Congregation Tikkun v’Or

Bereavement Support

Bereavement Support / End Of Life

The Bereavement Support Group was formed to assist congregants when they are anticipating the death of a loved one or after a death has occurred. Members of the BSG can listen, talk through options for cemeteries and funeral homes, explain both traditional rituals and adaptations, assist in arranging for rituals, and more. For more information, contact us at  bereavementsupport@tikkunvor.org.

Decisions to Make in Anticipation of the Death of a Loved One or After a Loved One Dies

When a death can be anticipated, it is best to think through and communicate decisions in advance. Otherwise, decisions such as those listed here will need to be made almost immediately following a death:

  • Selecting a funeral home and cemetery or other place of burial (purchase of plot)
  • Deciding whether to bury or cremate the body of the deceased
  • Choosing the type of service (funeral, graveside, memorial, or no service), a service leader, and when it will be held
  • Deciding if tahara (ritual washing) or other ritual be performed to prepare the body for burial
  • Deciding if shmira (accompanying or sitting with the deceased before burial) be observed during the period between death and the funeral (Hebrew word for this period: aninut)
  • Determining visiting hours: dates, times, and location when family will receive visitors (‘sit shiva’)
  • Deciding if shiva services be held (in person or virtual), and who will conduct them
  • Writing an Obituary: In addition to telling the story of the deceased, the obituary should – as appropriate and relevant – tell the time and place of the service and burial, of gatherings following the service or at other times, and of shiva services
  • Informing people about the death (extended family, friends, and colleagues); deciding how will they be informed and by whom

Resources

The Bereavement Support Group has put together several guides that honor the spirit and traditions of Judaism while also suggesting ways of adapting traditional practices for modern times and for our multicultural community.

Between This World and the Next – Jewish Wisdom on Death and Mourning

In the spring of 2026, the TvO Bereavement Support Group sponsored a 4-session class  with Rabbi Tziona Szajman

Jewish tradition offers profound wisdom for navigating death, grief, and memory. Through text study, storytelling, and shared reflection, this four-part series explores how Jewish rituals honor the dead, support the living, and help us transform loss into meaning.

Session Topics

1. The Final Act of Kindness: Jewish death, burial, and preparation as sacred acts of love, dignity, and community.

(Notes available here)

2. Sitting Together in the Brokenness: The power and wisdom of shiva—how Jewish mourning rituals comfort, protect, and connect us. (Notes available here)

3. The Long Arc of Mourning: Walking the Jewish path through grief, from shiva to shloshim, the first year, yizkor, and beyond. (Notes available here)

4. What Comes Next?: Jewish visions of the afterlife, including olam haba, resurrection, and the soul’s journey—and how these ideas shape how we live. (Notes available here)

About the Teacher: Rabbi Tziona Szajman is a Board-Certified Hospital Chaplain and ordained rabbi with a master’s degree in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. A member of the Tikkun v’Or community for over a decade, she teaches in our JLE and serves as both a congregational rabbi and hospital chaplain. Guided by deep listening, Rabbi Tziona’s teaching weaves Jewish text and tradition with lived experience, creating space for connection, compassion, and care.

Videos from that class are available for members  by clicking here, or by going to the Video section in the Members Only part of our website.