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What To Expect When Showing Up At Jewish Funeral Services
Just like all communities, Jews have certain customs that they observe when they are burying a loved one. The strictness of the customs observed normally depends on whether the family of the deceased are radical Jews or conservative Jews. The customs carried out at a Jewish funeral are meant to provide respect to the dead person as well as the mourners.
The burial should take place within twenty four hours after death. However, there are some instances that may prevent this from happening. If close family members of the deceased are based in far away location, the burial will have to be delayed until the relatives have arrived. However, the funeral should generally be carried out as soon as possible.
Open caskets are not allowed at memorial services. The casket chosen should be simple and totally biodegradable. This means that it should be made purely out of wood. Even nails are not allowed, as they are metallic and can't decompose.
The body is not embalmed unless it is mandatory by law. This is to allow for fast decomposition when buried. A sacred society can be called upon to cleanse the body of the deceased and prepare it for burial. They bath the deceased and dress him.
The burial ceremony does not take a long time. It can be completed in less than half an hour. Flowers are normally considered as frivolous adornments, so they are often avoided at burials. If you wish, you can choose to have a small floral tribute, as long as the officiant is not opposed to it. Mourners cannot talk to the attendees until the whole burial ceremony is over.
At a Jewish funeral, the attendees form a double line when leaving the site after the burial. The family members of the deceased walk through the pathway that has been formed. This gives an opportunity to the attendees to greet and offer words of comfort to the bereaved.
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