2.3: Jewish Customs

Differentiate between the terms Jewish, Hebrew and Israeli

-Jewish; the religion to which one may belong -Hebrew; the ethnicity of a person -Israeli; the nationality of a person

List the 3 items a Jewish male would wear to the funeral of his wife or father

-Kriah ribbon -Yamaka -Tallith

List the religious items that may be place on or near the casket during a Jewish Visitation

-Menorah placed near the head of the casket -A mogen david may be placed behind the casket -A pall may be placed over the casket

List and describe the 3 main Jewish sects

-Orthodox; most traditional -Conservative; moderately liberal -Reform; most liberal

Describe the functions performed by the Chevrah Kaddisha.

-Perform the taharah (washing), while reciting Kaddish (prayers) -Dress the deceased

List and describe the 4 Jewish Mourning Periods

-Shivah; 7 day mourning period-Sholoshim -30 day mourning period-Shanna -11 month extension-Yahrezeit - anniversary of death

Describe the scene at a Jewish Cemetery at the time of burial

-The walking procession led by the rabbi, will stop periodically for prayers-For an orthodox jew, the casket will be lowered using grave straps (orthodox) - (conservative and reform) may use a lowering device -The family may assist in filling the grave (orthodox, may choose to turn the shovel backward since burying a loved one should never be easy) -There may be an outerburial container made of wood

Sholoshim

1. 30 day mourning period in which family will abstain from all festivals or amusement 2. Kriah ribbon or button is worn

Shivah

1. 7 day mourning period in which the shivah candle is burnt. Shivah candles are designed with the appropriate amount of wax to burn for seven days and then go out. 2. Family does nothing, no school, no work, no celebrations 3. Each evening during this time, the Kaddish prayer is said 4. During this time, it is customary to cover the mirrors, since the family is not to be concerned about appearance at a time of mourning.

What are the mourning periods?

1. Aninut -Death to burial 2. *Shivah • Shivah candle 3. *Sholoshim • immediate family abstain from all festivities or amusement during sholoshim • Kriah button is worn 4. *Shanna • 11 month extension of sholoshim by immediate family members 5. *Yahrzeit • for death of parent, mourners do not take part in festivities for 12 months • Yahrzeit candle is lit on the anniversary

Yahrzeit

1. Anniversary of death 2. Kaddish is recited each year on the anniversary of death

Notification of the death to the rabbi

1. Essential for Orthodox Jews if the death is not on the Sabbath. No funerals are carried out on the sabbath, as it is a day of rest. 2. May or may not be required for Conservative and Reform

preparation of remains

1. For Orthodox Jews, Embalming is not normally allowed 2. For Conservative and Reform Jews, embalming may or may not be allowed 3. For Orthodox Jews, the Chevrah Kadisha will perform the ceremonial washing of the deceased including the prayers, Taharah, dressing in a Tachrichim, and placement into an Aron 4. Cremation is usually forbidden for Orthodox Jews 5. Conservative and Reform Jew may have cremation

Tachrichim

1. For Orthodox Jews, the Tachrichim includes a white linen shroud 2. Conservative and Reform may or may not be dressed in the Tachrichim, if not, they would be dressed in the clothing normally worn by the deceased

the funeral service

1. Orthodox funeral will be held at the funeral home or cemetery, but not at the synagogue, since that would make the synagogue ceremonial unclean 2. Conservative or Reform may be held anywhere 3. Prior to the service the family participate in a kriah ribbon ceremony, where the rabbi cuts or tears a kriah ribbon for each family member as a sign of a broken heart, grief. The ribbon is worn during the sholoshim 4. The Rabbi and Cantor will conduct the funeral, by offering prayers and scriptures for the deceased 5. Men will wear a yamaka and tallith 6. The final prayer is the El Malei Rachamin

visitation

1. Orthodox may or may not hold a visitation, since the burial is to be the same day as the death 2. If the Aron was used and the casket was closed never to be reopened, the visitation would not include a viewing 3. If there is a visitation, religious items should be placed on or near the casket 4. May include a shomer reciting prayers/chants. The Shomer will sit on a short wooden stool as not to be comfortable in the funeralization process. The shomer will traditionally stay with the body until burial. 5. Few, if any, flowers are brought to the visitation. There have been numerous explanations for not bringing flowers. One of the most common is the fact that burial is within 24 hours of death and there may not be time to order flowers, another reason given is that flowers are signs of happiness.

committal service

1. Rabbi leads from the casket coach to the grave space 2. The procession within the cemetery (walking procession) may stop several times and offer prayers 3. The casket will be lowered into the ground using grave straps for the Orthodox Jew, while the Conservative and Reform may use a lowering device 4. For an Orthodox Jew, the family may assist in filling in the grave. If they do, they may choose to turn the shovel backward since burying a loved one should never be easy. 5. There may or may not be an outer burial container. If buried in a Jewish cemetery an outer burial container would not be common. If buried in a non-Jewish cemetery, if there is an outer burial container, it may be made of wood instead of metal or concrete.

The family will observe three mourning periods depending upon the relationship to the deceased. This includes?

1. Shivah 2. Sholoshim 3. Shanna

the casket

1. The Aron is composed entirely of wood, with no metal parts, the Mogen David is usually attached to the top (lid) of the casket 2. Conservative and Reform may or may not select an Aron for the casket 3. Once the Aron is closed it is not to be reopened 4. Since the body and all body fluids are to be placed in the Aron, any bloody clothing would need to be placed in a bag and placed in the casket if embalming was not allowed for religious reasons

Shanna

11 month extension of Sholoshim by immediate family members

For how long after a death, is the Kriah ribbon traditionally worn?

