TRADITION When It Comes To Flavor We Take The Cake . THE BA ► ER'S LOAF "A Fresh Approach to Baking" Two Locations Northwestern Hwy. Grand River 3 5 4-LOAF 4 71-LOAF Farmington Southfield ristorante at e La cucina classica Elegant occasions held in our new `European Garden Room with access to outside patio for appetizers and cocktails . . . or private Fireside Room for your smaller parties Let our detailed professional staff assist you with your bridal, shower or rehearsal plans 474-3033 30715 West Ten Mile Road • Farmington Hills 80 Brides 1990 not violate halacha. Some rabbis favor a double-ring ceremony because it emphasizes that the couple is mutual- ly exchanging their commitment to one another. Another point of departure is in the words recited by the bride and groom during the ring ceremony. Traditional- ly, with a one-ring ceremony, only the groom had a recitation. Now, with the advent of a double-ring exchange, the bride, in most cases, says the same words. This practice does not sit well with the more traditional. "There is no way we can mirror what a man and woman do in a ceremony," explains the Or- thodox rabbi, who believes that each partner has his or her own expression of commitment. "A true expression of equality is the recognition that the male and female roles are equal and yet distinct:' Also grounded in ancient theory is the stipulation that the ring be sim- ple so that its value is readily known. However, according to a Reform rabbi, the ring symbolizes the union and not any sort of transaction. "I don't care about the stones in the ring;' he says, "because the value of the ring has no bearing on the worth of the union:' The reading of the ketubah, in its original language, beneath the chup- pah has always been a part of the tradi- tional service. The fact that most couples do not understand the words is not as important as the symbolic gesture. Some rabbis prefer to read a ketubah with an English paraphrase to at least capture the spirit intended. Music selection is usually a personal preference. Some congregations allow the couples to choose their own music without any stipulations. Within Judaic custom, it is possible to retain most of the rituals and am- bience of a traditional Jewish wedding without steeping oneself in the mo- tions and verbiage of ancient times that have little meaning to many today. Indeed, the genius of Jewish tradi- tion is just how adaptive it is; we don't have to jettison tradition, but can find new meaning in old ways. II