Cantor Cathy Lawrence

Cantor Cathy Lawrence Freelance clergy for weddings, b'nei mitzvah ceremonies, and worship services. Some are grand and formal, some small and intimate. What is the process?

The weddings ceremonies vary from Jewish and traditional to Interfaith and same sex. One was a Jewish ceremony that followed a Hindu ceremony (not conducted by me!) in which the groom arrived on a white horse at the door of the Plaza Hotel. One took place in a Catholic church and was co-led by a wonderful priest. I encourage family and friends to participate, whether through planned readings or mu

sical contributions, artistic offerings (a handsome, quilted chuppah, a specially designed and painted ketubah) or though invitations during the ceremony- for joining in an "Amen" chorus for a final song, or, in one case, for spontaneous remarks of reminiscence and blessing in the midst of an otherwise silent prayer. This last took place in a Quaker meeting house in downtown Manhattan. Some weddings have been outside- in parks, on patios, in a South Hampton backyard; others have been in lavish indoor spaces. One featured a couple in their eighties and took place quietly and sweetly in their living room. And in several cases, I have been summoned by the couple a year or two later, to preside over the naming ceremony of their newborn! This, too, can vary from couple to couple. Generally we will email and/or speak on the phone and then set up a meeting. I will explain my way of working, provide an outline of a typical ceremony, and gather information about you- who you are, how you met, and your hopes and wishes for your ceremony. Many couples have clear and sometimes fixed ideas along these lines. They want spiritual but not religious, religious but not exclusive of others' beliefs, lots of reference to God, no reference to God, short and sweet, long and inclusive of certain rituals, lots of music, no music, etc. Occasionally, there will be differences between partners, or concerns about how the family of one side will react to the ceremony. We will find the path of maximum peace and enjoyment for you and your guests. I am entirely dedicated to making your wedding ceremony as wonderful as you and your future spouse can imagine. After the initial meeting, I will draft a ceremony based on our discussion, which I will email to you. Typically we will email back and forth a number of times until the ceremony is exactly what you want. We may also meet one or more times after that to get better acquainted and for further discussion. I like to feel that I have a real connection with each couple. That way the ceremony is more meaningful for everyone. On the day of the wedding I will arrive at least 45 minutes to an hour before the ceremony start time, to check on everyone and to make sure that the sound system is working and that ritual items are set up. I also use this time to get to know the families and to see that any ceremony participants are comfortable with their roles. I may also use this time to sign a ketubah and/or wedding license. I generally wear a white robe and a prayer shawl, but this is up to the couple. Fees
Ceremonies start at $500 for a weekday service within Manhattan. Weekend service- add $100. Travel outside Manhattan- add $100 or more, depending on location. I ask for a deposit of $150 to hold a date.

11/24/2022

Wishing a spirit refreshing, soul satisfying Thanksgiving for all my friends, family, and the wide world.

07/23/2019

We are slowed down sound and light waves, a walking bundle of frequencies tuned into the cosmos. We are souls dressed up in sacred biochemical garments and our bodies are the instruments through which our souls play their music.

07/02/2019

NY Troubadours at the Riverdale Y last Friday

07/02/2019
Friday night service with Sam Kline and Nick HuGz at the Chai Center in Watchung, NJ.
11/04/2018

Friday night service with Sam Kline and Nick HuGz at the Chai Center in Watchung, NJ.

Thank you Cantor Cathy, Sam & Nick for an extra-special Shabbat!

clarifying a confusing/disturbing situation
11/01/2018

clarifying a confusing/disturbing situation

The faith leader the vice president asked to share a blessing for unity believes that the only way for Jews to reach heaven is to stop being Jews.

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The weddings ceremonies vary from Jewish and relatively traditional to interfaith and same s*x. I encourage family and friends to participate, whether through planned readings or musical contributions, artistic offerings (a handsome, quilted chuppah, a specially designed and painted ketubah) or though invitations during the ceremony- for joining in an "Amen" chorus for a final song, or, in one case, for spontaneous remarks of reminiscence and blessing in the midst of an otherwise silent prayer. This last took place in a Quaker meeting house in downtown Manhattan. Some weddings have been outside- in parks, on patios, in a South Hampton backyard; others have been in lavish indoor spaces.

After an initial phone conversation or two, I generally meet with the couple to provide an outline of a typical ceremony, and gather information about you- who you are, how you met, and your hopes and wishes for your ceremony. Many couples have clear and sometimes fixed ideas along these lines. They want spiritual but not religious, religious but not exclusive of others' beliefs, lots of reference to God, no reference to God, short and sweet, long and inclusive of certain rituals, lots of music, no music, etc. Others arrive with many questions about how a ceremony is structured, and I am happy to be a resource for information. Occasionally, there are differences between partners’ expectations, or concerns about how the families will react to the ceremony. We will find the path of maximum peace and enjoyment for you and your guests. I am entirely dedicated to making your wedding ceremony as wonderful as you and your future spouse can imagine. After the initial meeting, I will draft a ceremony based on our discussion, which I will email to you. Typically we will email back and forth a number of times until the ceremony is exactly what you want. We may also meet a couple of times after that to get better acquainted and for further discussion. I like to establish a real connection with each couple, so that the ceremony is more meaningful for everyone. On the day of the wedding I will arrive at least 30 minutes before the ceremony start time, to check on everyone and to make sure that the sound system is working and that ritual items are set up. I also use this time to get to know the families and to see that ceremony participants are comfortable with their roles. I may also use this time to sign a ketubah and/or wedding license. I generally wear a white robe and a prayer shawl, but this is up to the couple. Fees Ceremonies start at $700 for a weekday service within Manhattan. Weekend service- add $100. Travel outside Manhattan- add $100 or more, depending on location. I ask for a deposit of $150 to hold a date.