Jewish Funeral Service Rituals

Jewish funeral service rituals are very traditional and follow a strong set of beliefs and customs that are all based on the Torah. Many of these beliefs are very important to the Jewish cultures, whether those cultures are stemmed in Orthodox or conservative Judaism. Some of the traditional cultures are reformed under the Reform Judaism, but all of the Jewish people believe that life should be embraced even though death is inevitable. Judaism in Helmetta, NJ funeral service focuses on how life should be lived, and it wants to praise a person’s life after their death to prepare them for what comes after.

Jewish burials generally take place as soon as possible after a person passes on. The only exceptions are when the family can’t get to the site in that short amount of time or other practical reasons. Jewish funerals are also very simple and do not aim to embarrass those that don’t have a lot of money. One of the traditional practices includes a ritual washing of the body and dressing it in a plain burial shroud. Those are things that can be taken care of by a Jewish funeral home. There will also be watchers that will remain with the deceased around the clock until the funeral service takes place.

Traditional practices highlight the funeral as taking place at the funeral home or in the synagogue the day after the person passes on. There isn’t a visitation before the funeral. The person’s remains are placed in a simple wood coffin and there is not generally an open casket. While cremation didn’t used to be accepted in the Jewish tradition, it is now much more acceptable, so a simple urn may be present instead.

Male guests will often wear a jacket and tie, and they will cover their heads with a yarmulke. If they do not have a head covering, the funeral home can make that available to them. Women will wear something conservative like a dress or skirt in somber colors. They do not have to wear a head covering, but they should not wear anything that isn’t modest.

Services are conducted by rabbis and sometimes include cutting a black ribbon to show the person breaking away from life and their loved ones. After the service, there are recited prayers and at the cemetery, the family will participate in placing dirt in the plot before the coffin or urn is buried. This helps people accept the finality of death. Some Jewish funerals are held at the graveside in their entirety.

If you need help arranging a Jewish funeral, Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels is the ideal Jewish funeral home, located at 454 Cranbury Road (at Evergreen Blvd.) East Brunswick, NJ 08816. We ensure that your loved one is handled according to all of the customs that are important to you. We can take some of the planning burdens from your shoulders and allow you to spend more time with your family members and friends, where you belong during this difficult time. Give us a call at (800) 395-9199 or (732) 390-9199.