What Is Hevra Kadisha At PSJC?

 

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The Hevra Kadisha ("sacred society") protects and cares for the bodies of deceased Jews from the time of death until burial. Members of the PSJC Hevra perform the rituals of Sh'mirah (guarding and keeping company with the dead) and Taharah (preparing the dead for burial according to tradition). If you are interested in volunteering with us, please email hevra.kadisha@psjc.org. - Malkie Grozalsky and Liz Wollman, Co-Chairs  

 

For centuries, every Jewish community maintained its own Hevra Kadisha—a sacred fellowship whose members lovingly cleanse, dress, lay out, and watch over the bodies of the dead until burial. In cooperation with our G'maCh (Loving Kindness) and Cemetery Committees, PSJC currently maintains the only Hevra Kadisha in Brooklyn (and one of only four citywide) under egalitarian Jewish auspices.

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Our Hevra Kadisha volunteers are on call to fulfill the imperatives of chesed shel emet (true kindness, or kindness at the moment of truth) for PSJC members and their immediate relatives who die in our community.  Sh'mirah (vigil-keeping) volunteers—men, women, and teenagers—sit in pairs for two-hour shifts around the clock. Taharah (cleansing and dressing) is performed in the early morning or late evening by a small group of volunteers—women for women, and men for men—under the guidance of an experienced team leader.  

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Here are some words from community members about their experiences with the Hevra Kadisha:

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We learned about the simple funeral plan and the Hevra Kadisha. I found the experience very comforting. Not being familiar with the Jewish funeral laws and traditions, I was concerned about my father’s transition after his death. Learning about sh’mirah (sitting with the deceased until burial) and taharah (washing and dressing ritual) relieved me from my worries.  Knowing that volunteers from PSJC would be caring for my father reassured me that he would make the transition with greater ease...

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When the dreaded day arrived, and my father died, PSJC helped us through all the details...My father was then personally accompanied to the funeral home, where pairs of PSJC volunteers kept vigil for him around the clock until the end of the funeral. The men’s team of the PSJC Hevra Kadisha performed taharah for my father. Even though my father passed away on the Sabbath of Memorial Day weekend, we received complete and loving care from his new community...

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Members of the PSJC community also came to visit my family at my parents’ home where we were sitting for the first week of mourning. Our family is very grateful to Park Slope Jewish Center for ‘holding our hands' and making this sad experience more bearable.” - Daughter of PSJC members

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[A]s I was leaving [my shift], one of the women who replaced me asked how I knew [the woman who had died]. I wondered what she thought when I said that I did not know her at all and I wondered how many others performing sh'mirah or taharah did not know her either. While on the one hand, we'd like to have a community in which we all know each other, that's just not likely when we're talking about hundreds of people with varying levels of involvement...As I learned about [the deceased woman] I regretted not knowing her, but at the same time I think it speaks well for a community that takes care of its own regardless of the level of personal connection.” PSJC Hevra Kadisha Member

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As our community grows, so does our need to stay connected. Our Hevra Kadisha continues to welcome additional PSJC members to our ranks for both sh'mirah and taharah. The only prerequisite is a willingness to be respectful and cooperative in the presence of the dead. If you would like to learn more and receive updates about future educational programs, please write to us. Please see below for Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs).