Death & Grieving

In Jewish tradition, the end of life is a time of comfort and prayer. Upon request, a member of our clergy will sit, pray, and comfort your loved one in the final days or hours of life.

In the event of the death of a family member, please contact Paperman and Sons – www.paperman.com or 514-733-7101. They will coordinate arrangements for the funeral and burial with our clergy. Please feel free to contact the rabbi directly for guidance or comfort at this time. Once the funeral arrangements have been made with the funeral home, the family meets with the rabbi to coordinate the details of the service and to provide him with information to be used in the eulogy.

The funeral home will provide all of the ritual objects required for shiva observance (chairs, prayer books, and candles). On the first day of shiva, it is customary to put a basin of water outside the home for those returning from the cemetery. In the meeting prior to the funeral, the rabbi will review the various laws related to the shiva home.

According to Jewish law, children of the deceased recite kaddish for 11 months following the burial; all other relations recite kaddish for 30 days. Congregation Shaar Hashomayim conducts morning and evening services every day of the year. Kaddish is recited at each of these services. Our minyan group is a very special community full of warmth and mutual support. At minyan, mourners can find comfort in one another, clergy, and community volunteers. If you are unfamiliar with the Kaddish prayer, a member of our clergy will review it with you. Additionally, a transliterated Kaddish is available in our prayer books to ensure that everyone who wishes to has the opportunity to recite Kaddish. For more information, please contact yevenhen@theshaar.org.