My Personal Cantor

Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

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Home » Jewish

Ezra & Joe’s Eco-Friendly Queer Jewish Interfaith Wedding

July 21, 2022 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

Special Relationships are my JAM!

Ezra had been working for me for a few weeks, and we had already developed such an amazing relationship.  Ezra is wise, spunky, intelligent and driven, and they made an incredible employee when I needed one the most.  They are a team player, and supported me unconditionally in all of my business ideas and goals.

One day, Ezra let me know they they were seeking a Rabbi in the Eugene area.  They were confident they would find one to perform their wedding, but they were immediately dismayed when they realized that the local Rabbis would not support them because they were an Interfaith couple, and well, they simply couldn’t support the budget most Rabbis needed to charge.  (Which is fully justified, but – what does a couple do when they are totally doing a DIY wedding and simply cannot afford a $1000+ fee??)

Let’s solve this problem!

I told Ezra that if they just provided a ticket for me to get from Florida to Eugene, Oregon, I would be there with bells on for their wedding.  Consequently, we immediately got to work, planned an incredible wedding that was PERFECT for the two of them, and a $500 plane ticket later, and there I was, in Eugene, with this incredible couple.

While I may not always be able to make arrangements like this, but I do believe that $$ should never stand in the way of an amazing couple seeking the perfect wedding officiant.  Sometimes, it’s about love, support, and compassion, and sometimes it’s about making a living.  For Ezra, I would have gone to the ends of the earth with whatever I had to support their wedding, and I’m just happy to have had such a perfect outcome, and to see the recent article Ezra penned for 18 Doors.

That’s the way I like it!

Love is love.  Judaism requires that we welcome our neighbors, and we look at all humans without judgment.  The most Jewish thing I could do was show up for Ezra and Joe, and I’m so happy that I did.

Mazel Tov, you two!

Ezra and Cantor Debbi
Ezra and Cantor Debbi
Ezra, Joe and Cantor Debbi
Ezra, Joe and Cantor Debbi

Filed Under: GLBT, Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Weddings Tagged With: Interfaith, Interfaith wedding officiant, Jewish, queer

Allie and Ben and Their Beautiful Wedding at The Addison – Meet my Interfaith Couple

February 15, 2018 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

Meet Ben and Allie – a recent favorite Interfaith Couple

Have you ever met someone and just fallen in love — I did, and it’s probably not the story you’re expecting to hear.  For me, it was Allie — and then Ben, and what led to an amazing relationship with this Interfaith Couple, as their wedding officiant.  Let me share their story.

Ben and Allie’s love story

About a year ago I was contacted by a young woman looking for someone to officiate her Jewish-Interfaith wedding.  She was originally from South Florida, and her parents live here now, and they were planning their wedding at the beautiful Addison in Boca Raton, Florida.

Ben and Allie had met in Grenada, while at Medical School.  Ben helped Allie up the stairs with her luggage, and over the next 3.5 years, they would fall in love and share the most romantic love story. While studying in Medical School became their #1 priority, they fell in love over the simple things in life, and couldn’t wait to begin their lives together, post Medical School.

A logistics challenge…

But here was the problem.  When I met Ben & Allie, they were in the process of matching. What if they didn’t match to the same schools?  Could their love endure being in different places during such a challenging time in their lives?

As we sat together, somehow, we all knew – that everything was going to work out fine, and they would land exactly where destiny was going to take them.

Here we come, Arkansas!

Holy moly!  How excited was I when I found out they both matched in Arkansas, and got a puppy??  Everything worked out so well for them – and even though we might think – HUH?  ARKANSAS?  I just love how Allie and Ben looked at this as such a miracle, and that life was taking all the right turns at just the right time.

The Jewish-Interfaith Wedding

I loved marrying Ben and Allie.  Even though it rained and we had to go indoors, The Addison is a beautiful place to be, no matter where you have the wedding ceremony.  But what really shined through was the love Allie and Ben shared, and the excitement for finally starting their lives together – IN THE SAME PLACE!

How adorable is this Interfaith couple? I couldn’t be happier to be their wedding officiant on this very special day!

Cantor and Wedding Officiant Debbi officiates the wedding for a Jewish Interfaith couple at The Addison in Boca Raton, Florida
Jewish Interfaith couple at The Addison in Boca Raton
an Interfaith couple is exchanging Jewish Interfaith Wedding Vows at the Addison in Boca Raton, Florida
Wedding giggles during vows

Where will their love take them next?

I can’t wait to find out where Ben and Allie’s next stop on their journey will take them!  I sure hope they stay in touch – and don’t wait too long till we get to welcome an adorable baby – but wish them all the best in their medical profession journeys.  Love you guys!

Thanks for the memories!

