January 2007 Matters of Life and Death
Chevra Kadisha News
We're back!
 
~The Aron~

David talks about our new Chevra Kadisha News and ~The Aron~ format as a way for us better to communicate with each other, and he is absolutely right. Communication is what a community does, and we have created a very special, I would say holy, community. Our community not only cares about the dignity of all God's children, we are passionate in doing what is right and traditional--and sometimes creating a "new traditional"--to demonstrate that care.

But I would suggest that there are other communities in play when we prepare the met/a. The first is the community of all those present in the tahara room, all of us gathered together to make sure that all goes the way it should. The second is the community of thousands of years of Jews whio have served as members of their Chevra Kadisha. We Jews stand out among the world's religions in following these burial traditions for generations. We are a community strengthened by our ancestors--our bubbes and zaydes are in the room with us, looking over our shoulders, so proud of us as we go about our holy tasks.

Third, I would offer for your reflection the notion that each of us individually is at the same time preparing more than one met/a on that table. We are preparing "this one" in this time and in this place, and perhaps we are also preparing a beloved relative who has already died, sometimes years ago, for whom this tahara is a belated gift of our saying good-bye. And, "community" number four, as tahara concludes, I would claim that we are preparing ourselves in advance for our own death, getting ready for that time when others will be doing this holy work over our bodies. There are lots of communities present when we do God's work, which is as it should be.

In so many ways are we truly a community. That is why it is good to be back together, even if only in print. David and I are committed to nurturing our community, and we look forward to your participation.

Join our mailing list!
Greetings!
 
A Word From David Zinner
David Zinner photo
Welcome to the combined Chevra Kadisha News and ~The Aron.~ We've tried to design this newsletter in the same way that we understand Chevra Kadisha work - as a blend of the practical and the spiritual. I'm very excited about working with Rabbi Mel on this project. One of the significant changes in the Chevra Kadisha world is our ability to communicate over vast distances. We hope that this combined newsletter inspires you. Don't be shy. Please contribute news, questions, comments, or even write a special piece for us to publish.
Chevra Kadisha News

Upcoming Events

Kavod v’Nichum’s Fifth North American Chevra Kadisha Conference will be held in Edmonton, Canada from June 10-12, 2007 in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Edmonton Chevra Kadisha. The conference features networking, workshops, lectures and demonstrations. Invited key note speaker is Rabbi Maurice Lamm. Read more about Chevra Kadisha Conferences here.

The Duke Institute on Care at the End of Life (ICEOL) is hosting a conference on May 31, 2007 in Durham, NC called Ritual, Reality and Response Made Visible: Jewish Perspectives on Care at the End of Life. The conference is designed for professionals who work on care giving at the end of life -- physicians, RN's, PA's, hospice professionals, clergy, social workers as well as those who are caring for family members or loved ones with a special emphasis on attracting practitioners who are not Jewish, but all are welcome. The keynote will be delivered by Rabbi Elliot Dorff, and both David and Mel are leading sessions.

Festival of Faiths has been an annual event in Louisville, KY for 10 years. They have begun a four year series on passages of life, using themes of Death (2006), Birth (2007), Coming of Age (2008) and Marriage (2009). This year’s conference including 29 events in seven days, including Huston Smith comparing religious death traditions; folk ballads about death; a Native American tree planting symbolizing grief, and programs directed to youth. Presentations covered Buddhist, Jewish, Sufi, Hispanic-Cuban, Nigerian, Baha’i, Native American, Muslim, Mexican, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Filipino, Presbyterian and rural death traditions. Festival of Faith staff members are eager to help other communities replicate their success in bringing religious groups together. Contact them for more information, and more detail about this year’s conference.

Educational Resources

An exciting new DVD resource from Kavod v’Nichum’s Third North American Chevra Kadisha Conferenc is now available. These DVD’s can be used for Chevra Kadisha training, Zayin Adar dinners, or introductions to potential new Chevra Kadisha members. The three DVD set sells for $136 and covers the important work of the Chevra Kadisha, advanced Tahara issues, and the role of the Chevra Kadisha in Disasters. Order here.

The Tahara Manual of Practices including Halacha Decisions of Hagaon Harav Moshe Feinstein, zt'l provides detailed instruction concerning how a Tahara is performed and some of the reasons why these customs are observed. The Tahara Manual also covers issues related to Availus learned from HaGaon HaRav Moshe Feinstein. Only $18 Order here. Honoring the Body: Tahara, a 15 minute audio documentary, has won Director’s Choice in the 2006 Third Coast Festival / Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition. The audio was played on 100 public radio stations over Thanksgiving weekend. Produced by Rebecca Sheir and featuring Rabbi Jeff Portman - Agudas Achim Congregation - Iowa City, Iowa; Lauren Reith and Jerry Sorokin - Hillel Director at the University of Iowa. You can read additional first person tahara stories at the Jewish Funerals Burial and Mourning web site.

New Suppliers
Bais Moed, a new supplier of tachrichim, was established in Israel in 1965 and now has a U.S. presence. The say their tachrichim are completely manufactured by their Shomer Shabbos employees. Contact them at rabbishimon@gmail.com. More information about tachrichim suppliers.

Shiva Shade is an accordion style white paper shade designed to quickly cover mirrors in a house of mourning.

Pittsburgh The New Community Chevra Kadisha has begun in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A recent all day training session launched the new group. Contact Malke Frank at malkeiva@aol.com.

England The United Synagogue Burial Society in England carries out 1,100 funerals each year, has four working cemeteries and another seven disused with over 70 staff and 200+ volunteers in the Chevra Kadisha. Representatives may be at the Chevra Kadisha Conference in Edmonton this summer.

Louisville The St. Joseph of Arimathea Society is a Catholic student group that provides pall bearers when the deceased has no family. There purpose is taken from the New Testament book of Matthew, where Joseph asked for the body of Jesus, wrapped it in clean linen, and buried it. Read the full story in the October 2006 issue of the Catholic Cemetery magazine, the official publication of the Catholic Cemetery Conference.

 Melbourne Australia has a Chevra Kadisha with a video. Watch it on youtube.

Lawsuits Burton Hirsch Funeral Home, Alderwoods Group and three other Alderwoods Funeral Homes are being sued for religious and sexual discrimination. A separate law suit alleges employment law violations such as not paying overtime. Hirsch Funeral Home is a member of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America. Alderwoods was the second largest operator of funeral homes and cemeteries in North America, before its recent merger with Service Corporation Inc. (SCI). Deborah Prise, a Jewish Funeral Director in Pennsylvania, and Heather Rady, a funeral director in Pennsylvania, allege a male employee put his fingers in the orifices of female and male deceaseds, that the funeral home was used for sexual and entertainment purposes; that Jewish families were charged more for the same services provided for non- Jewish families; that staff repeatedly mocked and disregarded Jewish laws and customs; that staff mocked the Hebraic terms for certain Jewish funeral rituals; that staff removed Tallitot from the deceased after their ritual cleansing and before burial without knowledge of the families.

Cemeteries A slideshow promoting green burial called Death Be Not Manicured explains some of the history of embalming, and how green burial works.

Inspiration Try the following inspirational stories with music: The best day of my life; A glass of milk; Musical power; God’s billboards; Happiness is a journey.

Programming Ideas February 25, 2007 is Zayin Adar, one of the traditional dates on which the Chevra Kadisha fasted and feasted, studied and honored. A very interesting Zion Adar event will take place at Tifereth Israel congregation in Washington, DC. Rabbi Ethan Seidel and Imam Arafat will speak about Jewish and Islamic traditions around death and burial. If you need ideas for a Zayin Adar event for your community contact David Zinner.