As for decorum, the basic guideline is just to be present, which, in and of itself, brings comfort to mourners. He loses everything, including all his sons and daughters and much of his great lands - and even his certainty about God’s goodness.

Our funeral directors are qualified and available to guide you through the many choices that make a funeral service unique and personal. Some congregations make this an occasion to remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis.
However, the mourners should otherwise make it a point to begin their return to a normal life.

As part of the shiva observance, there are two traditional practices which are the covering of mirrors and the sitting on boxes, low stools or low chairs by the immediate mourners.

Shiva is a period that lasts for seven days (shiva is Hebrew for “seven”). It is more important to listen than to speak, and it is even customary not to say hello or good-bye, since the mourner is forbidden to extend greetings and salutations. The first three days of shiva are generally reserved for visits from family and close friends. This excursion indicates that the mourners are ready to return to the external world from which they had withdrawn. Lows Stools & Covering of Mirrors. One evening while sitting with our immediate family and reflecting on the day, the topic of "shiva shades" came up.

It is suitable to begin saying Yizkor either at the first holiday after the death of a loved one or at the first opportunity that takes place at the end of the twelve-month mourning period.Another practice that continues to be observed past mourning is the lighting of a Yahrzeit candle.

There are a number of observances and prohibitions that should be followed during shiva.

The concern now must focus on the mourners, whose sense of anguish at the loss of a loved one does not cease as the last shovel of earth is thrown over the grave. In recognition of mourners’ feelings, and in order to pay proper deference to the memory of the departed one, Judaism has specific procedures in place for the period of mourning.beyond funeral and burial services, there are other practices that relate specifically to mourning.

Naturally, if shiva is observed for only three days, any time during that period is appropriate.Because the mourners say their prayers and the Kaddish (prayer of mourning) at the shiva house, they must rely upon guests to make up the minyan.

Mourners should:Some people tear their garments as an act of mourning for a parent, child, sibling, or spouse. However, upon leaving, it is traditional to say to the mourner, “May God comfort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”Should Shabbat fall within the shiva period, it is counted as a day even though it is not observed as a day of mourning. In many ways, the story of Job mirrors the story of Naomi. Sitting Shiva.

This burning light of the Yahrzeit candle is symbolic of the immortal soul.Jewish law requires a tombstone to mark the grave of the deceased so that the departed one will not be forgotten and the grave will not be desecrated. Other practices are observed in memory of the departed.

Others tear their clothes in mourning for their parents but wear a black ribbon for all other relatives.A wooden casket (frequently pine) is used in Jewish burials, perhaps because wood decomposes at about the same rate as the body. By taking the week off, we indicate that it’s not “business as usual.” We’ve lost a near and dear one and so we ‘stop the world’ for a while to mark this most significant event in our lives. In Israel, caskets are not used, the body is buried wrapped in a prayer shawl.It is a mitzvah to comfort a mourner, so making a shiva call is encouraged. This ceremony is generally referred to as an “unveiling” (Ha-Kamat Matzeyvah).There are no specific requirements concerning how a tombstone must be inscribed. In some less traditional communities, sitting shiva is observed for three days.Parents, siblings, spouse, and children of the deceased sit shiva at the home of the deceased or at one of the mourners’ homes. Therefore, the body can return more rapidly to dust. Oh! We refrain from wearing leather shoes, except onThe thirty-day period of mourning following burial is known asAssisting with funeral preplanning is a specialty at Sinai Chapels.

While the custom is of uncertain origin, its practice is appropriate to the pattern of avelut.

The day of burial is included in the shiva period and counts as the first day. Commonly known as the mourner’s prayer, remember Kaddish is really a prayer of praise to God and has nothing to do with death or mourning.

In some communities, it is customary to place small stones on the gravesite when visiting.

A popular explanation states that in the desert environment of ancient Israel, mourners piled stones and rocks to prevent the sandy soil from blowing away and exposing the corpse. During shloshim, some prohibitions that apply to shiva remain in place, including the restriction on cutting nails or hair, wearing new clothes, shaving, attending parties, or listening to music.During the time of avelut, mourners abstain from parties, celebrations, and other entertainment. When a death occurs on a major holiday, everything is delayed, including the burial, until the holiday is over.Shiva ends on the afternoon of the seventh day following a burial. Yahrzeit occurs on the annual anniversary of the date of death, as set by the Hebrew calendar.

However, if a person will not be able to visit later, it is better to visit during the first three days than not at all.