A Message From The Editor
We hope that you all enjoyed your High Holidays. I want to thank Jeff Lubman once again for doing such a great job with our JDCC services at CSUN. Also thanks to Marlee Matlin Grandalski, David Rosenbaum, Eric Brody, Charles Katz and Barry Fischthal for their hard work, and Helga Borinstein and Scott Shelp who offered to help out with the interpreting.
As of January first, in order to reach out to more prospective readers in the Jewish Deaf community, JDCC will no longer mail free copies of JDCC News to residents in Southern California. If you enjoy reading JDCC News, please send in your contribution today to avoid missing future issues as mailings will switch from area to area every issue to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to get to know us. If you want to subscribe to JDCC News, please send a contribution of $12.00 a year for six issues (form is on page 13). JDCC News now accepts subscriptions out side the U.S. at $24.00 a year for six issues in U.S. funds.
JDCC donated a moonbounce for the second year at Deaf Expo where over 8,100 patrons participated. Thanks to Elizabeth Stone, and Ruth & Percy Morris for volunteering at JDCC’s booth on Sunday. Kudos goes to David Rosenbaum, President of EF Training Center and his staff who did a superb job putting together the whole show.
Does any of you out there know Hebrew? We would like to know how you learned Hebrew… if you learned to sign or fingerspell in Hebrew. Please write, fax or e-mail us with your personal experiences so we can share it with other JDCC News readers. Thanks!
JDCC wishes you all a very happy Chanukah…
DID YOU REMEMBER TO BUY EIGHT GIFTS FOR CHANUKAH?
New Mail Just Arrived …
Dear Sharon,
We read JDCC News (SEPT/OCT), great deal to have printed about Jewish Funeral and Mourning Customs, to give us awareness and the Jewish laws to all Jewish deaf people who are Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox. This information was valuable for all of us!
Q: Why does Israel observe shiva, visiting cemetery, and tombstone unveiling ceremony for 30 days instead of 11 months?
Q: Why do other family members use ripped (kria) on right side of the blouse or shirt, not on left side? Only for mother or father on left side?
Q: When a person commits suicide, where will they be buried? What kind of cemetery? What do to with the body? Will Rabbi say the normal prayer and a different kind of prayer?
Nowadays, most of them wear black ribbons on clothes on left side as Rabbi slit on black ribbons. We and our families wore black ribbons for one week when our beloved mum passed away two years ago.
Widow or widowers: when husband or wife passes away, if she/her wants to get remarry, they must wait for one year. What about Israel’s law?
Shivas: bringing food. When family members and/or friends come to visit the mourners and brings food, they put food on the table in the kitchen and helps put it on the table. Never hand food to mourners when visitors bring food.
Many of us are not aware if we are from the Levi or Cohen tribe, due to older generations being killed in the holocaust and lost or destroy marriage and birth certificates. Yes, really sad for not knowing whether we are or not a Levi or Cohen. Naturally, we are all called Israelis when we are not sure or don’t know for sure. Shalom!
Ruth & Percy Morris – Los Angeles, CA
Editor replies: Consulted with a Rabbi and here are the answers to the above questions: in regards to why the customs in Israel are different from those outside of the land, many of these things that we observe for mourning also vary by community outside the land of Israel. Everyone observes the one-year mourning period for a mother or father. The difference is in customs as to when to have an unveiling or when to visit the grave site. The general custom in Israel is to the cemetery after getting up from Shiva and to do the unveiling after 30 days. Here in America, the custom has become to go to the cemetery for an unveiling after 11 months. However, in some communities, it is customary to go after 30 days. The tombstone can be put up at anytime after the 30 days are over.
A person’s relationship with a parent is very different from that of a sister, brother, wife, husband, son, or a daughter. A parent is responsible for bringing a child into the world with the help of G-d and for raising him/her. This is an unique relationship and it is a much deeper loss than those of other relatives, and we are given a longer period of time to mourn our loss. This makes us realize how much more dependent we are on G-d for our needs.
The custom to wear ribbons is not a Jewish one. Jewish law states that one must rip Kria. One does it on the left side for a parent and on the other side for other relatives. The left side is closer to the heart and represents the deeper loss one feels. It is only the mourners who rip Kria not other family members.
Burial for someone who commits suicide needs to consult their Rabbi as to what is considered – intentional suicide. It may not really be considered suicide because of various circumstances.
