Essay On Jewish Funerals

Simplicity and the value of community play distinct roles in Jewish funerals, Jazz funerals, and Tibet sky burials. Religion and historical aspects influence the rituals that occur before, during, and after the body is buried. Although Jazz funerals and Tibet sky burials are practiced in specific parts of the globe they have similarities to Jewish funerals which are practiced all over because they are associated with religious customs and not a location. Throughout all facets of the three burials simplicity and community take on different forms.

JEWISH FUNERALS

Jewish funerals are very simple and place a strong emphasis on community. Every aspect of the funeral, burial, cemetery, and even mourning period is simple and never ostentatious or over the top. A clear set of rules have been written in both the Torah and supporting commentary. Jews believe that once the person has died their soul has also died and that no afterlife exists.

Similar to the actual funeral, Jewish cemeteries are very simple. First, as per Jewish tradition all bodies must be buried in the ground. Therefore, no vaults or crypts will be found in a cemetery. The inscription on the headstone includes the name of the deceased and the name of the deceased’s parents, the date of birth and the date of death, and a standard formula that is representative of the durance of the deceased’s soul with the living (Shay 291). Visitors are asked to not place any flowers or gifts when they come to the grave site bur rather simple stones as a marker of their visit. All graves are oriented towards the holy city of Jerusalem. This is similar to how congregants in a synagogue face the direction of Jerusalem when praying. It is also a tradition that families purchase plots in cemeteries, therefore when one dies an entire family is buried next to each other. Women and men are buried alternating, and if one does not become married throughout their lifetime they are buried next to their