Funeral planning: The Jewish faith has many meaningful customs that they follow in order to help and assist the grievers and surviving family member when a death occurs. When a loved one passes away in a Jewish home, immediately the clergy or Jewish funeral director should be contacted. If the family does not have a clergy to contact, then the funeral director helps in locating one on behalf of the family. The Jewish funeral services will also differ based on the different sects of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed. Overall, the Jewish funeral ceremony is just the beginning instead of the ending of ceremonies. The Jewish funeral customs are actually only about twenty minutes in length.
Jewish funeral customs are usually held at the gravesite or Kever, a chapel or a synagogue. Jewish funeral customs consists of prayers that praise the declare and praise the life of the perished. At times Jewish families may prefer a donation to the selected charity in lieu of flowers. Traditionally, the perished ones family will remain at home for seven days following the funeral service (called the Shiva). Family and friends visit the perished ones family during this time to offer their support. This time is used to share feelings and share special rememberings together.
The other rituals which are traditionally done includes the refrigeration of the body as opposed to embalming, a ritual termed as Tahara which is the washing by a person of the same gender as the perished, followed by a dressing of the body in Tachrichim, a linen white shroud. The Star of David symbol is placed above the funeral casket. An observance period follows for thirty days after the funeral service which mourners, family and friends return to their normal daily activities, say certain prayers, and refrain from attending a place of entertainment. The Kaddish is a prayer which is said for the eleven months following a funeral service. Families may also attend services everyday to respect their loved one and join with others in the community of the bereaved to gain support and encouragement.
The gravestone marker or headstone in a Jewish funeral service is not revealed until months or a year after the funeral service. This provides the family and friends to gather and commemorate the perished at the gravesite. In the synagogue and on the anniversary of the death, the perished person's name is read aloud. Jewish families also will create Jewish themed funeral programs to commemorate the life of their loved one and have it as a sort of keepsake. This is distributed or provided as a token of memory at the ceremony. Some even choose to send the program to those who unable to attend after the funeral service.
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