Want to create your own “dream come true wedding”? Contact Cantor Debbi today to see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

PS: And don’t forget to stop by our sample ceremonies page to see what your ceremony might look like!

Filed Under: Jewish, Interfaith, LGBTQ Weddings, Weddings Tagged With: Interfaith wedding, Jewish

The Power Team of Jewish Catholic Wedding Officiants!

March 14, 2013 by Debbi Ballard 2 Comments

I’ve been so fortunate to have 2 opportunities to work with Father Tim, and since I just received a copy of this photo from our couple, Michelle and Brian, I’m posting it right away!  Again I am reminded why Father Tim and I are the Power Team of Jewish Catholic Wedding Officiants!

The Power Team of Jewish Catholic Wedding Officiants
Cantor Debbi Ballard and Father Tim Lozier, the power team of Jewish Catholic Wedding officiants, after Michelle and Brian’s Jewish Catholic wedding in St. Augustine, FL

I’m sure there are so many couples out there who are trying to find a workable way to incorporate their Jewish and Catholic faiths into a single ceremony, and we do it so well!  Both of our brides, Beth Ann and Michelle had always dreamed of getting married in a beautiful Catholic church,   but when they both fell in love with Jewish men, they feared that might not be able to happen.

Fortunately, they both found Father Tim!  I adore Father Tim – he’s super cool, open minded, and makes everything “kosher” with the Catholic Church, and my Jewish family members feel warm and wonderful knowing that we included the most important, cherished traditions of our faith in their wedding.

On top of having a great ceremony, Father Tim and I get along so well, and we have so much FUN together!  So have no fear, if you are looking for the power team of Jewish Catholic officiants – you have found us!

Want to create your own “dream come true wedding”?  Contact Cantor Debbi today to see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

Filed Under: Debbi's Deep Thoughts and Musings, Featured Content, Slider, Weddings Tagged With: Catholic, church, co-officiant, Jewish, wedding officiant

It’s Official! Shema Koleinu announces High Holiday Worship Services 5772!

July 31, 2011 by Debbi Ballard 4 Comments

 High Holiday Worship Services with Cantor Debbi Ballard Begin for the first time

7 years ago, I performed my first wedding.  6 years ago, I performed my first Bat Mitzvah.  Today, I am so proud to announce the official launch of “Shema Koleinu“, our non-profit synagogue-like organization that provides outreach to South Florida’s Jewish and Interfaith/Intercultural unaffiliated community.  After several years of providing quality, meaningful life cycles for families who do not belong to synagogues, I wanted to do more.  I wanted to mean more.  I knew, that in order to truly be “My Personal Cantor”, I must provide everything a true synagogue did, but was committed to eliminating the membership, dues, and business aspect of the synagogue.

It was not only critical to provide meaningful life cycles, it was critical to bring my community a place of belonging, a place they could call their community, and feel great about building. We can create community by action, not by dollars.  We can create community through mitzvah projects and group prayer, and not need to pay electric bills to do it!

But yet, we must build.  Bringing my community an amazing High Holy Day worship experience was my priority this year, and I’m so excited to announce that I have contracted with the Miramar Cultural Center in Miramar FL, to bring West Broward its first meaningful, uplifting, and spiritually abundant High Holiday worship services for the unaffiliated.  Regardless of your affiliation – or not – you can now worship and honor the new year with us, in a beautiful setting, with meaningful prayer and leadership.  Our services will be family-friendly, so bring your children!  And – we are even offering a tiny tot worship service for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

We need the community’s help in building something they can call their own!  For more information, please contact Cantor Debbi Ballard at 954-646-1326.  Watch for our official ticket sales announcement in the next few days, and please – let us know what you can do to help.  This is not MY event – this is YOURS!  Please come and be a part of something – REVOLUTIONARY!  You’ll be so happy you did!

B’Shalom,

 

Filed Under: Thoughts, worship Tagged With: 5772, High Holidays, High Holy Days, Interfaith, Jewish, Rosh Hashanah, unaffiliated, worship, Yom Kippur

Unaffiliated Lifecycles? One Cantor’s view…

November 24, 2010 by Debbi Ballard 1 Comment

I just came across a well-written post by a Reform Rabbi in Washington, DC, in response to the recent NYT article that seems to be hitting a lot of nerves around the world.  While I recognize that some of my colleagues provide this as a fast track, meaningless way to substantiate a monstrous party – not all of us do, and so here is my side of the story!

(Article)

Bar Mitzvah Training: It’s not just a job….

