A Field Guide to Kever Avot | Kever Avot 5770 | Jewish Journal A Field Guide to Kever Avot A Field Guide to Kever Avot by Lisa Armony, Contributing Writer Posted on Sep. 9, 2009 at 5:41 pm Jews worldwide mark the approaching High Holy Days with annual visits to the graves of departed loved ones. An ancient custom, Kever Avot, literally “graves of the fathers,” dates almost as far back as Jews themselves. “It’s part of a basic concept in the earliest stratum of Judaism that you to go the grave of the patriarchs in Hebron and they’ll intercede on your behalf,” said Pinchas Giller, American Jewish University professor of medieval Jewish thought. “Even talmudic traditions have the notion of people going to the grave of the patriarchs to ask for things.” The tradition of visits before the High Holy Days began in the 14th century. More recent Jewish history recounts regular pilgrimages to the burial sites of revered rabbis and loved ones in Sephardic and pre-World War II European Jewish communities on the anniversary of a death, fast days and other times during the year.

Visitors showed love and respect for the departed and prayed for the soul’s safe journey to heaven. Judaism is imbued with a variety of teachings and traditions regarding the sanctity of graves and Jews go to cemeteries with different levels of consciousness, Giller said. Before Rosh Hashanah and during the 10 Days of Repentance culminating in Yom Kippur, gravesite pilgrimages take on an even higher level of significance because they come at a time of spiritual soul-searching and renewal. For many, the belief in the eternality of the soul, which some trace to the patriarch Abraham, underlies this custom. Common to all streams of Judaism, spiritual afterlife is embedded in Jewish prayer, tradition and folklore. Kabbalistic theory teaches that the nefesh, one of the three parts of the human soul, stays at the grave after death, making it a portal to God, Giller said. That concept often translates into the notion of the soul’s role as an intermediary between God and the living.

“During the holy weeks before the High Holy Days, people are encouraged to do whatever they can to bestow God’s mercy for a sweet new year,” said Rabbi Chaim Mentz, Chabad of Bel Air’s director. “There is a separation of the body and soul [after death] and the soul remains here attached to this world to gather requests from others. The reason [we visit graves] is because the soul is still there waiting to take our requests to God.” From the start of Elul, the Hebrew month preceding the High Holy Days, until Yom Kippur, that means asking the deceased to pray on behalf of the living for a favorable decree and a good year. To that end, members of Chasidic movements perform Kever Avot at the graves of their spiritual mentors, Mentz said. Bratslav Chasidim travel to Ukraine to the grave of movement founder Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav. In Queens, N.Y., thousands of Chabad followers gather each year at the grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. Those who can’t make the trip send notes bearing their requests with journeying friends and relatives.

For some Jews, the season’s critical themes of forgiveness and repentance inspire their Kever Avot practice. “Repenting and forgiving don’t end at the time of death,” said Rabbi Debra Orenstein, spiritual leader of Makom Ohr Shalom. “Sometimes there is unfinished business.” The High Holy Days provide a framework for reflecting on relationships with lost loved ones, Orenstein said. Over time, those relationships change, especially as the living come to understand mitigating circumstances that account for the deceased person’s behavior and actions while they were still alive. “It’s an especially auspicious and fruitful time to visit the grave and have a conversation with loved ones in which you forgive and repent,” Orenstein said. “When you come to Yizkor, you’re in a different place regarding your relationship with that person. Gathering at the grave also facilitates healing within families by creating an opportunity to grant forgiveness to one another, she added. Others visit graves to connect with their past and to contemplate the life they want to live. “Rosh Hashanah is a time to plan for the future,” said Rabbi Brian Schuldenfrei of Sinai Temple.

“By thinking of the legacy of those who came before us, we consider the legacy we want to leave.” Some religious and ethnic communities have their own unique customs for Kever Avot. The Kaddish, which affirms the living’s relationship with God and elevates the souls of the deceased to their final resting place, is typically recited along with El Maleh Rahamim, a plea for rest for the soul that originated in the Jewish communities of Western and Eastern Europe. Sephardic Jews perform Kever Avot on erev Rosh Hashanah so they begin the holidays with a sense of connection with their families, said Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, spiritual leader of Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel. They recite the Hashkavah, a memorial prayer with separate texts for men and women, and Yehi Ratzon, in which they ask the deceased to pray on their behalf for forgiveness and a good year. Persian Jews add Tehillim Psalm 119, a Hebrew acrostic in which family members read the stanzas that begin with the letters in their loved ones’ names.

