David and Melita’s Ketubah

The Doostan-Silberstein Ketubah reflects the interconnectedness of of all things. For David and Melitta, their connection with the earth is a central part of their relationship. They wanted a Ketubah that showed this organic connection between all life without square angels or strong borders, a Ketubah full of life and the wonders of the manifest world. In order to embody this awareness, this Ketubah was created outdoors in beautiful spots in nature. The tree in the center was drawn while perched in a beautiful Bay Laurel tree in Tilden Regional Park. This tree was of central importance to the couple because they were engaged to be married underneath a Bay tree on mount Tamalpais on the Winter Solstice.

The tree and surrounding grasses were made using collage. Each leaf was carefully cut out of the highest quality hand made paper and each leaf was pasted on with love and prayers.

Death gives way to life as compost creates the nutrients for the tree and the garden as seen in the bottom of the Ketubah. The bottom right side of the painting contains a scene of nature in its pure wild state, while the left side depicts a garden scene, cultivated by people. The garden represents humans living in harmony with the earth. The fence around the garden represents the boundaries necessary for humans to live with the natural world and protect their gardens. The Beauty of this fence is a contrast to the cement and barb wire that humans create out of fear to protect their territories. According to Kabbalah, the left side represents Gevurah (judgment, withholding, boundaries) while the right side represents Chesed (kindness, giving, without limitations). Both are important and need to be in balance in a healthy relationship.

As you move upward in the painting, you enter the mythic realm of the imagination where anything is possible. Magical animals, spirit guides and guardians inhabit this realm of the mind and heart. The right side is fire representing, activity, sexuality, masculinity and transformation. On the left is water: receptive, emotional, feminine and fluid. Both elements are needed for a balanced relationship.

The top of the image is the cosmic realm; the universe, G-D, the deepest subtle realities. The mandala in the center represents the third eye, a gateway to the soul, to the Creator. This part of the painting was blessed by a Sat Guru from India named Amachi. The Star of David represents their Jewish spiritual path and the flower over it represents the “Flower of Life”, an ancient symbol reflecting the subtle energy pattern within all life from the atomic level to the cosmic.

The calligraphy was done by Nechama Langer.