July 3rd 2001.

When Andrés and I finally made the decision to get married, it was clear to us both that we did not want a traditional wedding in any sense of the word, in fact we wanted a very relaxed and intimate affair with our closest friends and family some of which would be flying in from Europe and Argentina - an eclectic mix of people to say the least.

As time went by and preparations were underway we were finding it increasingly difficult to find someone to perform the ceremony that we could both connect with and feel comfortable with, especially since Andrés has a Jewish background while my background is Christian. When we came across your Website you immediately stood out and we knew that our search was over - and not a minute too soon either, since the wedding was only three weeks away!

We met with you just two weeks before the big day and were amazed at and grateful for the amount of time you spent with us at such late notice.

Then in the little time we had left, you were able to prepare a meaningful ceremony both in English and Spanish that made both us and our guests feel part of something truly special. Andrés and I were deeply touched by what you said and I don’t think either of us will ever forget that Tuesday afternoon in Central Park.

Thank you,

Sincerely,
Andrés and Kirsten

Jason and Kris Westphal

You are a pleasure to work with and we can't thank you enough for making our wedding day so special. The service was performed brilliantly and nothing can prove this more than the several compliments we received afterwards. Things like, "the ceremony was so beautiful" and "it's the best ceremony we've ever seen" come to mind. It was a huge success due in large part the ceremony Rabbi Allen wrote especially for us.

Although we met with you only once prior to the wedding, you were able to get to know us quite well and understand our own desires for the ceremony. Within a couple weeks, you had written the ceremony blending your ideas with ours to make it truly unique for us. We even incorporated such things as "celebratory wine" and "breaking of the glass" into the service, which further added to its memorability. It is for these reasons and your thoroughness that we highly recommend you, Rabbi Allen, to any couple wishing to get married, whether the service is non-denominational like ours, or of any religion or faith.

Jason and Kris Westphal 

Darin and Danielle Bodolosky

Dear Rabbi Allen,

Where to start? First of all, Danielle and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Nothing is more important to us than the fact that we were married, and we are so glad you could officiate. When faced with having to find someone to perform a ceremony for two such different religions we were a little intimidated. Who in the world would not only be willing to give up the New Years Eve of the Millennium, but also do a beautiful job of marrying a Wiccan and a non-practicing Catholic? Of course our worries were quelled at our first meeting. When we met with you the questions you posed us were insightful, and provided us with the backbone of our wedding (you also included little particulars that show you were listening, and focused on our event). The way you express your faith is seamless and universal to all religions! The ceremony itself was tailored and meticulous to our wants and needs, and even your suggestions that were outside of our religion(s) were beautiful, and did not conflict with our beliefs. Not only did you shine through on a professional level, but a personal one as well. To be apart from your wife on New Years is something extraordinary to do for us. A very selfless and giving action, to which we are enamored and grateful. The time you spent with us before, during, and after the Ceremony was enlightening and pleasant to say the least.

During the confusion and distress on our wedding night, you were able to calm and assure us that the most important part would in fact happen (and you delivered on that promise). You managed to deliver to us a beautiful ceremony rich in tradition, and unique to our individual need.

Though I know this letter is flowery to say the least, we are at a loss when words will not fully convey all the appreciation we have for your thoughtfulness. For all of this, and all the little things we didn’t mention we want to say Thank You.

Sincerely,
Darin and Danielle Bodolosky