CK - What to do, who to call, how to plan
If a member of the family is seriously ill:
- Call the Bnai Keshet office (973-746-4889) and ask to speak with one of the rabbis.
- Call the Bnai Keshet office (973-746-4889) and ask to speak with one of the rabbis or a member of the Chevra Kadisha.
- Some people prefer to call the funeral home first.
While there are many to choose from, the BK Chevra Kadisha tahara teams currently have access at the following:
Bernheim Apter Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Rd., Livingston.
Jewish Memorial Chapel, 841 Allwood Rd., Clifton
Menorah Chapels at Millburn, 2950 Vauxhall Rd., Union
Information regarding funeral services offered and associated fees for all of the above options can be obtained by calling the Funeral Home/Chapel directly. The BK Chevra Kadisha is currently in the process of developing a list of simplified funeral packages – such a list will be available in the BK office in the near future. Click for information on low-cost models.
Planning ahead
The worst time to shop for a funeral and/or cemetery plot is when one’s need is pressing. Funeral homes are businesses that profit when selling their services, and prospective customers can be far more vulnerable when they are managing the complicated emotions that accompany the death of a family member or loved one. The BK Chevra Kadisha can intercede on your behalf and handle many of these arrangements for you.
It is far easier for your family and loved ones, and potentially less expensive, if you plan ahead for your funeral and burial. If you have made these arrangements, please discuss them with a member of the BK Chevra Kadisha so that the details can be kept on file. That way, your plans can be implemented with a single call to the BK office.
Cemetery rules vary. If you do not have a burial plot, the BK office has a list of local and environmentally friendly options, and can advise on Jewish cemeteries that permit interfaith burials.
Although most of us avoid thinking about our own death or the death of a family member, many realize that advance planning can help us make more thoughtful decisions when that moment arrives.
The Chevra Kadisha holds educational programs on such subjects as ethical wills, burial vs. cremation, funeral and burial practices, and the green cemetery movement. Please visit Questions & Answers and Further Reading for thoughtful conversations, articles and presentations on these subjects.