About me – Rabbi Doug Kohn
With years of experience officiating Jewish weddings in the Hudson Valley, I’m dedicated to making your special day meaningful and personalized.
My Approach
As a Rabbi, I invite you to appreciate the richness of the Jewish wedding ceremony – and its flexibility. Having worked with hundreds of couples, we learn and work together to make your wedding truly your wedding, within the deep wisdom of Jewish tradition. We join in creating a meaningful and personalized ceremony that reflects the unique bond between within each couple. My goal is to bring sincerity, warmth, and Jewish authenticity to your special day, ensuring that your uniqueness and our shared traditions resonate deeply.
Core Values
I am committed to honoring the Jewish traditions while also embracing modernity and the individuality of each couple. Respect, inclusivity, joy, humor and authenticity guide my officiation style, helping couples feel celebrated and understood as they unite in marriage. All couples are celebrated equally – different or same religions, different or same genders – joy and love are common and vital!
Philosophy
My approach emphasizes heartfelt storytelling and personalized rituals that truly capture your love story. I aim to facilitate a ceremony that includes you and your families, your traditions and comfort, so that your wedding is genuine, memorable, and deeply meaningful for all.
Authenticity
Authenticity is at the heart of my officiating. I listen carefully to your stories, your values and your needs. Then, we work closely to design and conduct the ceremony that represents your relationship, traditions, and values, making your wedding uniquely yours.
Personalized
Every couple is different, and your wedding should reflect that. By the time that your wedding day arrives, we will know each other richly and profoundly, and we will have built an enduring trust. We will have laughed together and learned together, and I will enjoy your wedding almost as much as you do. It is personal for me, too!
Experience
With years of experience officiating Jewish and interfaith weddings in the Hudson Valley, and across America, I bring professionalism and sensitivity to every ceremony, making sure your day runs smoothly while keeping the focus on your love. I work closely with the rest of the team – the photographers and videographers, the wedding coordinators and caterers, and the sound technicians and grandparents – to be sure we all are serving one goal: to make your precious wedding!
Testimonials
You knew us!
“It was like you knew us both all of our lives!
And, thank you for doing our baby’s naming, two years later. We hope to share more special moments as our family grows!”
S & B
Numerous compliments!
“Dear Rabbi,
We cannot thank you enough for the beautiful ceremony you led on our wedding day. We received numerous compliments on how heartfelt and meaningful the ceremony was. It was a beautiful day (despite the few raindrops) and everything did turn out just fine! We just returned from Japan and had an amazing time there. We especially loved Kyoto!”
A & J
Beautiful ceremony!!
“Hi Rabbi Kohn,
We wanted to thank you so much for leading a beautiful ceremony on Saturday! We received so many compliments. We deeply appreciate how you incorporated both religions and cultures, creating a harmonious and inclusive celebration. Many guests mentioned that this was their first trilingual wedding, which made it even more special.
Thank you for being so helpful throughout this entire process and for ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Everyone loved your jokes, and any nervousness we felt prior to the wedding quickly disappeared once the ceremony began. You truly made our wedding so special!
We will definitely keep in touch as you have made such an impact on us.
E & L
Hudson Valley Weddings - Rabbi Douglas Kohn 