Third North American
Chevra Kadisha Conference

at Columbia University Hillel – New York City

 June 5-7, 2005

sponsored by Kavod v’Nichum, the New York Board of Rabbis and
the New York JBFCS Jewish Health, Healing and Recovery Network

 

 

What you will learn and experience

 

·        Hands-on training demonstrations showing the beauty of Tahara – the Jewish ritual preparation of the met (the body of the person who has died)

·        Skills for working with bereaved families and facilitating logistics of funerals and burials

·        Both introductory and advanced sessions

·        Synagogue and communal organizing resources and techniques

·        Text study

·        Historical analysis

·        Networking and informal sharing

Why it is important

·        To catalyze Jewish communal interest in working with death and dying

·        To demonstrate to the entire Jewish community that Chevra Kadisha efforts are vital to its social fabric and spiritual health

·        To show that tahara rituals are accessible to Jews of all branches

·        To show how Chevra Kadisha practice links Jews to each other in profound and enduring ways.

·        To make this greatest Mitzvah open to, and fulfilling for, every Jew who wants to join in it

·        To touch a traditional source of spirituality

·        To deepen our Jewish commitment

·        To serve others with authenticity, care and sensitivity


Explore the powerful spirituality of Chevra Kadisha - The Holy Society.

Early on-line registration now open

Kavod v'Nichum (Honor and Comfort) is the only non-profit U.S. - Canadian organization that exclusively provides education about traditional Jewish funeral and burial practices. We lead workshops for synagogues on topics ranging from organizing a Chevra Kadisha (Holy Burial Society), to working with bereaved families, to how to do Tahara, to finding spirituality in Chevra Kadisha work. We produce and manage an extensive web site (www.Jewish-funerals.org), visited by over ¼ million people, with over 300 pages and links on all aspects of traditional Jewish funeral and burial practice

The New York Board of Rabbis and the JBFCS Jewish Health, Healing and Recovery Network recognize that the Chevra Kadisha is an important component of chaplaincy, Jewish spiritual healing, and end of life work. Our extensive rabbinic, congregational, and social service networks are ready to assist local New York organizations working in these areas.

New York City, one of the spiritual centers of North American Judaism has a significant and diverse Jewish population, innovative programs in areas of healing, care for the dying, preparation of the deceased and providing comfort for mourners and an extensive array of historical, cultural and educational resources. The conference provides an opportunity for New York Chevra Kadisha groups to showcase their activities, both for a North American audience and for interested local groups that have yet to be exposed to this work.

David Zinner
Executive Director
Kavod v’Nichum

Rabbi Simkha Weintraub
Rabbinic Director
JBFCS Jewish Health Healing and Recovery Network

Rabbi Stephen Roberts
Associate Executive VP
New York Board of Rabbis