Taharah (Preparation for Burial)

n the midst of all the horrific headlines and news that Jews worldwide anxiously scanned as the Mumbai tragedy unfolded, a name kept appearing: ZAKA. Who are they? What were they doing on the front lines of this critical mission?

One of the most important elements of a proper Jewish burial is the Taharah; preparing the body for its final rest by the Chevra Kaddisha or Jewish Burial Society.

We were a group of five women, eager to fulfill this mitzvah. This was my first time and I was a tad anxious. But this was something I had wanted to volunteer for, so I came with a positive attitude.

Tachrichim: Shrouds and Dressing... The Aron: Traditional Casket...

The Taharah (Purification)... Dressing the Body... The Casket... Earth from the Holy Land... Flowers...

She was so beautiful as she lay there on her back, perfectly still. I cradled her head in my arms as we washed her face. Her skin was smooth and her limbs remarkably flexible . . .

When the coronavirus pandemic spiked in California last month, it brought unprecedented numbers of the deceased to local mortuaries. Yet despite a staffing shortage—also due to the pandemic—the members of the local chevra kadisha (Jewish burial society) h...

As I rounded the corner on 50, mortality wasn’t a far-off abstract notion that had little to do with me. My mom was struggling with dementia and decline. I had lost some close friends. So when my friend Tamar asked if I might be willing to try this practi...

It is considered a sacred duty and a great kindness to be a part of the Chevra Kadisha, and it is an honor to be included in this group of dedicated volunteers.

One Sunday when I lived in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Chabad rabbi in the city, Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky and I visited the ancient city’s Jewish cemetery to perform a taharah—the ritual washing and cleansing of the deceased. Boris (or Ber, as he had been nam...