About Conservative Ketubot

The Conservative Ketubah preserves the traditional content and may be in either Aramaic or Hebrew but differs from the Orthodox text because it adds additional text about the mutual obligations of both groom and bride. It may also contain a section about the bride’s right to a get (the traditional Jewish divorce) upon demand, called the Leiberman clause. However, the Conservative text preserves the tradition of different amounts of dowry for the bride based on her status. 'Bride' or no status designation may be substituted with the consent of your rabbi, but even with this change in labels, the amount listed is still different depending on the status listed. Two Jewish adults of good standing in the Jewish community who are not relatives of either the bride or groom are required to sign the contract.

The Conservative Ketubah

We testify that on the ______ day of the week, the ____of the month ____, in the year 57___, corresponding to (secular calendar date), here in (place) the groom, ___________, said to the bride, _________:

"Be my wife according to the laws and traditions of Moses and the Jewish people. I will work on your behalf and honor, sustain, and support you according to the practice of Jewish men, who faithfully work on behalf of their wives and honor, sustain, and support them. I obligate myself to give you the sum of _____two/one hundred  zuzim as the money for your ketubah, to which you are entitled according to _________ law (proper to brides/virgins/divorcees/converts). I will provide your food, clothing and necessities, and I will live with you in marital relations according to universal custom."

The bride, _______, agreed to these terms and to become his wife, to participate together with him in establishing their home in love, harmony, peace, and companionship, according to the practice of Jewish women.

The groom, ________, accepted responsibility for the full dowry that she brought from her _____ (father's/family's) house, whether in silver, gold, jewelry, clothes, or  furnishings, amounting to the sum of ______zuzim and agreed to increase this amount from his own assets with the sum of _______ zuzim, for a total of ________ zuzim.

The groom, _____, said: “I take upon myself and my heirs after me, the obligation of this ketubah, the dowry and the additional sum, to be paid from the best part of all my property, real and personal, that I now possess or may hereafter acquire. From this day forward, all my property, wherever it may be, even the mantle on my back, shall be mortgaged and liened for the payment of this ketubah, dowry, and additional sum, whether during my lifetime or thereafter.”

_____, the groom, took upon himself all the obligations and strictures of this ketubah, the dowry, and additional sum, as is customary with other ketubot made for Jewish women in accordance with the enactment of our sages, may their memory be for a blessing.

__________, the groom, and _________, the bride, further agreed that should either contemplate dissolution of the marriage, or following the dissolution of the marriage in the civil courts, each may summon the other to the Bet Din of The Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Theological Seminary, or its representative, and that each will abide by its instructions so that throughout life each will be able to live according to the laws of the Torah.

This ketubah is not be regarded as mere rhetoric or as a perfunctory legal form. We have performed the act which in Jewish law makes the obligations of this document legally binding on the part of _______, the groom, to __________, the bride, and on the part of ________, the bride, to ________, the groom, with an instrument fit for that purpose, in order to confirm all that is stated and specified above, which shall be valid and immediately effective.

Attested to __________________ Witness

Attested to __________________Witness

Rabbi____________________

Groom___________________


Bride____________________