About

This wedding is all about you, and you do not have to be what I am in order for me to perform your ceremony.

I have been ordained as a member of the clergy by two organizations. One is the Humanist Society, the certifying arm of the American Humanist Association since 1987.  The other is the International Institute of Secular and Humanistic Jews, a branch of Humanistic Judaism.

This means that I have training, schooling and experience!  I am not a mail-order ordination officiant.

I am also a licensed Social Worker. In order to receive ordination, I received training in life-cycle ceremonies, pastoral duties, education and counseling. The dual certification reflects my interest in my philosophy, which is Humanism, and in my own culture and background, which are Jewish. There are links elsewhere on the site to information about both organizations.

My beliefs influence your ceremony in only one way. Humanists believe that  we determine the purpose and course of own lives.

We are responsible for our own decisions as well as the consequences. Therefore, it would not be honest for me to bless or pray for you, or to invoke a god during the ceremony. The ceremonies we develop together are spiritual and beautiful, and both secular and religious people have graciously expressed their appreciation in notes that you can find elsewhere on this site.

My education credentials are as follows:

• Graduate of Wayne State University – Detroit, Michigan
  • Licensed Social Worker

   

• Graduate of The Humanist Institute, NYC
  • Certified as a Humanist Leader

   

• Graduate of IISHJ  (International Institute of Secular & Humanistic Judaism, Michigan
  • Certified as Jewish Humanist Leader
  • Ordained a Madrikha

   

• HS – Humanist Society
  • Certified as a Minister & Counselor