They also bring flowers and rose water to the grave, in accordance with Iranian tradition, and spices (minei besamim) according to Nessah Synagogue’s Chief Rabbi David Shofet. Some synagogues hold community services before Rosh Hashanah or during the 10 Days of Repentance. Other customs include placing stones on the grave to mark the visit, which some believe dates back to ancient times when piles of stones were used to indicate burial sites. Giving tzedakah on behalf of the deceased is also customary since Jewish tradition teaches that those dwelling in God’s presence cannot perform this mitzvah. ? - Dignity Memorial Jewish Overview Jewish Funeral Prayers Jewish Funeral Glossary Jewish Funeral Glossary Listed below are several terms associated with Jewish funeral and burial tradition. For a listing of additional, general funeral and cemetery terms, please see the Glossary within our extensive Library section. Aron (A-rone) – The burial casket.

Jewish burial requires a wooden casket in keeping with the Biblical teaching "For dust art thou and to the dust thou shalt return" (Genesis 3:19) Cantor – A religious singer, or Chazan, who assists the clergy Chesed shel Emet – Acts of True Kindness Chevrah Kadisha – Hebrew meaning “Holy Society” El Malei Rachamin – A memorial prayer (Northern European tradition) Hashcabah – A memorial prayer (Iberian tradition) Hesped – A eulogy or true evaluation of the deceased’s life that is part of the funeral service Kaddish – A prayer recited for the deceased by the direct mourners for the first time at the conclusion of the interment service Kavod-Ha-Met – Honoring the Dead Keriah (Kree-ah) – The practice of rending or cutting a garment, or symbolically wearing a cut black ribbon over the heart, to indicate that one is in mourning. Those observing keriah are generally adult children, father, mother, brother,sister or spouse of the deceased.

Kever – The grave Kittel – A hand-sewn white linen shroud in which the deceased members of the Jewish faith are dressed Kvurah B’kara (Kvoo-rah B’kar-kah) – Burial in the ground. Biblical mandate requires burial in the ground, filling the grave completely until a mound is formed. Participation in filling the grave is a religious privilege and duty and an expression of honor for the deceased. Above ground burial is an option you may discuss with the funeral director.

Levaya – The funeral procession (Northern European tradition) Magen David (Star of David) – A hexagram formed by the combination of two triangles, also called the Jewish Star Menorah – A candelabrum with a central stem bearing seven candles; the oldest symbol in Judaism Met – Deceased Mitzvah – The funeral procession (Iberian tradition) Mitzvah – Commandment Rabbi – A teacher or ordained leader in the Jewish faith Rechitzah – The ceremony of washing the deceased before burial Sargenes – A hand-sewn white linen shroud in which the deceased members of the Jewish faith are dressed Shabbat – The Jewish Sabbath; begins at sundown Friday and ends at sundown Saturday Sheloshim (sh’losh-sheem) – The thirty days following burial (including shiva) Shiva (Shee-vah) – The traditional seven-day mourning period immediately following burial, observed by the bereaved Shemira (Shmee-rah) – The watching of remains. To show respect to the departed, the deceased is never left alone until after burial. Shomer – A watcher; one who sits with the body until burial. The shomer traditionally recites psalms.

Tachrichim (Takh-ree-kheem) – The burial shroud. A full set of traditional white clothing, preferably made of linen. Includes hat, shirt, pants, jacket, belt and wrapping sheet. This garment symbolizes equality and purity. Taharah (Ta-ha-rah) – The traditional washing and dressing of the deceased with dignity. Performed by trained members of the Chevra Kadisha (Sacred Society). In accordance with Jewish traditional law, men prepare men, while women prepare women. Tallith – A prayer shawl worn by men during the morning prayer service Tehillim – Prayers said before the funeral by a group of friends and the shomer, from the book of Psalms Yahrzeit – The anniversary of the death Yarmulke/Kippah – The skull cap worn by the men at synagogue/temple services and funeral services Yizkor – A memorial prayer The Jewish Funeral We are honored to serve Jewish families by providing funeral or cemetery services in accordance with Jewish custom. To read about the elements of a traditional Jewish funeral service, click here . Our Jewish Providers Several providers in the Dignity Memorial® network specialize in serving and meeting the needs of the Jewish community.

