Chevra Kadisha

TBI’s Chevra Kadisha, the traditional Jewish burial society, was started about 25 years ago by Rabbi Myron Kinberg, z"l. Our purpose is to assist families at the time of death, along with the rabbis, to provide some traditional services.

Depending on the needs and wishes of the family when a death occurs, the chevra kadisha volunteers may provide assistance with funeral coordination, working with the rabbis, and may meet the family at the hospital, home, or funeral home; we may also accompany the family to choose a burial space. We offer tahara (the ritual washing and dressing of the deceased for burial), meal of consolation for mourners, funeral attendance and shiva minyan services.

The rabbis meet with the families, offer pastoral counseling, help the families plan the funeral, and officiate at the funeral or memorial service. The chevra kadisha’s funeral coordinators help to organize support services. Funeral coordinators depend on lists of volunteers to call for the various tasks needed. For instance, some volunteers choose to provide meals, while others are available to attend a shiva minyan or participate in the taharah ritual.

In addition to directly serving families at the time of a death, our chevra kadisha has published a helpful information booklet, Treasure Each Day: A Guide to Jewish Rituals of Death and Mourning, available in the TBI office. We have also developed a modern guide for tahara which is now being used by chevra kadisha groups across the country. Some of our members have attended national chevra kadisha conferences, and we occasionally provide educational workshops at TBI. In 2003 our chevra kadisha helped to arrange for a Jewish section at the Eugene Masonic Cemetery.

If you are interested in learning more about TBI’s Chevra Kadisha, please call committee chair Maram Epstein.

Contact: info (@ tbieugene.org)