Question: Should rabbis insist on premarital counseling prior to officiating at weddings?

 

 


Yes. This allows couples to sit down with a professional and work out any issues they may have before getting married. It may not be suitable for everyone, however, and it has the potential for creating problems where there were none to begin with.


– Sara Leibowitz, student



 

 



No. Enforcement never solves anything. Couples should attend sessions of their own volition – otherwise the whole point is meaningless. If couples feel obligated or forced to attend premarital classes, the sessions will not be productive.


– Joel Silver, Law/Judicial

 



Yes. I think many couples, especially young ones, have a false perception of what marriage is really like. Many engaged couples compare their relationship with others and don’t realize how much work must go into maintaining a healthy marriage.


Yehudis Gold, advertising

 




Yes. Unfortunately, today we have some young couples who are too immature to get married. Attending premarital counseling classes will hopefully better prepare them for marriage. Psychologists are good mediators, and they can teach couples how to interact with their partners and not be selfish.


Ricky Carlson, designer


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Ita Yankovich is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in various Jewish and secular publications. She also teaches English and Literature at Kingsborough College and Touro College. She can be reached at [email protected].