Living together is actually good. You can document it is as proof of your relationship. Since it was only 5 months, you won't be Common-Law so no worries there.
It's usually best to have 1-2 visits before marriage - although since you have lived together, it's not nearly as important. (Is she living with your parents still?)
What type of Jewish community is she from? Conservative, Reform, Orthodox, or Ultra-Orthodox? If you're deeply religious, does your denomination require the spouse to convert and/or promise to raise the children as Christian? And most important, have you already discussed it and decide what is best for your family? That's really what is important - if either or both of you is very religious, it wouldn't hurt to include a letter about your plans for your family on the religious side. CIC will ask about your religion and what faith the ceremony was done in. (For example, I wrote: We were married in a civil ceremony. My husband is athiest and I am non-practicing - because I don't attend a church or really consider myself of any denomination.)
By chance, is her family not attending because they don't approve of her marrying a Christian? You will need to write a letter about why they didn't come. If my guess is correct, that will provide a valid reason - although it's even more important you and your wife write letters about how your inter-faith relationship will work as I suggested above.
It is possible she can live with you while her visa is in process. Just make sure she remains in status as a visitor (or applies for an open work permit if you apply Inland).
She can live in Canada for 6 months (not 1 year) without a visa.
She can either get a Visitor's Record (visitor paperwork for visa exempt) or travel to the US border and "flagpole" for a new passport stamp, which gives her an additional 6 months if no date is written on the stamp. If at any point in time the IO writes a date on the stamp, her visitor status is only valid until that date.