For a list of our Dignity Memorial Jewish providers, Kever Avot | September 13, 2013 | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly | PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly READ TRANSCRIPT RABBI DAVID WOLPE (Sinai Temple, Los Angeles): Kever Avot is a service that we conduct at the mortuary, at the cemetery, each year that allows people to come and have a memorial service that precedes their visiting the kever, that is the grave, of their avot, of their ancestors. So mostly people will be visiting parents, grandparents, but also of course, siblings, spouses and sometimes children. It’s done during these ten days because Rosh Hashanah really celebrates the beginning of the world. It's a time more of joy and discovery and wonder and then you move gradually in self examination to the deep contemplation of Yom Kippur. The shofar is a kind of alarm clock for the soul. We, in particular, blow it at this service because death is a very important theme in terms of the zest and goodness with which we live our lives. The Kever Avot service reminds everyone you don't have forever either.

One day someone will come here and be mourning for you so, knowing that your time is limited in this world, use it wisely, and well, and with a certain amount of sanctity and holiness. Rabbi Wolpe Memorial Address: “The greatest gift that those whom we have lost, those who have died, have given us is a chance to understand their lives, so that ours might be better. How we will be remembered is in our hands as long as we are here because not only can you change your future, you can change your past.” “Please rise for the Mourner’s Kaddish...” The Kaddish is the Jewish, basically, prayer for the dead. It’s when you’re in mourning, you say the Kaddish. It makes no mention of God. It just talks about the greatness of God. And usually it's thought that the reason it doesn't make mention of God is that really you're affirming your faith at the time of loss. But there is a very beautiful interpretation by a Rabbi, Shlomo Carlebach, who says what the Kaddish really is, is what the dead would say to you if they could speak from where they are.

That is they've experienced God's greatness after death and they want the living to know. The El Malei Rachamim which is literally, "God, full of mercy,” says "and I will give tzedekah." I will give charity on behalf of the person who has died because giving money to needy, to the poor, to causes that matter, that's one of the ways that we show, first of all gratitude for our gifts and, second, that we really want to make the world better. There are other times of the year when the individual may go to see the graves of his or her ancestors. But in terms of doing it as a community, this is the one time during the year when we gather and you see literally hundreds and sometimes thousands of people walk into the cemetery and it reinforces the great truth that everybody has lost, that you can't live without losing, and there's some comfort in seeing all these people also grieving for those whom they've lost.

One of the things that's remarkable about memory is that when you lose someone your relation to them continues to change, that is, it's a living relation even with somebody who's not there because their legacy unfolds in you and you understand new things as time goes on, so it's a dynamic process. It's not stuck in time. Repentance sometimes involves an acknowledgement of all of your heritage, what people have wanted for you, how you were raised, the debts that you owe to the dead, in a sense. Am I living the way I was taught to live by the people who raised me, and also do I remember them the way they deserve to be remembered? Both those very powerful themes come together at this time. It is a Jewish tradition to ask forgiveness from somebody who's died. You ask forgiveness of God, of other people, and then of people who aren't there to be able to ask anymore. The tradition of leaving a stone on a grave is a beautiful one. Stones endure and flowers fade and we think of the soul as being enduring. To the extent that your behavior determines your fate, and self reflection and thought and prayer can help you change your behavior, this is the time of year to do it.

Because this is the rare time when you actually have dedicated moments to think, to reflect, to meditate. It doesn't happen very often in our lives and, so, I think that this really is our chance to change who we are and therefore to change what becomes of us. In This Episode << SLIDE LEFT TO SEE ADDITIONAL SEGMENTS The Jewish Press //» » Kever Rachel PA Mourns Failure to Take over Rachel’s Tomb as Muslim Holy Site Tuesday, October 15th, 2013 Tens of thousands of Jews are visiting Rachel’s Tomb Tuesday, the anniversary of her death as described in the Torah, to pray for Rachel to cry for them that their prayers be answered. No tears need be shed for the Palestinian Authority, which can mourn for itself for not being able to hoodwink the world to believe Rachel’s Tomb is a Muslim holy site. The Torah states in Genesis (B’reisheit’), “And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Efrat, which is Bethlehem.

