Family perpectives

"Death is a debt to natures due. As I have paid it so must you." is what my grandpa requested to have engraved on his tomb stone. He told me that he did not care what happened to his body. "Dead is dead" seems to his ideology, that the body no longer "belongs" to him, has no feeling and therefore does not matter. Which I personally have trouble understanding. And so I asked him if he would be accepting of donating his body or organs to science. A mutilating however helpful method for research. The conversation took a turn when I asked, because he answered hyorcrictically that he did not want that. So as a clarification he ended with the thought that he did care to a certain extent hat happened to his body.

My grandma (Phy) began informing me about the traditions that are done within the jewish religion, "The body is bathed and wrapped in a white shroud, and placed in a plain closed pine casket. Within 24 hours after death, the funeral and burial usually take place. There is never any viewing of the deceased, and no Wake. " Phy went on to describe the mourning period after the funeral known as the "sitting Shiva." This period last about 7 days in which family and friends gather together. During this mourning period " all of the mirrors in the house are covered, the immediate family wears small black ribbons on their chest with a tear in the ribbon." The ribbon she said symbolizes the loss of their loved one. My grandma described to me the base of Jewish tradition when handling the dead, However these traditions have been modified. From her personal experience (remembering one from a couple weeks ago) a dear friend died of old age. He was cremated the next day. A memorial service was held for him with no casket or urn, just friends and family eulogizing him. The church was described as decorative dress up with flowers and beautiful music my grandma thought "that this was the kind of service I would like...except not in a Catholic church! There was something very peaceful and comforting just sitting there, remembering our dear friend, and sharing laughter and tears with almost 1000 people who loved him, too."

Funerals/ memorials are a way to remember the deceased. It allows the person's life to be celebrated and remembered. It is a helpful way for loved ones to gain emotional support. A Memorial or a funeral is a public display of acknowledgment of the persons life. Some are held with traditions and some not as much. I was intregged by the religious tradition addressed in this interview. Due to my lack of knowledge about it in the fist place. From this conversation I began to search for excerpts from the Torah. Ideas of the after life seem to be vaguely discussed. I asked my stepmom more about these ideas and she was able to explain to me that it is believed that after death the soul rejoins ancestors. Other excerpts from the Torah though suggest the finality of death: that All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. (2 Samuel 14:14) what is the significance of being bathed and wrapped? the contrasting color Platte of death is strange to me. The body is described as being "wrapped in a white shroud" yet everyone is expected to dress in all black. Does this tradition imply purity with the white?