From Snooze Buttons to Sacred Promises: What I Learned from Officiating Mara and Bradley’s Jewish Wedding

The snooze button seems innocent enough, doesn’t it?

Just five more minutes. Just one more tap. Just one more delay.

But let’s talk about what the snooze button really teaches—especially to our children.

It whispers the message:

It’s okay to break a promise to yourself.

That commitment can be postponed.

That momentum doesn’t matter.

That dreams can wait.

And here’s the hard truth:

If a child learns to hit snooze at 12,

They’ll keep hitting snooze at 22—

On their goals.

On their discipline.

On their future.

As a Jewish wedding cantor and life coach, I meet people

at life’s most pivotal moments. And every so often, I meet a couple that

reminds me why I do this work—not just officiating ceremonies, but

teaching what it means to live with intention.

That couple? Mara and Bradley, from right here in Toronto.

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From Commitment to Covenant: A Wedding That Didn’t Hit Snooze

When Mara and Bradley first reached out, they were deep

into Jewish wedding planning and looking for something more than a

cookie-cutter ceremony. They wanted Jewish wedding traditions that felt

alive. Rituals with soul. A Jewish wedding officiant who could hold

space for their values, their love story, and their vision of a sacred

future.

They found me through a friend, and from our very first

Zoom call, I could tell: this wasn’t just going to be a traditional

Jewish wedding. It was going to be deeply intentional.

We talked about everything:

• Their families’ heritage and the Jewish wedding customs they wanted to include

• The type of Jewish wedding chuppah they envisioned—covered in meaningful textiles from both grandmothers

• Whether their Jewish wedding vows would be private or spoken aloud

• How they could make the Jewish wedding ketubah signing a moment of quiet reverence before the joyous celebration began

They chose a stunning Jewish wedding venue in Toronto that

blended nature and elegance, and filled it with warm light, soulful

Jewish wedding music, and some of the most heartfelt Jewish wedding

decorations I’ve seen.

But what stood out most?

Their absolute commitment. No snooze button. No waiting for “someday.”

They showed up. They followed through. They kept their word—not just to each other, but to themselves.

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What Commitment Looks Like in Real Life

The morning of the wedding, Mara texted me, “I’m overwhelmed but steady.”

Bradley, just minutes before the ceremony, said, “We’re ready. We’ve never been more ready.”

That’s what I mean by sacred follow-through.

Their wedding wasn’t just a celebration—it was a

declaration. A Jewish wedding ceremony rooted in the idea that

commitment is a daily promise, not a one-day event.

And I’ve seen it continue in their marriage, too. Because a

few months ago, I had the great honor of returning to their lives to

lead their baby naming ceremony.

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From Chuppah to Cradle: Showing Up for the Next Generation

Their baby girl, Naomi, was surrounded by loved ones for

her Jewish baby naming celebration—a moment filled with quiet blessings,

joyful singing, and storytelling about her name, her ancestors, and her

future.

There’s something profound about guiding a couple through

both their wedding and their Jewish newborn ceremony. The love that once

stood under a chuppah had now multiplied into something even greater—a

family.

I led them through Jewish baby naming traditions with the same intentionality we had brought to their wedding:

• Carefully chosen verses for her baby naming invitation

• Thoughtful planning of Jewish baby naming ceremony music

• A personalized welcome that blended tradition and modern meaning

It was, in every way, a continuation of that sacred

promise they made at the altar—to show up. To commit. To keep building,

day by day.

As someone mentored by a great Jewish wedding Rabbi, I

bring deep reverence to every lifecycle moment. But make no mistake: I

am a Cantor, and what I bring is not just melody or ritual—it’s

guidance. It’s meaning. It’s a reminder that everything we do, from

waking up to standing under a Jewish wedding chuppah, is a chance to

live on purpose.

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The Life Coaching Lesson: What Happens When Kids Learn to Follow Through

Now here’s where it gets personal.

When I’m not officiating Jewish wedding celebrations, I’m

teaching. Coaching. Mentoring students—kids, teens, and even

adults—through Judaism classes online and real-world wisdom.

And this lesson about the snooze button? I teach it all the time.

Because kids who learn to delay discipline…delay growth.

And kids who learn to keep promises to themselves—those are the ones who grow into adults the world can count on.

That’s what I saw in Mara and Bradley.

That’s what I now see in Naomi, as she’s being raised by parents who don’t flinch at commitment.

And that’s what I try to teach in every Bar or Bat Mitzvah student, in every wedding couple, in every parent I meet.

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Every Promise Matters: From Morning Alarms to Marriage Vows

Whether it’s:

• Getting out of bed when the alarm rings

• Honoring your ketubah with daily kindness

• Or showing up for your child’s naming ceremony with gratitude and presence…

Every promise matters.

The Jewish wedding customs, the Jewish wedding dance, the hora, the laughter, the speeches—all of it points to one truth:

The world changes when people follow through.

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Planning a Jewish Wedding or Baby Naming in Toronto?

If you’re looking for a Jewish wedding cantor who brings meaning to your celebration…

If you want a Jewish wedding ceremony that is as soulful as it is stunning…

If you’re ready to create a baby naming ceremony Jewish families will remember for generations…

Let’s talk.

I offer:

• Jewish wedding services rooted in tradition and customized to you

• Jewish baby naming services with heart and heritage

• And a gentle, joyful process every step of the way—from invitations to receptions, from vows to lullabies

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Final Thought: What Legacy Are You Building?

The snooze button might seem small.

But how we do the small things…is how we do everything.

So teach your children—by example—to rise when they say they will.

To show up when it counts.

To be a person the world can rely on.

Because love, family, tradition, and discipline?

They all begin the same way:

With a promise you keep.