The New York Times story about on-line bar mitzvah preparation caught lots of attention (at least for a few minutes).  You should read it if you have not.  It offers a window into some basic problems we face in the American Jewish community today.  First, what do synagogues matter anymore?  It is possible to do everything Jewish without a synagogue.  We often say that the community you find in a synagogue is vital to your Jewish life and not available anywhere else.  Whether or not that’s true, the parents featured in the article don’t seem to care.  And yet, they DO want bar mitzvah ceremonies for their kids.  Or do they?  The other important issue in the article is about the meaning of bar/bat mitzvah?  The final line of the article says it all: “Once Joanne Kapsack had found a rabbi for Eli to work with, she pretty much bowed out of the preparations, she said. “I just cared about the party.”  I am sure this happens equally often in our temple (and others).  I must admit that I have never been a bar mitzvah party naysayer.  I’ve either stayed out of it and treated it as something outside my scope or I have embraced the idea of the parties as part of the mitzvah and part of the community gathering that can occur.  But, nothing has disappointed me more than hearing the post-event assessment from two recent bat mitzvah mothers: it was a let-down.  They whole experience, when it was all said and done, was a let down for these mothers.  What else could it be after all the hype, the buildup, the money and time spent on it?  I have no problem adopting new technology – though I don’t really want an office that looks like the trading floor of a brokerage house.  I have no problem with adopting different standards than previous generations simply accepted in order to become temple members. I also have no problem with completely revolutionizing the way we do Jewish education in general.  But I do have problems with the ongoing march toward deification of bar and bat mitzvah.  Within this trend is not so much innovation as desperation.  We will do anything, it seems, to make our kids and ourselves feel good while we and they wallow in ambivalence about our Judaism.Dear

(My reply)

Rabbi Roos,

I just came across your comment and wanted to share another aspect of this situation that many seem to forget, or are not aware of.

It saddens me, too, to see the rite of passage as nothing but an excuse to show off one’s financial stature. I’m not a nay-sayer either, but whole-heartedly believe that the community celebration should be one of meaning, with the closest of friends and family surrounding the child, and showing love and support.

I am one of those Officiants, who provide unaffiliated lifecycles to my families, however, not for the purpose of fast tracking, eliminating, or for any other motive. These are families who got lost in the synagogue shuffle, and felt that synagogues were busy expecting congregants to meet their own financial needs, rather than vice versa.

In my town of Weston, FL, the Reform synagogue was bursting at its seams 5 years ago. With 700 families, they had one Rabbi with a lifetime contract since day 1, and a Cantorial soloist (not even a Cantor).

B’Nai Mitzvah services were doubled, to two a day, on Saturday morning ONLY, with 2 students in each service.

Many families wanted Havdalah services. Many families wanted smaller, private services to be held in the chapel, without the big pomp and circumstance and showiness of keeping up with those Jones’s. Many wanted their Rabbi (or officiant) to actually know their child’s name, but couldn’t commit to 3-5 days a week at the synagogue because of other commitments and demands on their childrens’ and families’ lives.

So – because the local synagogue couldn’t (or wouldn’t) meet those families’ needs – and because they truly wanted a meaningful, intimate connection to Judaism, and an opportunity to make their Judaism more personal and meaningful, and relevant, they found me.

I am a deeply traditional, spiritual Jew, with a profound belief, and relationship with G-d. I actually teach my students how to pray – how to understand G-d, and make G-d meaningful and relevant. I actually engage my students in learning, and experiencing Judaism, by cooking in their homes at holidays, teaching them how to teach their parents (many who are in Interfaith marriages) and how to initiate a worship-style dialogue at their Friday night Shabbat dinner table.

Please know that not all of us have offices that look like Wall Street. Mine is covered with photos of families I have worked with, pictures of places that my incredible job has taken me to, and is an environment that helps me remember that I am here to serve people, and not the other way around.

Perhaps if synagogues began acting the same way- more families would walk in the doors, rather than out.

With the most profound respect for your thoughts,

Cantor Debbi Ballard

 

Want to create your own Bar Mitzvah “dream come true”?  Contact Cantor Debbi todayto see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

Filed Under: Judaism, Thoughts Tagged With: Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, Celebrations, Jewish, Lifecycles, Religion, unaffiliated, worship

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717 Shotgun Road,
Sunrise, FL 33326
954-646-1326



~ Officiating Jewish & Interfaith Weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Funerals, and any other Jewish Lifecycle Services in Florida, USA – Destination Weddings in North America, Mexico, Caribbean & Worldwide ~

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6:00 pm: Ava's Bat Mitzvah, Wellington, FL

March 4, 2023 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

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5March 5, 2023

Upcoming Events

  • 10:00 am – 11:15 am, September 19, 2020 – High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM
  • 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm, September 27, 2020 – High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM
  • 10:00 am – 11:15 am, September 28, 2020 – High Holy Days with Cantor Debbi Ballard on ZOOM
  • 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, March 4, 2023 – Ava's Bat Mitzvah, Wellington, FL

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