And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.” Before the Palestinian Authority campaign to rewrite the Bible and ancient history, Muslim authorities for centuries had acknowledged that Rachel’s Tomb is Jewish. Excited by their blood-letting suicide bombings, firebomb and shooting attacks on Jews in the 1990s, the Palestinian Authority suddenly stopped referring to the site as “Rachel’s Dome” and called it the Mosque of Bilal ibn Rabah. The manufactured tradition became more popular as Muslim clerics in the Arab world pounded the pulpit that the binding of Isaac (Yitzchak) actually is the binding of Ishmael, that the Holy Temples never existed and that the Western Wall really was the hitching post for the Muslim prophet Mohammed’s horse, may his and it memories be forgotten. More amazing than the fibs that the Palestinian Authority invented was the acceptance of them by the anti-Israel crowd, especially UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Last year won UNESCO support that the ancient site also belongs to Muslims even though the Tomb, “Kever Rochel” in Hebrew, existed long before Islam came into existence.

In December 2012, UNESCO director Irina Bokova accepted the view of its chief critic of Israel, Robert Serry, who also serves as UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. He warned that Israel’s defining Rachel’s Tomb and the Patriarchs’ Cave in Hevron as holy sites would be bad for the sacred ghost known as the peace process. UNESCO said Rachel’s Tomb also belongs to Christians and Muslim, which at one time built over the Tomb. That is like saying that JFK airport is a Jewish site because there is a synagogue there. Two years before UNESCO’s sentence to the Jewish site, Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas warned that there would be a “holy war” over Rachel’s Tomb if Israel did not accept the Muslim claim that that is was an ancient mosque.

Iran went one step further with its foreign ministry declaring that Israel’s decision to make Rachel’s Tomb a national heritage site “rises from the regime’s strategy for cleaning all the sanctities of the Muslims and Christians in the occupied Palestine to give them a Zionist identity.” The Palestinian Authority succeeded 13 years ago in taking over Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem, a direct violation of the Oslo Accords, but the efforts of Jewish leaders in the Shomron (Samaria) the past two years have enabled Jews to worship there under IDF guard. The Oslo Accords interim agreement in 1995 states that security arrangements must “ensure free, unimpeded and secure access to the relevant Jewish holy sites.” The Palestinian Authority has no problem with that. All it has to do is drive out the Jews with terrorist attacks and then convince UNESCO that Rachel’s Tomb is not a Jewish holy site. That is the impetus for the Palestinian Authority to call Kever Rachel the Bilal ibn Rabah mosque. Jews traveling to pray at Rachel’s Tomb on her yahrzheit Tuesday can thank none other than former Haredi Knesset Member Menachem Porush that they are able to do so.

During the height of the Oslo mirage in 1995, Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau and MK Porush appealed to Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin not to go through with his plan to turn Rachel’s Tomb over to the Palestinian Authority. Rabbi Lau told the Prime Minister, “One does not part from one’s mother, and MK Porush broke down in tears, crying on Rabin’s shoulders. Rabin surrendered, and today, the Palestinian Authority can mourn to Mohammed that truth has triumphed over at least one of its lies. Thousands of Jews at Rachel’s tomb on the even of the anniversary of her death. The Long List of Arab Riots Throughout Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem Friday, September 27th, 2013 There has been an escalation of Arab attacks all week long, but since early Friday afternoon, Arabs have been violently rioting throughout Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem following Arab calls for violent demonstrations.

Dozens of attacks have been reported today, here is a partial roundup of some of the attacks: Local Mount of Olive residents were told to bring in their Sukkahs overnight, after they received advance warning that Arabs were planning to burn down their Sukkahs on Friday with firebombs. Hundred of Arabs were stoning Jews with cinder-blocks and stones on the road leading to the Mount of Olives neighborhoods. Undercover police officers managed to identify and apprehend the ringleaders of the riot, and dispersed the remaining Arab hooligans. From Tazpit News Agency: Approximately 100 Arabs are rioting near Kever Rachel. Two pipe bombs were thrown near Kever Rachel. Near Sha’ar Shechem (Damascus Gate) in Jerusalem, a policeman was lightly injured by Arab rock throwers. A soldier was injured near Beit Omar from stone throwing. His teeth were broken when a stone hit him in the face. Near Assawiyah in Jerusalem, Arabs are throwing stones and burning tires. Arab are throwing stones at Beit Hadassah in Hebron. Arabs are burning an agricultural field near Hebron. Arabs are rioting near Shechem.

