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In times of stress or sadness, it is natural to turn to your Temple community. We are here for you.
As a loved one approaches the end of their life, it is disorienting and stressful. Strong emotions make even the most necessary tasks difficult to accomplish.
Temple will help you navigate logistics as well as emotional and spiritual issues. Please do not hesitate to call on us for any assistance at any time. Our clergy and staff are ready to help.
When a death occurs, please call us at (206) 323-8486. If after hours, please follow the prompts for life-and-death emergency. You do not need to call immediately unless you wish to speak with us right away; calling the next morning is fine.
Useful Telephone Numbers
Temple De Hirsch Sinai: (206) 323-8486
For after-hours emergencies, dial 1 for our life-and-death emergency line
Butterworth Funeral Home: (206) 282-5500
Quiring Monuments: (206) 552-8400
Pre-Death Planning: Things To Consider
Please discuss final wishes with your loved ones. Our rabbis are available to assist with discussions. Consider the following questions:
- Where do you wish to be laid to rest?
- Do you want to be buried or cremated? (The Reform movement does permit cremation, and our cemetery and mausoleum accommodate cremated remains.)
- Do you want a traditional funeral service? If so, a private service?
- Have you made pre-arrangements with a funeral home? If not, do you have any preferences?
At the Time Of Death: What To Do
- For many people, the first thing to take care of will be to call a funeral home to pick up and care for your loved one’s body. If your loved one dies in hospice or in the hospital, they will make that call for you. If your loved one is at home and not receiving hospice services, call 911.
- Please call Temple to let us know at (206) 323-8486. If after hours, please follow the prompts for life-and-death emergency. You do not need to call immediately unless you wish to speak with us right away; calling the next morning is fine.
- A rabbi will reach out to you and begin working with you and the funeral home to plan timing and details for a funeral or memorial service. If your loved one has a plot or placement at Hills of Eternity/Home of Peace, we will take care of burial details.
- As you work on burial details, please wait until we have confirmed our rabbi’s and cemetery caretaker’s availability before finalizing the day and time of a funeral.
- Once funeral arrangements have been set, Temple staff will contact you to arrange for recognition within the Temple community, including at Shabbat services and a congregational email, if you wish.
- A Sacred Journeys volunteer will reach out to you to offer comfort, if you wish.
After The Funeral
- You do not need to arrange for a monument or maker right away. Unveilings are typically held one year from the date of death. Please call Jennifer Phillips, Temple’s Executive Assistant to the Clergy, at (206) 693-3047 to schedule an unveiling and to request a rabbi. If you arrange an unveiling on your own, please still advise Temple as to when it will be held.
- Anyone who has lost a loved one is welcome to join us for weekly Shabbat services. My Jewish Learning also offers a daily virtual Kaddish Minyan for those who wish.
- Kever Avot is our High Holy Day cemetery service, held on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Anyone who has lost a loved one is encouraged to attend, whether or not they are interred at Hills of Eternity/Home of Peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Jewish law require burial the next day?
We use the phrase “as quickly as possible.” In ancient times, this meant the very next day; however, later texts favor postponing burial until family members can be assembled to honor the deceased. Today we balance expediency with loved ones’ travel schedules and the availability of burial permits.
How soon can my loved one be buried?
We work with families to schedule funerals at a time and date of the family’s choice, whenever possible. Burial time and day depend on several factors. The funeral home needs an official death certificate that a healthcare professional must sign (which can take at least a day) and a permit signed by the County (which can also take at least a day), after the doctor has certified the cause of death. Other factors include funeral home availability as well as the availability of a rabbi.
What times and days can we hold a funeral?
Jewish funerals may take place from Sunday through Friday morning of each week, excluding Jewish holidays and commemorations. In honor of Shabbat, services do not occur from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening. Many Jewish funeral services take place in the morning.
What do I need to quickly provide to the funeral home after a death?
You will need vital statistics for the death certificate, including your loved one’s social security number, their place of birth, and their parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name. If burying, you will want to confirm which casket you like in order to ensure enough time for delivery.
Do we order the headstone right away?
You may order a headstone or marker at any time. If your loved one is buried at Hills of Eternity, please check your contract or call our offices to determine what kind of memorial is permitted. There are some sections of our cemetery where only flush (flat) markers are permitted.
How do I arrange for an unveiling?
Jewish tradition permits the dedication of a headstone or grave marker anytime after the end of sheloshim, the 30-day mourning period. It has become customary to wait until approximately a year after the death to hold the “unveiling” ceremony, so named because a white cotton or linen cover is removed from the marker at that time. The ceremony, which is often brief and without a formal eulogy, may take place on any day except Shabbat or a Jewish holiday and may be conducted by a rabbi, cantor, or knowledgeable lay person. Our rabbis are available to answer any questions.
When you have determined a date and time for the unveiling, please contact our offices to schedule it so that the cemetery manager can prepare the veil on the headstone. If you would like to hold a reception for the unveiling next door at Butterworth Funeral Home, please contact their staff at (206) 282-5500 to discuss logistics, costs for catering or room rental, and availability.