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About Rabbi Sue Levy
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I will be happy to answer questions about Jewish customs and beliefs relating to death and mourning and how these are observed by the different movements in the Jewish community. I can discuss the content of the Jewish funeral service as well as options from which you may choose. I can also suggest some important questions which one may want to ask a rabbi or funeral director when planning a funeral service.

Experience
I have been a rabbi for twenty-two years and have served congregations in the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements. I taught an undergraduate course in Death and Dying at Temple University in Philadelphia and have taught classes in Jewish mourning customs in numerous locations. I am also a widow. My experience as a mourner enabled me to see, in a very practical way, which of the traditions, "worked" for me and which did not. One of the most important things I learned is that, even for Jews who do not accept the authority of Jewish law, many of the traditional practices have enormous psychological wisdom. I can offer both an educated an sympathetic ear.

Organizations
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Houston Rabbinical Association.

   

You are here:  Experts > Health/Fitness > Death and Dying > Funerals

Questions Answered By Expert  Rabbi Sue Levy 
In Category  Funerals

SubjectDate Asked

Shiva Food7/9/2008
  Q: Rabbi Levy, What is the custom concerning how to include people in sending in the shiva tray and ...
  A: There are some times when a friend of the family will organize food for the family for a week, ...
Jewish cemetery5/20/2008
  Q: I buried my mother recently and I was told by the cemetery that in 1974 they mistakenly buried ...
  A: I'm sorry that you and your family has had to deal with such terrible stress. Yes, you may very ...
unveiling5/19/2008
  Q: I would like to know the purpose of an unveiling.My son passed away 10 months ago (18yrs old), I ...
  A: Please allow me to suggest that what is most painful is the death of a child and not the funeral ...
Jewish burial5/12/2008
  Q: Is there a Biblical/spiritual rationale for the rapid burial of a loved one? If so, could you tell ...
  A: The Bible says, "dust you are and unto dust you will return." Therefore, we do not believe in ...
Jewish Funeral3/2/2008
  Q: Our dear Jewish neighbor passed away, and my wife and I would like to attend her service, but we ...
  A: It will be acceptable for your wife to wear a pants. Please be guided by what other men are doing at ...
Stones on markers2/1/2008
  Q: Is it OK for a non-Jew to leave a stone on the grave marker of a Jewish friend? I'm Roman Catholic ...
  A: Yes, it is perfectly OK, and it is a lovely gesture on your part. It has become a custom to show ...
Mourning1/11/2008
  Q: My very dear friends mother passed away at 7am this morning and it is my belief that she will be ...
  A: If you have not already called, it would be best for you to wait until after the funeral or, if it ...
dates for yarzheit on Jewish calendar12/16/2007
  Q: Is there a place on the internet that I can translate the date of funeral to the date of yarzheit on ...
  A: Some Reform and Reconstructionist congregations are willing to let people choose either the Hebrew ...
Jewish Funeral12/6/2007
  Q: I have a very dear friend who has just died, he was a Portuguese Jew. He was, as a child brought up ...
  A: Yes, of course, the arrangements for the chapel sound fine. I wasn't aware of the fact that his ...
Jewish Funeral12/5/2007
  Q: I have a very dear friend who has just died, he was a Portuguese Jew. He was, as a child brought up ...
  A: I am quite amazed and in awe of any Methodist minister who will go to the lengths that you are in ...
Jewish Funeral Attire11/5/2007
  Q: I am attending the funeral of my bosses mother, I am not Jewish, what is the correct attire to wear ...
  A: I would suggest business attire for the funeral. Coat and tie for your husband, and a dress for ...
Protocol for a Shabat.10/23/2007
  Q: The local temple is having a Noah's Ark Shabbat service (they are bringing in live animals for the ...
  A: You may wish to contact the World Union For Progressive Judaism regarding the congregation in ...
burial vs cremation7/8/2007
  Q: I am slightly confused about what i have read regarding legality of cremation within jewish law. it ...
  A: The Torah is clear in telling us that we must return to the earth from which we came. There is ...
my grandmother's death6/19/2007
  Q: My grandparents are the only ones in our family that are Jewish. My dear grandma passed away last ...
  A: This is really not a Jewish issue at all. I think the best you can do, under the circumstances, is ...
unveiling6/10/2007
  Q: can i have an unveiling for my mother between rosh Hashanah and Yom kippor? the cemetery says they ...
