Some of you know that I receive just about all of the synagogue e-newsletters. Sometimes the rabbis use that vehicle to contact their members. Not long ago I received an email from a Conservative congregation who had a recent loss. It is a useful way of illustrating some aspects of Shiva practice. The rabbi said:…
Read More »Death & Mourning
Loss of a Pet
My beloved old dog died in February. She was a part of our family and we all took it hard. When my sister died two months earlier there had been Jewish rituals and my synagogue family to gather around and comfort me. But what was there to acknowledge the loss of a dog? A…
Read More »Burial and Mourning in Jewish Tradition
Burial and Mourning in Jewish Tradition A unique opportunity for interfaith families to learn about a difficult topic-issues around death and mourning, from your own family’s perspective. Is cremation OK? Can my partner and I be buried together? Join Dawn Kepler and Robin Reiner for a short introduction to Jewish traditions and a lively, open…
Read More »Sitting Shiva
Observing death in a Jewish home In any family it is important to discuss how people will respond to a death. In an interfaith family this is particularly important because there is no shared tradition to fall back on. Here are some basics about Shiva, to help you understand the role of observing shiva and…
Read More »What if One of us Dies?
Where and how will each of us be buried? I’ve been asked how to plan for a funeral in an interfaith family. What things should be taken into consideration in order to plan for that inevitable day when one spouse must bury the other? Can the non-Jew be buried in a Jewish cemetery? Who will…
Read More »Tisha B’Av: Mourning the Destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem
When we look at this photograph of a relief on the Arch of Titus celebrating his siege and destruction of Jerusalem, that historical event can feel as old and foreign as the stones depicting it. Yet for Jews the idea of ‘never forget’ is not a new one. Jews remember the events of the past,…
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