CONGREGATION SHA'AR ZAHAV

8 Mondays, February 1st - March 22nd , 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Taught by Reuben Zellman
All are Welcome

This adult education class will provide an introduction to Jewish traditions, rituals and beliefs surrounding death and mourning.  We will cover the entire end-of-life cycle, from before death through the end of formal mourning rituals.  We’ will discuss questions such as: When is a person considered no longer alive?  What happens to us after our death?  What are the Jewish traditions and rituals for preparing a body for burial, and how are they performed?  What happens at a Jewish funeral?  What are the stages of Jewish mourning?  What kinds of Jewish decisions might I face when a loved one dies?  What are unique issues for LGBTQI Jews around mourning and death?  We will also discuss the history and role of the Chevra Kadisha, the traditional “holy society” that performs the mitzvot of caring for the dead and for mourners; and we will discuss contemporary questions, such as cremation, organ donation, assisted suicide and the ecology of burial, from a Jewish perspective.

This class is open to all: CSZ members and general public, from all backgrounds.  (If you are not able to attend all 8 sessions, you are welcome to contact Reuben to discuss the course syllabus and which classes you plan to attend.)  The full class is required for those who are interested in volunteering with CSZ’s Chevra Kadisha. 

Members: Free.      General Public: $10/class or $54/Series. RSVP to Shaun Hannan - 415-861-6932 x304, shaun@shaarzahav.org.

For more information, contact Rose Katz (with CSZ’s chevra kadisha) at (415) 647-3579, rose@katz.com; or Reuben Zellman, (415) 861-6932 ext. 311, reuben@shaarzahav.org.