Arabs threw stones at cars near Efrat in Gush Etzion. A firebomb was thrown at IDF troops near Beit Omar. On road 60, between Gush Etzion and Hebron, Arabs are throwing stones at cars and policemen. Arabs lit up a tire between Beit Fa’jar and Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion. Violent riots have been reported near Ne’elin. One person was injured. Jewish Press News Briefs Rachel’s Tomb: A Jewish Holy Site Since Ancient Times Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013 Rachel’s Tomb, located in the northern outskirts of Bethlehem, about 400 yards south of Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Judaism after the Temple Mount and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. For the past 1,700 years, the site has been identified as the burial place of the Jewish matriarch, Rachel, and Jews were known to pray at the site for over the past 3,000 years . Rachel, the beloved wife of the patriarch Ya’akov, died during childbirth as the family was traveling to Hebron.

Rachel’s Tomb in the Hebrew Bible According to Genesis 35:16-21, They set out from Bayt-El; but when they were still some distance from Efrat; Rachel went into childbirth, and she had hard labor. When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Have no fear, for it’s another boy for you.” But as she breathed her last –as she was dying– she named him Ben-Oni, but his father called him Benyamin. So Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Efrat — now Bethlehem. Over her grave Ya’acov set up a pillar, it is the pillar at Rachel’s grave to this day. Photo by Rachel Avraham. Whenever the Jewish people faced sorrows, throughout the generations, they would traditionally pray for Rachel to cry for them at Rachel’s Tomb, believing that her tears to God have special powers. Since she herself was childless for many years, many Jewish women visit her grave in order to pray to have children, although other members of the Jewish community who face troubles also visit her grave.

Thus, as the third holiest shrine in Judaism, Jews across the Diaspora maintained a spiritual connection to Rachel’s Tomb over the centuries and paid for the holy sites upkeep. According to Jewish tradition, the matriarch Rachel has always cried for her people whenever the Jews needed her. Ya’akov reportedly buried Rachel in Bethlehem, instead of in the Tomb of Patriarchs in Hebron, because he foresaw that his descendants would need her prayers en route to exile in Babylonia. Additionally, Yosef, Rachel’s eldest son, was the first Jew to pray by her grave. According to a Midrash, Yosef broke away from his captors temporarily en route to bondage in Egypt and cried out at her grave, “Mother, my mother who gave birth to me, wake up, arise and see my suffering.” Rachel replied, “Do not fear. Go with them, and God will be with you.” As Jeremiah 31:15-17 states, Rachel, weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children who are gone. Thus said Hashem: “Restrain your voice from weeping, your eyes from shedding tears; for there is reward for your labor” declares Hashem.

“They shall return from the enemy’s land and there is hope for the future” declares Hashem: “Your children shall return to their own country.” Islamic Attitude Photo by Rachel Avraham. Historically, the Muslim world considered Rachel’s Tomb a site holy to Jews. According to a report written by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, the sixteenth century Arab historian Mujir Al Din wrote that Rachel’s Tomb was a Jewish holy place. He recorded that Rachel’s Tomb was built with “eleven stones and covered with a cupola which rests on four pillars, and every Jew passing writes his name on the monument.” The same JCPA report states that in 1830, the Ottoman Turkish authorities decreed that Rachel’s Tomb was a Jewish holy site, proclaiming, The tomb of esteemed Rachel, the mother of our Lord Joseph…they (the Jews) are accustomed to visit it from ancient days; and no one is permitted to prevent them or oppose them (from doing) this. Another Ottoman decree, dated 1831, orders that all obstacles be removed that were in place that interfered with members of the Jewish community that sought to visit Rachel’s Tomb.

In 1615, Mohammad, Pasha of Jerusalem, had rebuilt Rachel’s Tomb on behalf of the Jewish people. In 1841, Jewish caretakers were given exclusive ownership of the place. And in 1845, the entire Rachel’s Tomb compound was redone with the permission of the Turkish authorities by Moses Montefiore. Rachel Avraham Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 It’s an amazing concept. Why would someone firebomb a grave…and an ancient one at that? I just read a news article that Arabs have thrown 290 firebombs (and or planted explosive devices) at Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem in the last six months alone (that doesn’t count hundreds, perhaps thousands, before that). I actually know the answer as to why – it comes back to that concept of hating all that is different from them and worse, an attempt to erase any one else’s past. Okay, I got that…sick…but I got it. But seeing that headlines also reminded me of an article I wrote a decade ago. Only, it wasn’t about Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem, but her son, Joseph’s tomb in Nablus (Shechem).

