Chevra Kadisha News - Published by Kavod v'Nichum
Shevat 5763 - January 2003- Over 475 subscribers
The Chevra Kadisha Conference June 22-24 in Rockville, MD. Great speakers. Lots of networking and idea exchanges. Reasonably priced. You can register now at www.Jewish-funerals.org/conference.htm.
New on the Jewish Funerals, Burial and Mourning web site - www.Jewish-funerals.org:
Burial and Cremation - 23 articles exploring Jewish views and selected other religions' views.
Suicide - 20 articles on Jewish views, physician assistance and prevention programs.
Tachrichim and Other Supplies 6 sources (please let us know if you have additional suppliers)
Shemot 7 articles on the Burial of Sacred Writings
Stories about Tahara - 20 articles from Norman Oklahoma to Boston, Massachusetts.
Tahara certificates - from the Chicago and the Rosh Pinah Westchester Chevrei Kadisha.
Provide solid educational materials for the members of your Chevra Kadisha or bereavement committee.
Tahara
Manual of Practices available for purchase directly from the website.
Chesed:
Acts of Kindness - Booklets on Bikkur Cholim, Tahara Manual, and A Guide
for the Bereaved. Priced so you can purchase copies for your entire
committee.
A Plain Pine Box free copies
still available. Your request must be
submitted before February 1, 2003 on letterhead. Mail to: KTAV Publishing,
A Plain Pine Box, 930 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07036 or fax to A Plain
Pine Box, 201-963-0102.
The Eulogy Disk contains over 170 eulogies which can be used as templates by rabbis or lay people to conduct funerals and create eulogies. Included is an index by subject, such as a young death, a good mother, a doctor, a religious person, etc Also included are poems and unveiling material as well as letter templates for all related correspondence. $100 To place an order, call Torah-Fax at 800-TORAHFX (800-867-2439) or write to Torah Fax at 13000 SW 29th Court , Davie, FL 33330 and mention Kavod v'Nichum.
Kolot: the Center for Jewish Women's and Gender Studies and Ma'yan: the Jewish Women's Project are seeking new, innovative Jewish rituals around death and mourning for their web site www.ritualwell.org. They are interested in new rituals, new uses of traditional rituals and contemporary voices on the practice of traditional rituals. Please send any material to rona@mayan.org as a word file along with a statement giving permission to use the material on the site.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is the basic U.S. federal safety net program for the elderly, blind and disabled, providing them with a minimum guaranteed income. Effective January 1, 2003, the maximum federal SSI benefit is $552 a month for an individual and $829 a month for a couple. These amounts are supplemented in most states. Eligibility for SSI benefits is based on financial need alone, not on how long you have worked or how much you have paid into the Social Security system. The financial eligibility rules are quite stringent, however pre-paid burial plots, memorials, and other pre-paid portions of funeral and burial packages do not count. Also excluded are whole life insurance policies with a total face value (also called "combined death benefit") of $1,500 or less, Read more on the Elderlaw site. Yet the same site suggests caution when pre-paying for a funeral or burial. Pre-Paid Funeral Plans: Buyer Beware
Upcoming Conferences
March 11 African Americans and Care at the End of Life Philadelphia, PA
March 19-23 - Association for Death Education & Counseling - Cincinnati, OH
April 1-3 International Center for the Integration of Health and Spirituality Bethesda, MD
Interesting Web Finds
My Jewish Learning website has 28 excellent articles about Death,
Burial, and Mourning. Many of them are excerpts from books and are not found
elsewhere on the internet. Examples include How
To Form A New Chevra Kadisha - from Rabbi Abner Weiss' book and The
Ethics of Burial and Mourning by Harold Schulweis which talks about the
reasons for simple burial practices. The website articles are also available in
a "guided learning" format.
Reflections
On Death In America
- A speech given by George Soros on November 30,
1994 for the Alexander Ming Fisher
Lecture Series at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center - "In opening up
for grant applications our areas of interest are broad enough to cover every
aspect of the culture of dying. They include the epidemiology, ethnography,
and history of dying and bereavement in the U.S.; the physical, emotional,
spiritual, and existential components of dying and bereavement; new
service-delivery models for the dying and their family and friends; separate
educational programs for the public and the health care professionals; and
the shaping of governmental and institutional policy. Personally I hope that
the ratio between research and action will be heavily weighed toward
action." Health professionals also need training in alleviating the
psychological, emotional, and existential suffering that may accompany
dying
provide the kind of care that doesn't rely on technology -- such as
the simple act of paying attention to a dying person, holding their hand,
listening, and comforting them.
UAHC
congregational funeral and cemetery policies and practices
Advance Funeral Wishes A 50 item check list for funerals and burials.
We're building a database of Chevra Kadisha groups so we can reach you. We are asking every Chevra Kadisha to write us an e-mail or complete the contact form on our website. If any reader knows of a Chevra Kadisha, help us get in touch with them. Rena Boroditsky is surveying Canada. If you'd like to do a survey of Chevra Kadisha groups in your area, let us know that too. We appreciate any assistance.
How do you honor, thank and educate your Chevra Kadisha members? Consider a dinner, traditionally held on the anniversary of the death of Moses. the 7th of Adar. In 2003 you'll have two chances - February 9th in the first Adar and March 11 in the second Adar. Let us know about your plans.
Does your Chevra Kadisha make charitable contributions? Kavod v'Nichum needs your financial support to continue to provide you services. Contributions of any size are welcome. Make your check out to Kavod v'Nichum and send it to 8112 Sea Water Path, Columbia, MD 20145 or call David Zinner at 410-799-8070 or e-mail to donate@jewish-funerals.org for more information. On-line credit card donations are also gladly accepted.