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Family and community visits
A dying Jewish person may want to see as many of their family and friends as possible, hence family visitation may need to be managed by hospital staff.
Death-related religious rituals
Essential Practice Point 4
- If it is considered that a person is close to death the Jewish Burial Society or, if unavailable, the Communal Rabbi should be contacted to ensure that they can recite the appropriate prayers. The contact numbers are at the end of this section.
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- The person may wish to recite or hear special psalms and prayers and may wish to hold the page where the words are written.
- According to Jewish tradition a dying person should not be left alone and many families will wish to sit with their relatives during the last days/hours.
Customs to be observed at death
Essential Practice Point 5
- The Jewish Burial Society, the Chevre Kadish, should be informed immediately on the death of a Jewish person so that they can prepare the body and bury it in accordance with customary rituals. The contact details are at the end of this section.
- If the person dies during the Sabbath (Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall) the Jewish Burial Society will not be available to perform these rituals. The Chief Rabbi's office has agreed a protocol that in these types of circumstances the body should be taken, still clothed, to the mortuary and left until the community arrives. At least twenty minutes should elapse after death before moving the body.
(Return to Summary of Essential Practice Points)
Essential Practice Point 6
- Jewish Law necessitates the carrying out of a funeral as soon as possible after death. It is therefore important to assist in the provision of a Death Certificate at the earliest possible opportunity, thereby enabling arrangements to be commenced.
(Return to Summary of Essential Practice Points)
- Family may wish for the deceased body to be placed on the floor with the feet pointing towards the doorway and to light a candle, if safe to do so.
- They may ask for a window to be opened in the room in which the patient passed away.
- Traditionally, a watcher stayed with a deceased Orthodox Jew until the body was collected, either at the bedside or after the body has been removed to the mortuary. The family may request this and will make the arrangements with the community.
Cleaning and touching the body
Essential Practice Point 7
Healthcare workers should NOT wash the body. They should only perform the following essential tasks in all cases.
- Close the eyes of the deceased.
- Bandage the lower jaw to the head so that the mouth does not open.
- Straighten the fingers and limbs so that they are parallel with the body.
- The body must be buried whole, which includes any item that has the hair, flesh or blood of the person on it. Leave in place any catheters, drains, tubes and wound dressings for the Burial Society to remove.
- Cover tubes, etc., with gauze or bandages and any other open wounds must be covered.
- Any excess dirt should be wiped away or washed off.
- Cover the body with a sheet.
- If death occurred during surgery check with the Rabbi and family if hospital gowns, etc., that have blood on them should also be kept by the family for burial.
(Return to Summary of Essential Practice Points)
Postmortem requirements
- Jewish Law regards the carrying out of a postmortem as a desecration of the body. A postmortem must be avoided unless required by law.
- Jewish representatives have indicated a preference for non-invasive postmortem procedures so that the body can be buried whole.
- Where the death needs to be reported to the coroner it should be advised that the deceased is Jewish so that any necessary procedure can be expedited.
Interment ritual
Orthodox Jews can only be buried, as cremation is forbidden.
Bereavement
- A funeral is followed by a seven day mourning period where a family do not cook meals or carry out any of their community or work responsibilities.
- Only other family members and close friends visit with gifts of food. This needs to be borne in mind in approaching care plans.
