Jewish Burial Traditions

Jewish funeral services are characterized by simplicity and brevity and may be conducted at a funeral chapel or graveside. Funeral Directors coordinate with our caretakers if a graveside service is preferred.

Burial Service: The burial service is simple, consisting of a psalm, the chanting of the El Malei Rachamim prayer, and the recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish. Traditionally, the casket is lowered and fully covered with earth before the mourners leave the cemetery – this ritual is called K’vurah. While some families continue this practice, others choose to participate in the burial process by placing just a small shovel full of earth on the casket. At the end of the service, mourners leave the cemetery walking between two lines formed by family and friends offering comfort and support. With this shift from honoring the dead to consoling the bereaved, the official mourning period begins.