What To Expect When Attending A Rabbi Funeral

By Harold Lee


According to the funeral practices of Jews, a loved one is burred about 24 hours after they pass on. This makes it unusual to have a viewing ceremony or even wakes. Before the service begins, family members practice Keriah, which involves tearing a visible piece of cloth or black ribbons in honor of the life of the deceased. This also symbolizes their grief during a rabbi funeral.

You can still attend a Jew funeral in support of a dear friend. Your presence will be the best gift you can offer and hence it is unnecessary to say anything to the mourners. In case they engage you, simply offer your condolences and do not say more that is truly necessary.

You also want to select your dress code wisely. In this case, just be fairly decent, perhaps in a smart casual outfit. Also avoid wearing heels, especially if you will be attending the graveside ceremony. In case you really need to offer your condolences to the grieving family, get to the service minutes ahead of time and do so. Jews leave the chapel for the graveyard directly or the graveyard for their homes and it is not polite to hold them back with greetings and the rest.

It is okay to sit in the chapel and speak in low tones before the service begins. The idea is to maintain a low key and this is a rule you do not want to forget even if you hook up with your buddies. Additionally, put your phone aside and switch it off once the service starts.

Your presence alone means everything so you can just sit and listen. The person conducting prayers and psalms will have been chosen ahead of time as well as the person reading the eulogy. Once the stories of the deceased rabbi are shared, you can expect moments of laughter even in the heart of the somberness of saying goodbye to a beloved soul.

The final service for rabbis will in the majorities of cases happen in the chapel. This makes it unnecessary for non-family members to attend the graveside ceremony that will only take ten minutes at most. The area is likely to have limited chairs that ought to be used by the mourners.

Jews host a Shiva about seven days after the funeral. If you choose to attend the home gathering, again, the most important thing is your presence and it is okay to stay for half an hour or less before leaving. Bringing some food with you is a good gesture because it will save the family from shopping and cooking as they grieve. Simply avoid meat and shellfish and play safe if you do not know the Jewish food laws.

The Jews laws command followers to be good when they breath. You may hence not hear talks about the afterlife. Consequently, do not raise such topics. It also pays to understand that you may not see a lot of flowers in rabbi funerals and if you need to make a kind gesture, you could make a donation in the honor of the deceased.




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