In the event of a death in your family locally or elsewhere, you can contact Rabbi Jon at any hour. One phone call is all you need to set things in motion. Call the rabbi’s extension at the synagogue, (603) 883-8184 ext. 104, and if he is not there you will hear instructions for how to reach him. He will call back even on Shabbat or a holy day when he is not in services. You do not have to be a member of Beth Abraham for us to support you after a death.
If someone you love is dying, this piece from MyJewishLearning.com summarizes some of the spiritual and practical things that might be helpful to do during that difficult time.
We do our best to take decisions and logistics off your hands when someone dies, so you can mourn and others can take care of your needs. You do not have to remember any of the following, but here are some things that can be helpful if you would like to know what happens after a death.
Beth Abraham Cemetery – We have a Jewish cemetery located next to the northwest corner of Exit 5 off the Everett Turnpike/U.S. 3 in Nashua. In our cemetery we bury Jewish people, and also non-Jewish spouses or dependent children in member families. You may arrange to purchase plots at any time by contacting our Cemetery Committee.
Chevra Kadisha – We have “burial societies” for both men and women, who prepare bodies in the traditional Jewish way called tohora (purification) before placing them in a wood aron (casket). If you are interested in becoming a member of a Chevra Kadisha contact the rabbi, who will put the head of the appropriate group in touch with you.
Davis Funeral Home in Nashua works with us whenever there is a local Jewish burial, even if the person died somewhere else. They also work with funeral homes elsewhere if someone died here and is going to be buried in another place. You can contact Davis at any hour of the day or night.
Funerals take place for Beth Abraham members in the synagogue or at the graveside, or in a funeral home chapel or graveside for nonmembers. There is a traditional format for these services, within which family and friends can offer eulogies and readings in consultation with the rabbi. We bury people in a traditional wood aron (casket) and encourage you to select an aron without adornment.
Shiva is the traditional week of mourning in the home after the death of a close family member. The synagogue arranges for evening services at the home of a family in mourning. The Sisterhood arranges for a meal for any family returning locally to a home after a burial. Learn here about how to make a “shiva call” and what Jewish tradition teaches about comforting someone in mourning.
Monuments are dedicated around a year after a death, or in some traditions after the first month. The ceremony is often known as an “unveiling.” We work locally with Gate City Monument to fashion a stone with the proper Hebrew inscriptions. Monuments are approved by the rabbi before they are engraved.
To talk about any of these in more detail contact Rabbi Jon anytime.