Rabbi Michael Sternfield is a Reform Jewish rabbi based in Los Angeles, California. He conducts wedding ceremonies for couples of Jewish faith and interfaith weddings. He is available for weddings in Southern California, throughout the United States, and international destinations.
Rabbi Sternfield feels that rabbis should be open to officiating at interfaith and intercultural weddings. Our sincere and enthusiastic embrace of these couples and their children will determine the future of Judaism in America.
Over the years, Rabbi Sternfield has officiated and co-officiated at weddings combining Judaism and a wide array of other religions. In addition, he has performed intercultural weddings with members of many ethnic groups. Whenever possible, he enjoys combining cultural components from both groups, often including materials from other languages.
Rabbi Sternfield always meets with each couple a number of times, sometimes by Skype or Facetime when necessary, to become well acquainted with them in order to customize their ceremony to their particular needs and wishes. Most important of all, he wants to get to know each couple well enough to add a personal touch to the wedding ceremony.
If you are having difficulty locating a rabbi who will conduct interfaith weddings in your area, contact Rabbi Sternfield by phone at 312-320-5538 or by email here. He is also available for bar & bat mitzvahs, funerals, memorial services, baby namings.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah: A Better Way
Bar/Bat mitzvah preparation should be inspiring and enjoyable, for young people and their families but it is more often the opposite. Most young people dislike Hebrew school and resent time away from friends and other activities. They find learning to read Hebrew mechanically to be tedious and useless.
The time devoted to preparation is too precious to be wasted on rote learning when it could be devoted to much more important purposes.
There is a better way. Rabbi Michael Sternfield and Cantor Deborah Bard provide positive and inspiring Bar/Bat Mitzvah experiences that young people enjoy and happily remember all of their lives.
These are some of the features of the Better Way Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience:
- Affordable alternative to synagogue affiliation
- Emphasis on Jewish ethics and values
- Learning to read Hebrew is not necessary
- Attendance of religious school is not required
- Learning sessions are one-on-one with Rabbi Sternfield and Cantor Bard usually remotely by Facetime or Zoom.
- Involvement of parents in the learning experience
- The Bar/Bat mitzvah ceremony will take place in the location of your choosing.
- Synagogue Membership is optional
- Many young people are from interfaith families. We wish to be inclusive of all.
- Rabbi Sternfield and Cantor Bard will officiate at the ceremony with a prayer booklet prepared for each family.
Rabbi Sternfield and Cantor Bard will be pleased to speak with you about planning a Better Way Bar & Bat Mitzvah for your son/daughter. Both are experienced, authentic, ordained Jewish clergy who have spent many years as spiritual leaders of Reform congregations. They reside in Southern California and are willing to travel for the ceremony to your location.
Rabbi Sternfield is happy to provide references from families whom he has worked with in the past.