Jewish funerals are guided by principles that have been observed for thousands of years: respect for the body, prompt burial, and communal support for the bereaved. While practices differ between Orthodox, Reform, and Liberal communities, the central values and most of the rituals are shared across the tradition. This guide gives an overview of what to expect — but if you are attending or arranging a Jewish funeral, the family’s rabbi or the burial society can advise on anything specific to that community.
Timing
Jewish law considers prompt burial an expression of respect for the deceased. The ideal is burial within 24 hours of death, though this is often extended for Shabbat (Friday at sunset to Saturday evening), Jewish festivals, coroner’s involvement, or family travelling from abroad. Burial never takes place on Shabbat or the major festivals.
Preparation of the body
The body is prepared by the Chevra Kadisha (Hebrew: חֶבְרָא קַדִּישָׁא — literally “holy society”), a trained community burial group who carry out the preparation as a religious act. Men prepare male bodies; women prepare female bodies.
The ritual is called tahara (טָהֳרָה — purification). The body is washed and then has water poured over it continuously while prayers and Psalms are recited. Embalming is not permitted in Orthodox practice.
The body is dressed in tachrichim (תַּכְרִיכִים) — plain white linen shrouds that are the same for all, regardless of status or wealth. Men may also be buried in their tallit (prayer shawl). From death until burial, the body is never left alone — a shomer (שׁוֹמֵר — guardian) sits with it, reciting Psalms.
Cremation
Cremation is strictly forbidden in Orthodox and most Conservative Jewish communities, based on the principle that the body must be returned to the earth intact. Reform and Liberal communities in the UK permit it, though burial remains common.
The service
The funeral takes place at the cemetery prayer hall, a synagogue, or graveside. It is led by a rabbi or a representative of the Chevra Kadisha. Flowers are generally absent at Orthodox funerals.
Key elements include readings from the Psalms, a eulogy (hesped, הֶסְפֵּד), and the prayer El Malei Rachamim (אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים — “God full of compassion”) — a solemn, chanted memorial prayer asking that the deceased be granted perfect rest. The Mourner’s Kaddish (קַדִּישׁ), a doxology in Aramaic praising God, is recited at the graveside. Notably, Kaddish makes no direct reference to death — it is an affirmation of faith.
Close mourners wear a kriah (קְרִיעָה) ribbon on their clothing, which is torn before the service as a symbol of grief.
The burial
The coffin is plain, unvarnished wood — no metal parts — to allow natural decomposition. At the graveside, mourners participate in filling the grave with earth, considered the final act of kindness for the deceased (chesed shel emet — “true kindness”). The grave is completely filled before mourners leave.
Mourning periods
Jewish mourning follows distinct, named stages:
- Shiva (שִׁבְעָה — “seven”): the seven days immediately after burial. Mourners remain at home, receive visitors, and daily prayer services are held in the house so Kaddish can be recited. Mirrors are covered; mourners sit on low chairs.
- Shloshim (שְׁלוֹשִׁים — “thirty”): the thirty days from burial. Mourners return to daily life but avoid celebrations and festive events.
- First year (for the loss of a parent): Kaddish is recited daily for eleven months — not twelve, as the twelfth month is omitted as an act of faith in the parent’s merit.
- Yahrzeit (יאָרצַייט — Yiddish: “year time”): the annual anniversary of the death, marked by lighting a candle and reciting Kaddish in synagogue.
The headstone unveiling (also called the “stone setting”) typically takes place within a year of death — a short graveside service at which the stone is formally revealed.
If you are attending
Dress modestly and conservatively. Men are expected to cover their heads; kippot (small head coverings) are usually provided. Follow the lead of those around you throughout the service. If you are not Jewish, it is entirely appropriate to be present and to stand in silence during prayers you are not familiar with.
For more in the series, see our guides to Muslim funerals, Hindu funerals, Sikh funerals, and see our guides to cremation, humanist funerals and Catholic funerals.
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