30 days

Define synagogue

A Jewish place of worship

Define Tachrichim

A hand-sewn white linen shroud in which the deceased members of the Jewish faith are dressed

Define Tallith

A prayer shawl worn by men during the morning prayer service in the Jewish faith

Define Rabbi

A teacher or ordained leader in the Jewish faith

Define Menorah

In the Jewish faith, a candelabrum with a central stem bearing seven candles; it is the oldest symbol in Judaism.

Define Hesped

In the Jewish faith, a eulogy or true evaluation of the deceased's life that is a part of the funeral service

Define Yizkor

In the Jewish faith, a memorial service recited four times a year

Describe El Malei Rachamin

In the Jewish faith, a memorial service; literally "God full of compassion" usually the last prayer of the funeral service; sometimes referred to as the Malei

Define Kaddish

In the Jewish faith, a prayer recited for the deceased by the direct mourners (parents, siblings, spouse, children) for the first time at the conclusion of interment service. It is subsequently recited by children for parents at every service for 11 months; all other categorizes of mourners have the obligation to say the Kaddish for 30 days

Define Shivah

In the Jewish faith, a seven (7) day mourning period

Define Shomer

In the Jewish faith, a watcher; one who sits with the body until burial

Define Tehillim

In the Jewish faith, prayers said before the funeral by a group of friends and the shomer. These prayers come from the book of Psalms

Define Yahrzeit

In the Jewish faith, the anniversary of the death

Define Kevurah

In the Jewish faith, the burial

Define Tahara

In the Jewish faith, the ceremony of washing the deceased before the burial; serves as a ritual purification or cleansing of the body and should be performed by the Chevra Kaddisha

Define Kever

In the Jewish faith, the grave

Define Yamaka

In the Jewish faith, the skull cap worn by the men at temple services and funeral services.

Define Levaya

In the Jewish faith; the funeral cortege

cortege

Leveya may stop in front of synagogue on the way to the cemetery • open doors of synagogue and casket coach • Rabbi and cantor offer prayers and chants • family stays in car

Describe the Aron

Made entirely of wood with no metal parts

Define Shloshim

Meaning 30 in the Jewish faith; the 30-day mourning period

What is the oldest symbol of the Jewish faith?

Menorah

Another name for the star of David

Mogen David

For a Orthodox Jewish deceased, would cremation traditionally be allowed?

No

For an Orthodox Jew, would embalming be allowed?

No

What happens during the committal service?

Rabbi leads on the way to the grave • may stop several times for prayers on the way to the grave - 7 times • use grave straps, not a mechanical lowering device • Family will help fill in grave • Backwards shovel • Outer burial container will not be made of metal • Grave liner must have holes • Wash hands prior to leaving cemetery • Air dry • Meal of Consolation • Cremation is Prohibited

What function would the shomer fill during the visitation?

Recite prayers, chants, usually of the psalms

transfer of remains

Restrictions may apply for deaths on the sabbath, in that some will not want a transfer made on the sabbath, state laws will supercede the jewish customs -Bloody clothing should be removed and kept with body

Israeli

is a political term and defines the nationality of a person

Jewish

is a religious term and defines the religion to which one may belong

Hebrew

is an ethnic term and defines the ethnicity of a person

reformed jewish funeral service

prohibited on the Sabbath • may be at the funeral home or temple of the deceased • casket is closed during the service • May drive by the temple

Procession

the Orthodox procession will generally stop at the synagogue on the way to the cemetery

conservative

the moderately liberal Jewish sect

reform

the most liberal of all Jewish sects

orthodox

the most traditional of all Jewish sects

Pre-service considerations

• Menorah • Mogen David • Visitation may be held for 1 or a few hours before the service • No flowers are permitted • Usually includes no music except chanting or singing of prayers • A pall or flag may be placed over the casket • Shomer

reformed Jewish customs

• Same customs as the Orthodox Jew with the following exceptions • Notification is a matter of courtesy not requirement • Preparation of remains • Embalming is permitted if family desires • Clothing is selected by family, may not be the burial shroud • no prohibitions on the type of casket • Pre-funeral considerations • remains may lie in state with a viewing if the family desires • floral offerings may be displayed

conservative Jewish customs

• The conservative Jew will be between the Orthodox Jewish customs and the Reformed Jewish customs • The conservative Jew may follow some Orthodox Jewish customs and some Reformed Jewish customs

aninut

From death until burial mourning period

Define Chevrah Kaddish

Hebrew meaning "Holy Society," a group of men or women from the Synagogue who care for the dead, they may be referred to by laymen as the "washers" in the past took care of all funeral arrangements and preparations for Jewish funerals

Define Aron

Hebrew meaning container; a casket made entirely of wood and contains no metal parts

Define Kriah

Hebrew meaning rending or tearing; a symbol of grief; a tear in the upper corner of the garment or a tear on a symbolic ribbon which is worn by the survivors

Define Bar Minen

Hebrew term for the deceased

messianic

Some will list the Messianic Jew as a Jewish sect, while other believe that Messianic Jews are actually Christian converts from Judaism. for our purposes, we will not discuss the Messianic Jew other than to say they would follow the Reform Jewish customs or the customs of the Christian religion to which they adhere

Define Shabbat

The Jewish Sabbath; begins at sundown Friday and ends at sundown Saturday

reformed jewish committal service

final disposition method is optional, earth burial may not be required

Who observes mourning periods?

immediate family members

Another name for a Yamaka

Yalmulke or Kippah

If there is a visitation, religious items should be placed on or near the casket

a. Menorah placed near the head of the casket b. A Mogen David may be placed behind the casket in the similar way that the crucifix is placed behind the casket of the Roman Catholic c. A pall may be placed over the casket

Who will the mourner be?

father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter, and spouse (seven relatives)