Ketubahs by Buzz

Ketubahs, or Ketubot in Hebrew, are the Jewish marriage contract. Way back in history, the Ketubah served as a public document within private homes in order to hold spouses accountable to the promises they made upon marriage. Because it is hung in the home for all to see, it’s illustrated and functions as a decorative object. While the Ketubah might seem legalistic, making a Ketubah continues to be a way for couples to collaborate on their vision for their life together. It can be whatever you want it to be! There is something special about creating a sacred object to formalize love and commitment, and inventing your own life within an ancient tradition.

My goal is to create designs that resonate with contemporary Jews -- including leftists, feminists, queers, trans people, art lovers, New Yorkers, etc. Like most traditions in Judaism, Ketubot are ripe for redefinition, and we can bring our own perspectives the way we create them. I love witnessing couples collectively write their Ketubah and design the marriage they want to build together.

How it works:

Once we begin working together, we can discuss color palette, imagery, aesthetics, and we can look at reference images together to see what resonates. I’ll mock up a design for approval before putting pen to paper. The couple writes their Ketubah text togther as a collaboration. I can provide sample texts for their reference. If the couple wants both Hebrew and English, I send the English text to the translator, and then once I get it back, I make the Ketubah! I submit it well in advance of the wedding, all packed up and ready for the signing.

I myself am married to a non-Jew, and am very open to working with mixed-faith couples, and couples who have different relationships with Judaism. I am a queer and non-binary person, and the Hebrew translator I use is sensitive to gender and language in her translations.

I make the entire Ketubah by hand on Arches hot press 300 lb. watercolor paper. This paper is extremely substantial, made of cotton, and acid free. I use archival inks and watercolors so that your Ketubah will last a lifetime. Because this is a handmade art object, my prices will differ from print on demand websites.

Local delivery available for customers in the tristate area.

For inquiries, please email me at buzzslutzky@gmail.com.

Photos by Violet Cristina Photo.