Understanding The Traditions At A Jewish Funeral Home

Every person is unique and special in their own way and everyone deserves a final service that is a testament to the life they lived. If you are going to attend a funeral service at Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, a Jewish funeral home in East Brunswick, NJ, will you be familiar with the traditions? Not to worry, if you haven’t attended a Jewish funeral service before, you might wonder what might be different from what you have seen within other services. Learning the details beforehand will help make you more comfortable.

Jewish funeral customs are based on “halakic” law – traditions that come from centuries in the past. The customs demand careful devotion and attention and they all revolve around the utmost respect for the person who has passed on. The traditions and details that the customs entail have developed over thousands of years of Jewish services. Our directors have decades of experience with these ritual requirements

The Jewish faith has specific beliefs about the soul. The traditions state that when someone passes on, their soul hovers close to their body, which was really just on loan for them to use in the earthly world. Since the soul is still present, it is not in good taste to leave the body alone. Particularly for those of the Orthodox faith, the “shomer” (a watcher or guardian) will stay with the body continuously to show the deepest levels of respect for the person, reciting Psalms and other passages to give comfort to the soul. The body is also ritually washed and dressed by the Chevra Kadisha – men for men, women for women – in tachrichim, a simple white burial garment identical for everyone regardless of status. Of note is that tachrichim has no pockets signifying that nothing from this world will go with them to the next world. It is also symbolic that all are equal in God’s sight.

Caring for someone who has passed on is the ultimate act of kindness for that person and their family. If you haven’t been to a Jewish funeral service before, don’t feel as if you have to bring anything. Your presence and respect show your support and honor their loved one. That is the biggest thing you can do for a family in mourning.

If you need to know more, feel free to give us a call – Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, the East Brunswick, NJ Jewish funeral home that more Jewish families trust. Families in and around South Brunswick, East Windsor to Freehold and beyond have been turning to us for years, and we’d be happy to help you Jewish funeral customs. Visit with us in person at 454 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 or call us at (732) 390-9199. We’re happy to answer your questions.