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Death & Mourning

Stone wall with Hebrew letters engraved on a rectangular plaque.

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.

 

Latest Rituals

Advice for coping with the devastating loss of a child
Person sitting on a railing, looking at a calm sea during sunset, under a clear sky.

A ritual on concluding a year of saying kaddish

person standing in a sunbeam at the end of a shady path
An article about the power of traditional mourning practices for healing and an idea for a new ritual
Black ribbon elegantly curled on a plain white background.
An article discussing the issues around Orthodox women saying kaddish
shadow of veiled woman in a window

Preparing to say Kaddish for an abusive parent on the occasion of their yahrzeit

Wave foam gently laps against black pebbles on a beach.

A contemporary Jewish poem for mourning and sorrow

Sunlit forest with a gentle stream flowing through vibrant autumn trees.

Selecting verses from Psalms on the basis of the Hebrew name of the deceased

blank notebook with flowers and pen

This traditional prayer for the dead

Hebrew letters on a textured stone plaque mounted on a brick wall.

A creative ritual to mark the end of shloshim

man standing on rocks looking at waves in water
Offering an alternative to Orthodox women who cannot or prefer not to say kaddish
woman in head covering in the forest

The Reconstructionist Network

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