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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

Reflections on the transformation of mourning to affirmation
tree in sinai desert

Traditional memorial prayer recited at funerals in which God is asked to gather up the soul of the departed for eternal life

mourners at cemetery

This beautiful psalm is often read at funerals or memorial services

book of psalms

Developing a ritual for the dissolution of a home

empty room with sliding glass doors to green lawn and lake

Based on the Parasha Lech L’cha, this meditation urges the mourner to move forward in life

person walking in desert sand dunes

A tradition honoring a Torah reader at a funeral

torah on lectern

A prayer to be said before lighting the shiva candle

A single lit candle against a dark background.
A prayer to be said upon returning from the cemetery and lighting a memorial candle
A lit candle in a frosted glass holder casts a warm glow in a dark setting.
A poem about the metaphorical seeds a grandfather sowed for his descendants
zayde in chair smiling
“Move to the front—of the line—a voice says…”
open gate

The Reconstructionist Network

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