David Techner, of Ira Kaufman Chapel, spoke at Beth Israel recently on the issue of Jewish funeral practices and mourning rituals. The program was the first in a three part series on Jewish attitudes towards death and the affirmation of life.

Mr. Techner spoke for more than an hour and a half about his own experiences as a funeral director. The intent of the presentation was to "demystify" the process of death and the preparation for the funeral. He described the process of preparing the body for burial in great detail and spoke with great love, sincerity and a bit of humor about the process.

The humor is important because one of the points which Mr. Techner stressed continuously was that the time of the funeral is really a celebration of life. Of course, it is time for tears and sadness. But, he stressed that if we don't see that period of time as a time to celebrate life, no matter how short or how long a life the person led, we are missing the most important aspect of the grieving process: recognizing that life goes on and that memories will always be with us.

Again and again, Mr. Techner stressed the wisdom of Jewish customs of death and mourning which provide for "group therapy" in the form of a minyan, for sensitivity and understanding through the presence of family and friends at shiva and institutes certain set times each year where we must remember.

The presentation was a perfect introduction to our series which will continue with a study of Jewish texts on death and the affirmation of life led by Rabbi Robert Dobrusin this Sunday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, February 16 at 2:00 p.m., the series will conclude with a program sponsored by the Beth Israel Men's Club on the subject of organ donation. That program will feature a panel of experts speaking on the subject and an opportunity for people to ask questions and register as potential organ donors.

Robert Dobrusin, Rabbi
Copyright © 1997, Robert Dobrusin.
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This message was originally posted on February 4, 1997.

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