Death & Mourning

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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 was on an island of death / That my mother / Visited me.”
“Why is it that I couldn’t know them more fully?”
“It is a cosmic principle … the Eternal Mystery”
“It’s a wonder / How comfort arrives: / From what source?”
“We will return to you, / you will return to us.”
“I want to know this: did God see you / trying as hard as you could / to live?”
“You can’t bring them back, but you can learn their Torah”
“Help us feel the companionship of families, friends, ancestors and the Divine Presence”

“Help us to find holiness in this time”

“I remember my beloveds daily”

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