Readings

If dignity and beauty are important to you, you most definitely want to go with the chevra kadisha.

This dates back two millennia to the times of Rabban Gamliel the Elder in the early 1st century.

It is considered a sacred duty and a great kindness to be a part of the Chevra Kadisha, and it is an honor to be included in this group of dedicated volunteers.

“You should do it. It’ll give you something to write about!” my husband’s cousin Rochel effused in her inimitable, hard-to-refuse way.

Fresh snow covers the ground, thinking I’m too young to know. On the other side of the pit four Russians dressed like railroad or construction workers look me up and down. I try not to look back.

Judaism's position on cremation touches on some of its most basic and principal beliefs. This article offers a detailed explanation reagrding the origins of this prohibitions, as well as the implications of such an act.

My hope is that this letter, an artifice to ease my double grief over your death and cremation, will reach other Jews in the same plight, children and parents.

Who are funerals for, the dead or the living?

My grandmother recently revealed that she intends to be cremated. This disturbed me, as I know Judaism doesn't allow cremations, but I'm not sure why. What should I tell her?

She was so beautiful as she lay there on her back, perfectly still. I cradled her head in my arms as we washed her face. Her skin was smooth and her limbs remarkably flexible . . .

Imagine for just one horrible moment that you have died. Your soul is hovering over your body, and you are frightened and confused. “What is going on? Am I dead? What happens now...?”

As I walked behind the hearse, I thought about what we had done. I have been to funerals and been among the mourners, where everyone focuses on dealing with the living. Having now participated with those who focus on the dead, I have a new perspective

When someone passes on, it is a tragedy. They have been lost to their family and friends, and there is a feeling of separation and distance that seems beyond repair.

I noticed at a Jewish funeral that the rabbi called forward family members to fill in the grave with dirt. What is the reason for this?

We were a group of five women, eager to fulfill this mitzvah. This was my first time and I was a tad anxious. But this was something I had wanted to volunteer for, so I came with a positive attitude.

I know that sincere prayer is effective anywhere, even in one's living room. So why am I here in Rostov, Russia, the resting place of Rabbi Shalom DovBer of Lubavitch, as I write these words?

All I could think of in that funeral home was how my father had given so very much to me, and in my deep sadness, with his coffin a few feet away, I struggled to figure out what I had given him in return.

The reason behind the Jewish custom of burying a person almost immediately after his or her passing.

What does Jewish law say about where a person can be buried?

I have noticed that Jewish graves are usually flowerless. Is there anything wrong with placing a nice bouquet on my grandmother's grave?

Many people on both sides of the ocean come together to bury a Jew whom no one knew.

It is a common Jewish custom to place a small stone upon the gravestone of a loved one when visiting the cemetery.

I always appreciated getting one last look at the deceased . . .

The custom of burying our loved ones specifically in Israel is as old as the Jewish nation itself.

Whenever holiness departs, negative forces try to fill the void.

A eulogy honors the deceased and celebrates all the beautiful deeds and qualities he or she possessed. Why is this not done in Chabad?

At one point in Jewish history, some had the custom to wear black as a sign of mourning. What changed?

Long ago the wealthy would be buried in expensive materials, and the poor were embarrassed.