On this UVA Speaks podcast, Vanessa Ochs, Rabbi and Professor in the Religious Studies and Jewish Studies Departments at the University of Virginia, talks about her popular Jewish Weddings_ class,_ which has appeared on the “21 Classes to Take Before You Graduate” and “9 of the Coolest Classes at UVA” lists. Ochs’ students read biblical and ancient texts to discover the origins of rituals and understand that some practices performed in today’s weddings, like the chuppah, have evolved more recently. Students perform mock weddings, and Ochs describes how they have honored interfaith and intercultural traditions during the ceremonies, with some being performed on UVA’s infamous Lawn. Retiring at the end of the academic year, Professor Ochs also reflects on her students and time at UVA.   Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here.   Vanessa Ochs is a Rabbi, and a Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and a core member of the Jewish Studies Program since its inception. Professor Ochs teaches topics such as Jewish feminism, Jewish ritual, ethnographic fieldwork in religion, and Abrahamic feminism. She is the Chair of the Professional Consulting Committee: UVA Chaplaincy Services and Pastoral Education at the UVA Health System.