Chevra Kadisha

The phrase “Chevra Kadisha” is Hebrew for Holy Society. This group is responsible for seeing that the bodies of deceased Jews in our community are prepared for burial according to Jewish tradition. It is one of the oldest known groups in organized Jewish communities.

When/where we meet:

The work is performed in a designated room in a funeral home. The Chevra Kadisha generally performs its sacred work within 24 hours of the burial.

what we do (and how):

The Chevra Kadisha is charged with performing a tahara, a ritual bath, and dressing the deceased in plain white garments called tachrichim. Special prayers and liturgical passages are read during the work of the Chevra Kadisha.

how to get involved:

We are committed to sharing knowledge of our work and invite community members to learn through small informal orientations. Interested congregants may then join us in our holy work. Please contact Marty Rotter (srappling@yahoo.com) for the Men’s group or Denise McLaughlin (denise.mclaughlin@gmail.com) for the Women’s group.