Death and Mourning

View from behind of a person blowing a shofar into the sunset while wearing a prayer shawl that covers their head and back

Unetaneh Tokef in the Time of a Pandemic

Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler

September 10, 2020

The Unetaneh Tokef has a long list of ways that people die, often violently, a way of shocking us into realizing our mortality. The original prayer, however, can be traumatizing. This version seeks a more empathetic approach to mortality.

Two pomegranates sitting on a black reflective surface with their mirror images shown below

Rosh HaShanah

Introducing a Meaningful New Way to Reflect This High Holiday Season

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Leora Kaye

August 20, 2020

If the High Holidays were to be pared down to their very essence, what are some words and phrases that might come to mind?

Belonging. Connection. Memory. An accounting of the soul.

These are just some of the words that drove the creation of the URJ...

Aerial view of hands holding a Yahrzeit memorial candle

Death and Mourning

The URJ Reflection Project: Go Deeper on “The Memorial”

Rabbi Esther L. Lederman

Rabbi Leora Kaye

August 19, 2020

The rituals of our tradition help us reflect on the reality and permanence of death and loss, remind us of our need for belonging and connection to others, and keep us tethered to the beauty of living.

Death and Mourning

My loved one has died during this time of pandemic. What mourning rituals can we do from home?

Rabbi Julie Zupan

“Under our current COVID-19 related restrictions, neither my sister nor I will be able to attend the funeral our father, who died in another state. Instead, we’ll be watching it live-streamed from the funeral home’s website. What are some mourning rituals we might be able to do from our homes?”...

Close up of the hands of an elderly man clutching the top of a cane

Jewish Values

"Cherishing the Life of the Mind": Poetry, Humor, and Stories about Aging

Aron Hirt-Manheimer

May 4, 2020

The following poem, from Al Vorspan's posthumously published "Scrapbook Memoir," offers insight into aging with humor and grace – plus an important, biblical life lesson at the every end.