Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death®, at Congregation Albert Cemetery
Who remembers being confused at a Jewish funeral and wondering why things were done the way they were?
Why do Jews bury their dead so quickly?
Where did traditions like tearing clothing, lighting candles and eating round food after a funeral come from?
What’s with all the things you aren’t supposed to do after a funeral?
When can life return to “normal” after a funeral?
I remember being confused in my early 20s at the funeral of my great-aunt Mary. Even though I had a good Jewish education, grew up in a Conservative congregation, attended Sunday School and Hebrew School, was bat mitzvahed, confirmed and a life member of Hadassah, I had no idea what was going on.
Gail Rubin displays Jewish burial garments in her talk.
But now I know a lot about Jewish funeral traditions and superstitions. I’m a member of the Chevrah Kaddisha, volunteers who wash and dress the bodies of Jews in the ritual manner for burial. I’m on the cemetery committee for Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our cemetery dates back to the late 1800s, with many of New Mexico’s founding families buried there.
And as The Doyenne of Death®, host and author of A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, I’m all about getting the funeral planning conversation started. The award-winning book is one of the few resources available that details funeral traditions of various faith traditions.
In this one-hour talk presented at the Greater Albuquerque Jewish Community Center, you will learn:
- Jewish traditions before, during and after a funeral – important for Jewish and interfaith families to learn and rarely taught.
- How to be prepared BEFORE there’s a death in the family, so you can reduce stress, minimize family conflict, save money and create a meaningful, memorable “good goodbye.”
- The practical as well as Biblical reasons for funeral traditions.
- The secrets of the tahara cleansing ritual revealed.
- How Jewish burial offers a way to get a green burial in a conventional cemetery.
- Why embalming is avoided and cremation was traditionally frowned upon.
- How Jewish mourning traditions differ from other religions.
- And much more!
You can get all this information on one DVD for only $24.99 plus shipping. You also get helpful documents, including a list of 50 Things for Jews To Do When a Death Occurs — a checklist on decisions to make and key information to get pulled together, a written outline of Jewish funeral traditions discussed in this talk, and Jewish prayers and readings related to funerals.