Funeral - Judaism

• As theyre dying Jews try to say the Shema prayer - declaration to one God
• Jews say the Kiddish - prayer praising God
• Burial must take place ASAP
• The body is washed and dressed tachrichim , a white shroud
• Men are wrapped in their tallith - the fringed are cut off the tallith to show he’s free of the religious law
• The body is put into a plain wooden coffin which is sealed -

  from the time of death until burial the body is never left alone
• Before the burial mourner make a tear in their garments - act of keriah - to show their grief
• No flowers and the service is short

  orthodox jews don’t usually allow cremation
• Progressive Jews sometimes cremate the dead
• Shiva -

  • family return home to sit Shiva
  • shiva means ‘seven’
  • seven day mourning ritual
  • next seven days a candle is kept burning + the mirrors are covered
  • mourners stay at home
  • mourners done shave or cut hair + sit on low stools
• Kaddish -

  prayer publically recited 3 times a day by mourners
• Shiva is only broken by the Shabbat or a Jewish festival
• 30 days after the burial are called Sheloshim, when mourners don’t go out for pleasure + continue to mourn
• for 11 months after burial Kaddish is said daily
• • the death is remembered on their anniversary of their death by lighting of Yahrzeit candle + reciting kaddish
• Right before first anniversary a tombstone will be placed at the grave
• Jews leave a small stone at the grave stone - sign of respect