About Us
Unorthodox Celebrations exists to help you find the right person to officiate at your wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, baby naming, or other Jewish life cycle event. Our network of rabbis and cantors officiates Jewish, interfaith, unorthodox, queer, and non-traditional weddings and life cycle events. We will help you create the wedding or occasion that feels just right for you, by finding an officiant that that fits who you are - whatever your vision, values and needs. Chances are you came to this site because you want Jewishness to play some kind of role - in a way that reflects you and your style, and you want a rabbi or officiant who gets that and who can also help you embody all of the other things you want your wedding to be.
As Rabbi Getzel Davis, a Jewish Chaplain at Harvard University, describes:
“I became a rabbi because I believe Judaism has the power to reconnect us to our community, our family (living, past and future), and God. Unfortunately, searching for a rabbi can sometimes make people feel disconnected or worse. I want to build communities that celebrate each and every person's complexity."
Rabbi Getzel founded Unorthodox Celebrations to ensure that everyone knows that they are strongly valued. Rabbi Getzel graduated from Hebrew College, a pluralist seminary ordaining Rabbis of all different Jewish flavors, and the whole team at Unorthodox Celebrations express our Jewishness in all kinds of ways. Together, we have organized a network of rabbis and officiants across North America who will perform different kinds of progressive weddings and other rituals with you.
Want to learn more about the people behind Unorthodox Celebrations? Check out our staff bios below!
How It Works
After you fill out our form, we'll use the information you gave us to help match you up with a few highly qualified officiants who would be a good fit for you and are available for your date - no need to waste time and energy making endless calls to folks that aren't going to work out. Within 3 business days, we'll send you several names and profiles to choose from. Each one will be a rabbi or officiant ready and available to perform your ritual.
Ready to go? Find a Wedding Officiant Here or someone for other Celebrations here.
More Questions? Check out our FAQ.
Who Are The People Behind Unorthodox Celebrations?
Rabbi Getzel Davis
Rabbi Getzel Davis was born and raised in New York City. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Brandeis University and his rabbinical ordination from Rabbinical School of Hebrew College where he also received a Masters in Jewish Education. Getzel is beginning his fourth year of work as a rabbi and educator at Harvard Hillel and also as an Harvard University Chaplain, where much of Getzel’s work is to engage students who do not consider themselves to be observant. There, he is the adviser for the Reform Minyan, teaches regular classes, and counsels students, faculty, and community members. Before coming to Harvard, Getzel worked as a rabbinic intern at Boston Synagogue and as the Spiritual Director of Eden Village Camp. He has also worked as an Jewish social justice educator at American Jewish World Service, Bend the Ark, PANIM, and the Teva Learning Alliance. Getzel received quite a bit of press coverage for his contributions to Occupy Judaism at Occupy in New York and in Boston.
Julie Aronowitz
Julie Aronowitz helps communities and organizations develop leaders and effective systems and strategies to create high impact change through her consulting and community organizing work. She most recently worked at Brockton Interfaith Community, a local affiliate of the national congregation-based community organizing network PICO. There,she supported 30+ congregations and organizations to develop leadership teams that helped pass legislation including the nation's highest statewide minimum wage and strongest sick time. She previously worked at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston and Chelsea Neighborhood Developers. An alumna of Brandeis University and the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, Julie has developed expertise in leadership and organizational change through the Selah Social Justice Leadership program and Marshall Ganz's fellowship program at the Harvard Kennedy School. Her learning at Hadar and the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies has informed her passion to build inclusive and values-driven Jewish community as the Board President at the Moishe Kavod Jewish Social Justice House and just about anywhere she tries to do Jewish.
Sheila Webb-Halpern
Sheila Webb-Halpern is a consultant and strategist with expertise in public affairs and organizational change. She has more than 10 years of experience in communications, new media, government relations, and political campaigns. In 2012, Sheila co-founded a consulting practice, co-see group, which offers a variety of client services including website development and strategy, specialized hiring and talent management, and meeting facilitation and strategic planning. She received her training in organizational development, change management, and leadership coaching at The New School, where she earned her M.S. in Organizational Change Management in 2013. Her graduate research focused on organic change, an organizational development approach that contains powerful pathways to meaningful, productive, and collaborative workplaces. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Bryn Mawr College, concentrating on mass movements and structural inequality. Previously, Sheila has directed communications and special campaigns for Bend the Arc, a Jewish social justice organization; consulted on electoral campaigns; and managed government and media relations for Planned Parenthood. Sheila specializes in developing and enabling communities of diverse members whose work is as admirable as their process.
Justin Held
Justin Held is the newest member to the Unorthodox Celebrations team. Justin is originally from Minneapolis and is thrilled to join the Boston Jewish community. Justin recently moved there to begin rabbinical school at Hebrew College in Newton. Justin graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Religious Studies and Judaic Studies. At KU Justin was involved in the Jewish community by interning at Hillel and was a member of the ZBT fraternity. During his time at KU Justin studied abroad at the Hebrew University in Israel which was one of his six unique Israel experiences.
Contact the staff by email or by using our contact form.