about us

CUSTOM ILLUMINATION THAT TELLS YOUR STORY
b r i n g i n g t h e k e t u b a h i n t o t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y

h o w d i d w e g e t s t a r t e d ?

while searching for a ketubah with my husband six years ago, i found
myself disappointed by the selection & style of ketubot that we were
finding. we wanted something modern, sleek, personal, yet jewish--
something that was decidedly not what our parents (or bubbe) would hang.

we wanted something that had a distinct link to the traditions & beauty of
the jewish people & jewish art, but didn't look like we purchased it at a
local judaica shop our rabbi suggested, or from a website that focuses on a
mass production of non-specific, dated designs that failed to express "us."

so i made my own ketubah. we wrote our own text, had it translated into
hebrew, & hand-calligraphed by a master hebrew calligrapher. i then
researched & studied the history of jewish illumination & art. i sought out symbols & imagery--both historically jewish & personal to our history
as a couple--that visually conveyed the central themes of our ketubah text,
as well as who we are individually & who we had become to one another.

the surprise? i fell in love with the process of designing & making ketubot.

i became excited at the notion of helping a new generation of american
jews in creating their own truly meaningful & personal document; a custom
work of art that has a way of holding true to our unique & rich tradition,
while simultaneously exploring a more modern way of expressing what
marriage can & should be in the 21st century.

. . . and so, T H E N E W K E T U B A H was born.

a b o u t t h e a r t i s t

nick is an art-lover, design fanatic, & diehard new englander who loves autumn leaves & thick knit sweaters. he attended emerson college, where he received a bachelor of fine arts & met his husband, andrew (a current rabbinical student at hebrew union college — jewish institute of religion). they currently reside on the upper west side of manhattan.

nick has had a pencil or brush in his hand for —quite literally — as long as he can remember. he grew up drawing, painting, & taking art classes. he has been consistently designing, creating, & selling visual art in various forms for the last fifteen years. he is thrilled to combine his love of art & passion for design with his connection to this rich & ancient jewish tradition.

he considers it a great joy & immense blessing to assist new jewish couples in creating a personal & beautiful document expressing all the possibilities of a contemporary jewish marriage.

o u r p h i l o s o p h y

a dress or a suit will hang in a closet. food is eaten & drinks are drunk. A K E T U B A H I S A C O N S T A N T.

your ketubah has the potential to be both a family heirloom & a work of art. hung on your wall, you will come into contact with it every day -- a reminder of who you are to each other & what you want for your future. & it definitely doesn't have to look like your bubbe's.

" it is no longer necessary for a ketubah to be a contract about what happens if or when everything goes wrong.
it can -- & perhaps should -- be a document that attempts to ensure that everything goes right . . . "
- Rabbi Elaine Zecher, Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel of Boston

r e a d m o r e a b o u t T N K

* as seen in THE NEW YORK TIMES. yup! that's right, folks -- that is the corner of a NEW KETUBAH tara & jake are about to sign!

* read a feature on Union Reform Judaism's Ten Minutes of Torah Blog -- this post originally appeared on the blog of ReformJudaism.org

​CUSTOM ILLUMINATION THAT TELLS YOUR STORYb r i n g i n g t h e k e t u b a h i n t o t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y​​​​​

​​​L E T ' S M A K E S O M E T H I N G B E A U T I F U L T O G E T H E R​​​

CUSTOM ILLUMINATION THAT TELLS YOUR STORY
b r i n g i n g t h e k e t u b a h i n t o t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y

L E T ' S M A K E S O M E T H I N G B E A U T I F U L T O G E T H E R