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Friday, March 29, 2024

Cremation: An Ongoing Desecration Afflicts the Jewish Community

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A traditional Jewish gravestone gives permanent honor to the deceased individual.

Since time immemorial, members of the Jewish people – whether strictly Orthodox per se or traditional in general – have instinctively followed classical Jewish law by arranging for a burial service that will be totally in accordance with halacha (Jewish law).

Now one might think that the act of cremation – literally burning the deceased’s body and either preserving or disposing of the ashes – would be repulsive to any thinking Jew, especially in the aftermath of the Holocaust. But shockingly, the rate of cremation among American Jews keeps increasing, especially in Florida, home to so many elderly Jews. Following the trend of the non-Jewish world, irreligious Jews feel their family can save money by avoiding what could be a costly burial service, and they sadly do not feel that the halacha in this regard is still incumbent on them.

In particular, our readership would surely be stunned to hear that there are “officially Orthodox” or traditional funeral homes in Manhattan that offer cremation services upon request. When queried, they respond that they want to cater to every client’s specific need. But we must ask – how can they call themselves Orthodox and yet sanction such a blatant violation of time-honored Torah mandates? In fact, the Jewish Voice is set to provide a fuller picture of this situation in next week’s issue.

Leading Orthodox rabbis with expertise in this area point out the serious halachic violations caused by cremation. For one, the Torah emphasizes the importance of demonstrating respect to the human body, which was created in G-d’s image. Additionally, when the resurrection of the dead ultimately occurs, those who have been cremated will have no actual body to rise back to life. The Jewish Voice calls upon all Jews to honor their heritage and choose traditional burial – the passport to eternal life.

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