Dignity Beyond Death: The Jewish Preparation for BurialIn the Jewish tradition, preparation of the dead for burial is undertaken by a community organization known as the Chevra Kadisha, or Sacred Society. Dignity Beyond Death examines these rituals of preparation from the point of view of the volunteers who undertake it. Through personal interviews, the book describes the process of washing, purifying, and dressing the deceased, as well as the recitation of lyrical prayers from Psalms. With chapters on the Holocaust and terrorism, this account will engage readers in the humanity and ultimate dignity of this time-honored practice. |
Common terms and phrases
aron bereaved Blessed blood body buckets burial society buried casket cemetery CHAMOL chesed Chesed Shel Chevra Kadisha Chevra members Chevrot child comfort Congregation Rosh Pinah custom dead death died dignity experience family members father feel felt final funeral directors funeral home garments hand head Hebrew Holocaust holy honor involved Irving Greenberg Israel Israel earth Jewish community Jewish Education Jewish law Jews Judaism kavim kavod hameit knew Kohen lives meit mikvah Mitznefet mitzvah mother participate perform a tahara person Pinah Chevra Kadisha placed pouring preparation for burial prior procedure Psalms purification Rabbi recited respect response ritual Rosh Pinah Rosh Pinah Chevra serve shared sheet shmira shrouds soul spiritual survivor synagogue tachrichim tahara tahara room taharot talk tallit terrorist thought told Torah tzitzit victims volunteers wanted washed Westchester Wolowelsky woman women Yiddish York young ZAKA Zayin אַתָּה בָּרוּךְ יְיָ עַל