Funeral & Burial

Weathered tombstone with small stones on top, displaying moss growth and a blurred green background.

Jewish practices of funeral and burial are constructed around a few key ideas: Death is to be confronted, not denied. The dead body is to be accorded the utmost respect. Mourners are to be comforted. We are equal in the face of death. The burial and decay of a body is a natural process which should not be impeded or interrupted.

Latest Rituals

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.

From the Jewish-Hungarian poet most widely known for “Eli, Eli”

Clouds, Moon and Stars
A touching view of this uniquely Jewish ritual which accords profound respect to the individual between death and burial
white sheet and dried purple flowers

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

A tradition honoring a Torah reader at a funeral

torah on lectern
A poem describing the ritual of removing the tzitzit from a dead person’s tallit and giving them to his or her beloveds prior to burial
A person wearing a tallit reads from an open book while seated on a wooden bench.
“I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground./ So it is, and so it will be…”
man bringing flowers to grave in cemetery

The Reconstructionist Network

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

Support Ritualwell’s free offerings and events and receive a weekly guide with prompts and practices for each week of the Omer.

Ritualwell is here for you! Join us for community eventsand creative inspiration to do this spiritual work. 

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.

The Reconstructionist Network