While Judaism places great emphasis on our lives in this world, death is an inevitable end for all of us. Often Jews who have been distant from traditional Jewish practice for their whole lives seek the comfort of traditional Judaism in the face of death. For mourners, whose lives are often turned upside down by death, the traditional practices of mourning can provide structure and comfort. Here you will find resources that address each aspect of the process of navigating death and mourning—from the moment of death, to the burial of the body, the tearing of clothes, the weeklong practice of shiva, and the recitation of kaddish.
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“It just became your life, your house always lit up like / Paris at night because you were afraid of the darkness splicing / time ever again”
Contemplating glory and strength during difficult times
Reflecting on the recent desecration of Jewish cemeteries
Unveiling ceremony for a grandparent
Prayer mourning the loss of a mother
Creative translation of prayer for the dead
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief: a ritual for mourning the death of those we do not know during the High Holidays
A memorial ritual to honor the first woman rabbi, Regina Jonas
A guide to visiting mourners when the death is a suicide
A funeral service for a miscarriage
Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement
Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis
Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues
Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives
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