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Death & Mourning

These details are being presented in an order that is being used to teach a course about Jewish Death and Mourning.
It will be re-organized soon to make details easier to find, and represent more what B'nai Zion congregation represents.

MOURNER'S KADDISH

Mourners (immediate relatives) say Kaddish: Yizkor (Yom Kippur, end of Sukkot, end of Pesach, end of Shavuot), and Yahrzeit (annual anniversary of the death - either on the Hebrew or Secular calendar).
Note: Many people have a tradition of lighting a memorial candle on the eve of those days as well.)

HebrewDoc Kaddish Resources

Interlinear (Rabbi's) Kaddish (Kaddish d'Rabbanan - not Mourner's Kaddish, but includes Mourner's Kaddish)

JEWISH BELIEF IN AFTERLIFE

Reform Judaism: Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife?

My Jewish Learning: Is There a Jewish Afterlife?

Aish.com: Do Jews Believe in the Afterlife?  (pdf)


BEFORE DEATH

It is helpful if - while everyone is still healthy - to consider what your desires are for a funeral and burial, and related needs. These choices can include:

Writing a Will 

Ethical Will; Sharing a Message of Love; Writing and Ethical Will (Tzava'ot)

Prayers to Say Before Death
 - As Death Approaches
 - Last Days

Preparing a Funeral - Discuss with the Rabbi

B'nai Zion Funeral and Mourning Guidelines

 

Funeral Preparation Checklist from the URJ

Donating Body Parts

Beginning to Write Obituary and Preparing Details for Death Certificate

Choosing Jewish Traditions to follow

Purchasing a Cemetery Plot


STAGES OF MOURNING

-"Traditional Jewish Ritual and Mourning Practices" from JCFS Chicago

Shiva
- "Everything You Need to Know About the Jewish Custom of Shiva" from Reform Judaism

- Orthodox guidelines concerning saying Kaddish for Mourners


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

B'NAI ZION 

B'nai Zion Funeral and Mourning Guidelines

   Kaddish Resources from Rabbi Jana

   Yizkor Page at B'nai Zion (Yom Kippur; End of Sukkot; End of Passover; Shavuot)

   Memorial Book at B'nai Zion  (used for every Yizkor at B'nai Zion starting with Yom Kippur)

   Cemetery Plot Purchase Request Form

   Memorial Plaque Form

   B'nai Zion Fee Structure

 

OTHER JEWISH RESOURCES

Bim Bam Mourning Rituals: Short helpful videos explaining Jewish concepts about Death and Mourning .

Reform Judaism: Preparing for a Jewish Funeral: A Guide     A Checklist

Shiva.com: Jewish Funerals and Burial

RitualWell: Death & Mourning

 

SHREVEPORT FUNERAL HOMES

Forest Park Funeral Home home page

     When Death Occurs

Kilpatrick's Rose-Neath Funeral Home home page

    RoseNeath Preparation Guidelines

     Form for Death Certificate and Writing Obituary

     Death Certificate Info

Osborn Funeral Home home page

   Osborn Preparation Guidelines

 

SHREVEPORT JEWISH CEMETERIES

B'nai Zion Cemeteries (and other Historical Information)

Agudath Achim Cemetery

 

BODY DONATION IN SHREVEPORT

Donating a Body in Shreveport: LSU Health Center will take donated bodies. Details are at this site.

 

BOOKS ABOUT JEWISH DEATH AND AFTER-LIFE

Some helpful books as resources:
The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning by Maurice Lamm
The Jewish Mourner's Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch
Mourning & Mitzvah: A Guided Journal for Walking the Mourner's Path Through Grief to Healing by Anne Brener
Jewish Views of the Afterlife by Simcah Paull Raphael
Saying Kaddish: How to Comfort the Dying, Bury the Dead & Mourn as a Jew by Anita Diamant
The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought by Neil Gillman
Does the Soul Survive by Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz
The Seven Questions You're Asked in Heaven by  Dr. Ron Wolfson

Kaddish for Grandpa in Jesus' Name Amen by James Howe (author) and Catherine Stock (illustrator)

 

Sun, December 8 2024 7 Kislev 5785