Hevra Kadisha

“Hevra Kadisha” – “holy society” – is the traditional name of the Jewish burial fraternity. And these are not empty words.

The Jewish community also comes to the rescue at the sad moment when the soul of a Jew leaves the material world – the funeral brotherhood “Hevra Kadisha” will give all the appropriate honors to the deceased, will help relatives to properly observe the funeral ceremonies, will take care of the proper care for the graves of those whose relatives are far away or for health reasons can not do it. The community takes care of graves in Jewish cemeteries. Three new Jewish cemeteries have been established and maintained in the community. Commanded memorial rites are provided, Kaddish is recited, Kiddush is organized for the raising of souls who have left the physical world. Anniversaries of death – Yortzeit – are celebrated and the Izkor memorial prayer is recited on holidays.

The commandments towards the deceased are considered in our tradition to be a manifestation of true charity in the full meaning of the word. After all, when we do a God-pleasing deed towards the living, we – consciously or subconsciously – can expect any benefit from them, which is not the case with the deceased. In the face of death our deeds and thoughts are especially pure. This is why the “holy society” undertakes a truly holy mission.

The Jews call the cemetery “the house of the living” or “the eternal home” – knowing that life does not end with death. Our whole life is a hallway to the parlor of true life, to life in the World to Come. And death is but a transition.

But as long as we live here on this earth, in this world, our task is to live a life of dignity. A life full of worthy, God-pleasing deeds. This includes showing the utmost respect to those who are near us and to those who are no longer with us. And the organization of Jewish funerals and the care of graves are among the most important components of this duty of the living. For Jews, a cemetery is much more than a banal plot of land set aside for burial. For us, it is a tribute, a duty of the living.

“Hevra Kadisha” of the city of Dnipro is unique in its kind. They are ready to go anywhere in Dnipro and the region to perform the rituals preceding the burial itself. And in the morgue, and in a non-Jewish cemetery. In some cases, the rite is carried out even at home. The range of services includes washing the body, accompanied by a special prayer, sewing special clothes, providing coffins, as well as prayers at the cemetery, including recitations of the Kaddish prayer.

It is customary to visit the graves of relatives on the anniversary of death according to the Jewish calendar (yortzeit), as well as before the Days of Atonement – Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and on Jewish fasts.

We remind that those whose lineage goes back to the kohen – priests in the Temple in Jerusalem, it is strictly forbidden to be in the cemetery, except for the immediate funeral of the nearest relatives (parents, children, brothers, wife).