  A: I apologize for the delay in responding to your query. I was having trouble with my internet ...
unveling5/31/2007
  Q: My dads unveiling is July 1st and I am unsure about what to do after the cemetary service? Do we go ...
  A: There isn't any one proper thing to do. If there are people who will be coming from a long distance, ...
FUNERAL4/10/2007
  Q: I have a disagreement with my wife. My Grandmother passed away this morning and the funeral is ...
  A: It is absolutely appropriate to take children to a shiva. If you read the Mourner's Kaddish in ...
funeral1/8/2007
  Q: what can i send to the home for shiva
  A: It would help you to know whether or not the family observes the Jewish dietary laws (keeps kosher). ...
Funeral1/3/2007
  Q: A former coworker daughter has lost her battle with brain cancer. I and some coworker are going to ...
  A: No one has to be invited to visit. The more visitors, the better. It gives people an opportunity to ...
jewish gravemarker dedication service10/19/2006
  Q: My family has asked me to dedicate the stone at my grandmothers grave. Although I have performed ...
  A: The Jewish custom in the United States is to unveil the grave-stone after a period of time has gone ...
Mourning Tradition10/16/2006
  Q: My father has just died ( last friday ) after a long illness and I am not as familiar with ...
  A: I'm very sorry about your loss. One of the most important traditions of mourning is to sit shiva so ...
Jewish Funeral protocol8/27/2006
  Q: My wifes employer has passed on this past Friday, and we will be attending a jewish visitation ...
  A: McCann, In this case, I think your decisions about how much to do will depend upon whether your ...
Protocols8/9/2006
  Q: I worked with a lovely young woman who left the company when she married and I attended her wedding. ...
  A: There is no Jewish protocol for this situation. Your friend is probably feeling very lonely and ...
why do we cover mirrors during shiva?7/12/2006
  Q: why do we cover mirrors during shive
  A: There are two reasons for covering mirrors during shiva. First, mourners should not have to be ...
funeral dress7/7/2006
  Q: I'm actually costuming a film that has a scene with a Jewish funeral, I would love your help. ...
  A: There is no such thing as a "mixed faith" funeral for an Orthodox Jew. I would like to suggest that ...
unveilings5/18/2006
  Q: My husband and I are the only family left, with the unveiling of his mother coming up. Since we ...
  A: I'm sorry if I'm late in responding. The AllExperts folks told me that your post was waiting for my ...
Casket5/17/2006
  Q: Rather than a wood casket or shroud my father requests that when he dies he be buried in a woven ...
  A: The only way you could bury him in bamboo or wicker would be to have him fully clothed. The idea of ...
Jewish funeral service1/22/2006
  Q: Rabbi, I am not a Rabbi but I will be conducting a funeral on Tuesday. Having led services a six ...
  A: Lankin, Most of the funeral service is comprised of prayers of comfort and Psalms. In most Shabbat ...
jewish death and bereavement protocol3/8/2005
  Q: I have a very dear friend whose death from cancer will probably occur within the next 24 hours. He ...
  A: I'm happy to answer your questions, but it isn't clear to me what your role will be when he dies. ...
Thank you notes for condolence cards?1/11/2005
  Q: My mother in law passed away last week and many people did wonderful things for us. (I am reform, ...
  A: You should not be expected to thank someone who sent a condolence card. People in the Reform, ...
Stone placed on grave markers in cemetaries6/7/2004
  Q: What is the basis for stones placed on grave stones. I saw several at West Point Cemetary and ...
  A: The grandparents and great-grandparents of most American Jews came from Eastern Europe, and this is ...
Jewish Funeral Songs2/28/2004
  Q: Friends have asked me to sing at the memorial service of their mother. The family is Jewish but have ...
  A: My first suggestion would be to ask the family if there is anything that they would particularly ...
funeral custom11/11/2003
  Q: I am not Jewish but am very interested in Judasim. I attended an Orthodox burial in Swansea during ...
  A: Some traditional Jews use shovels and ill the grave entirely. It is considered an act of love and ...
parts of a jewish funeral service5/30/2003
  Q: I'm a minister who is doing a brief service for a Jewish family (tomorrow). They describe themselves ...
  A: Britton, I am sorry that this is a very complicated question that I can't possibly answer by email. ...
Yarzheit prayers and candles3/27/2003
  Q: My fiance converted to Judaism. His father was not Jewish. His father died 40 years ago ...
  A: Since your fiance's family is not Jewish, he has no obligation to observe any of the rituals of ...

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