Death, burial, and mourning are topics not easily
discussed at the time when a family member passes away.
To provide an opportunity for people to learn and ask
questions when they are not in a distraught state because of the loss of a loved one, Rabbi Grundfast will present a three-part program on the Jewish traditions of death, burial, and mourning on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on March 12th, 19th, and 26th. The program series is being co-sponsored by Akron Chapter of Hadassah.
The classes are free and open to the community.
According to Rabbi Grundfast, “To be able to talk
about these issues when ‘you don’t have to’ can be a
comfort when a death occurs in the family because the person will have much more knowledge at their
fingertips. The time of a death is not the optimum time to teach about all the customs except for the most basic.
Studying and learning about these topics in a nonemotional state is, I feel, very important.”
El. Rabbi Grundfast will speak in detail about the many laws and minhagim (customs and traditions) we follow from just after a person passes away through the first Yahrzeit, including reasons and explanations. Some of the questions to be answered will be: Why do we cut keriah? What are the stages of mourning? What are the requirements for a “kosher” casket? Why do Jews use only wooden caskets? Why do we put some earth from
Israel in the casket? Why do Jews not allow flowers at a funeral? What is the origin of shivah, and why do we “sit” shivah? Why do we cover the mirrors in a shivah home? What is the proper etiquette in paying a shivah visit? Why do we wash our hands when entering a shivah home? The Rabbi will also talk about cemeteries and the markings on gravestones.
The second session, on March 19th from 7:00 to 9:00
p.m., will be held at the Gordon-Flury Funeral Home, Craig Flury will speak about his work, outlining what takes place from the moment he gets a call that
someone has died to the actual funeral service. We will also get a tour of the facility and see the casket room. Although this experience can be a sobering one, it is recommended to be done at a time when one “doesn’t have to.”
The third and final session will be held at Beth El on
Wednesday, March 26th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Members of our local Hevra Kaddish (Holy Burial Society) will describe the special and sacred work they do in preparing the deceased for burial. They will show and explain the tachrichin (burial shrouds) and talk in general about this important mitzvah.
Reservations are requested. Please e-mail Rabbi
Grundfast at sgrundfast@yahoo.com or call him at
330.864.2105, extension 114