HARTFORD – The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford has been awarded a grant from Connecticut Humanities to partially support its upcoming exhibit, “Breaking the Glass: The American Jewish Wedding.” The grant will be used to help design and fabricate text panels detailing the history of the Jewish wedding. The catalogue accompanying the exhibit will also contain information on the wedding rituals and traditions of several other faiths to provide further insight into the importance of the wedding ceremony throughout the world.

A highlight of the exhibit will be antique wedding gowns from the UConn Historical Costume and Textile Collection, and reproductions of ancient ketubot (Jewish marriage contracts) from the Beinecke Library Judaic Collection at Yale University. In addition, there will be a display of modern ketubot from contemporary artists. A number of programs are planned in conjunction with the exhibit that will examine the nature and history of weddings and why they have taken on such importance in American culture.

“Weddings have become an incredible cultural phenomenon in our society,” said Estelle Kafer, the Society’s executive director. “We wanted to go back to the historical and religious roots of the Jewish wedding and trace its transition to the ceremonies and celebrations that we see today. We also wanted to present information about the rituals of other faiths.”

“Breaking the Glass” will be on display at the Mandell Jewish Community Center, 335 Bloomfield Ave. in West Hartford, June 26 – Sept. 30. Admission is free. Along with the exhibit, on Sept. 10, a bridal fashion show will be held, featuring contemporary and vintage gowns, and a ‘celebrations’ vendor fair, at The Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Dr. in West Hartford. For information visit www.jhsgh.org or call (860) 727-6170.