How a Jewish Wedding Can Teach Us to Raise Children Who Stay Close for Life

By Cantor Ben

Let Me Tell You a Story…

I was at Great Wolf Lodge with my family. My kids were in

the wave pool, laughing and splashing. Suddenly, the water surged. It

got rough. In an instant, their expressions changed from joy to panic. I

 watched closely to see what they would do.

And then something beautiful happened.

They reached for each other.

Not for a lifeguard. Not for me. For each other.

That single moment told me more about the future of my

children than any school report ever could. Because here’s the truth:

kids who learn to hold on to each other in the middle of the chaos

become adults who don’t let money, ego, or distance tear their families

apart.

Most parents say they want their children to be close when they grow up. But very few plan for it.

That planning—teaching love, resilience, and loyalty—can

begin anywhere. For some couples, it begins in the home. For others,

it’s reinforced during one of the most sacred moments of their lives:

their Jewish wedding ceremony.

Why This Story Matters (Especially at Your Wedding)

I met Chad and Sarah in Toronto while preparing to

officiate their Jewish wedding. From the start, I could see their values

 aligned with something deeper than romance. They wanted their wedding

to be about family roots and legacy. Not just about the dress, the

venue, or the flowers.

As a Jewish Wedding Officiant, I’ve seen many ceremonies.

But this one stood out. They told me how they wanted their children—yet

to be born—to grow up grounded. They wanted more than a joyful Jewish

wedding celebration. They wanted to plant seeds for a lifetime of

closeness, meaning, and mutual support.

Their Jewish Wedding Ketubah wasn’t just a historical

document. It was a declaration of the kind of parents they hoped to

become.

It reminded me: Traditional Jewish Weddings aren’t just about two people. They’re about building families that last.

A Life Coaching Perspective

Over the years, I’ve come to realize: most people prepare

harder for their careers than for their marriages or their parenting.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Marriage is the training ground for the next generation.

When we teach kindness, patience, and vulnerability between spouses,

children learn those values naturally. When parents model the Jewish

Wedding Traditions of respect and love—symbolized by the Chuppah, the

Ketubah, the Seven Blessings, and the sacred Jewish Wedding Dance—we

build homes filled with intention.

And when kids grow up in that kind of environment, they don’t have to reach for each other in the chaos.

They want to.

A Real-Life Moment: Chad and Sarah’s Jewish Wedding in Toronto

The day of Chad and Sarah’s Jewish Wedding Ceremony was

magical. The sun beamed down on their beautiful Jewish Wedding Venue,

nestled in the heart of Toronto. The Chuppah was decorated with delicate

 Jewish Wedding Decorations, the sound of Jewish Wedding Music filled

the air, and the Ketubah waited, signed with heartfelt promises.

During their Jewish Wedding Vows, Chad turned to Sarah and

 said, “More than anything, I want us to raise a family where love is

louder than fear, and support is stronger than pride.”

After officiating over 100 weddings as a Jewish Wedding

Cantor—mentored by a great Jewish Wedding Rabbi—I still found myself

moved. Chad and Sarah weren’t just promising to love each other. They

were promising to love their future children through one another.

And that promise? It’s more powerful than any wedding ring.

The Importance of Ritual

Jewish Wedding Rituals help us remember that life isn’t just about big moments—it’s about small, sacred ones.

Whether you’re dancing the Jewish Wedding Hora or breaking

 the glass under the Chuppah, each act reflects values worth passing

down. I’ve seen couples choose Modern Jewish Weddings or Traditional

Jewish Weddings, each bringing their personal touch to the ancient

customs. What matters most is not the style—it’s the substance.

Your Jewish Wedding Officiant isn’t just guiding a ceremony. They’re helping you write the first chapter in your family’s story.

That’s why I always encourage couples like Chad and Sarah

to think ahead—not just to the Jewish Wedding Reception, but to the life

 they want to build after the music fades.

Building the Next Generation: Beyond the Wedding

A few months after the wedding, Chad and Sarah reached

out. They were expecting a baby. They wanted to plan a Jewish Baby

Naming Ceremony. As their Jewish Baby Naming Officiant, I helped them

bring the same intention and joy to this Jewish Newborn Ceremony as we

had to their wedding.

They included elements like:

•    A meaningful Jewish Baby Naming Invitation

•    Traditional Jewish Baby Naming Rituals

•    Jewish Baby Naming Ceremony Music that matched their unique taste

•    A Jewish Baby Naming Celebration that included both sides of the family

Just like their wedding, the ceremony was a reflection of who they are and who they want their children to become.

That’s how families stay close—through shared values,

rituals, and reminders that they’re part of something bigger than

themselves.

Your Challenge This Week

Ask yourself these three questions:

1.    What are you doing today to make sure your future children (or current ones) stay close tomorrow?

2.    Are you modeling the kind of love and respect you want them to carry forward?

3.    Have you put as much thought into your Jewish Wedding Planning as you have into your career or your finances?

Final Thought

The waves of life will come. That’s not a question. The question is—when they do—will your children reach for each other?

Let your Jewish Wedding Ceremony be the moment you begin training them for that.

Let your vows mean more than words. Let them be seeds.

Seeds of love. Of unity. Of legacy.

Because strong families don’t happen by accident. They’re built—with intention, tradition, and love.

And I would be honored to help you begin that journey.

—

If you’re planning a Jewish Wedding in Toronto—or a Jewish

 Baby Naming Ceremony for your newborn—I’d love to be your Jewish

Wedding Cantor. Let’s make it meaningful.

Thanks for reading,

Ben