In February, 2003, Arabs rioted and burned the grave/tomb of Joseph, son of our patriarch, Jacob and his beloved wife, Rachel. Joseph was buried in Shechem after his bones were exhumed by the Israelites as they were leaving Egypt – a promise fulfilled not to leave his bones in a foreign land. His bones were carried through the desert, until they were brought home to rest in the land of his fathers. Only today, his tomb is found inside a Palestinian city. To get there is nearly impossible and only accomplished with an army escort, under strict protection. Rachel was buried, according to tradition handed down over the centuries, in Bethlehem. You can get to her grave site, but you need to leave your car in Jerusalem and take armored buses – silly…it’s only a few hundred yards. The area around the tomb has been fortified, cement barriers erected to protect those wishing to pray beside her grave. Back then – in 2003, I wrote an article, “Rachel is Crying.” I thought of that article as I read the news about the firebombs.

Then it was Ariel Sharon as prime minister when they attacked and burned Joseph’s tomb and now, as they attack Rachel’s tomb it is Bibi Netanyahu. Writing in 2003, I asked that Sharon either defend the tomb of Joseph, or go in and remove the body and rebury him near his mother’s grave in Bethlehem. Nothing was done to defend the tomb, to bring his body to Bethlehem. Jews sneak in to visit Joseph’s tomb under heavy guard, usually at night. It’s ironic that some 10 years later, it is Rachel’s grave that has come under attack. The Peace Process Obama Won’t See: Firebombs and Sniper Fire Monday, February 18th, 2013 Rock-throwing Arabs hit a soldier in his eye Monday and then rioted when solders fired back, aiming at the lower parts to minimize injuries in what is the latest of dozens of weekly Arab attacks that have been so routine that they are rarely reported. The only exception is if someone is serious injured or murdered, which was the unfortunate case last week. In what was a real-life cowboys and Indians scene, Israeli police chased after an Arab vehicle carrying Arab workers without permits to work outside of Judea and Samaria.

The Arab driver tried to escape by reckless driving, and he crossed the white line, crashing into a car driven by a 29-year-old resident of Susiya, located between Be’er Sheva and Hevron. The young man, Yenon Levanon, was killed instantly, and the Arabs were wounded lightly. Murderous driving, usually by Arabs, is routine on the roads in the Negev, heavily populated by Bedouin, and throughout highways in Judea and Samaria. The dangers are two-fold. If a driver is lucky enough to travel in his car without begin hit by an Arab driver who passes another passing car on a curve uphill, he still has to deal with dozens of firebomb and rock-throwing attacks. This is not the “Third Intifada” that the IDF has been warning about; it is the continuation of the First Intifada from the late 1980s, which took a break during the euphoria of the eve of what was supposed to be the culmination of the Peace Process in the last 1990s, when the so-called “Second Intifada” or Oslo War began. The State Dept.

is careful to relate to President Obama every shack Jews erect in Judea and Samaria. It is doubtful how much information he gets on Arab terrorist attacks, if the Associated Press is any guide. Reporting Monday on Arab riots in support of Palestinian Authority prisoners on a hunger strike in Israeli jails, the news agency referred to “demonstrations,” such as one in Bethlehem where Israeli forces dispersed several dozen activists who blocked a road on Monday. AP added, “There were no reports of injuries.” After telling readers that one hunger striker reportedly is in critical condition, AP reported, “Israel is holding some 4,500 Palestinians for charges ranging from throwing stones to undertaking deadly militant attacks. Their incarceration is a sensitive issue for Palestinians, who see them as heroes of the Palestinian liberation struggle.” That is the end of the report , but it is not the end of the story. AP did not report that in the past week alone, Arabs carried out 29 Molotov firebomb attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, including one on a public bus, another on a Jewish women driving near Kedumim, east of Karnei and Ginot Shomron in Samaria, and two on Rachel’s Tomb (Kever Rachel).

The Palestinian Authority claims Kever Rachel actually is a Muslim holy site, even though Islam was founded more than 2,000 years after Rachel died. The site is not holy enough to dissuade PA Arabs from attacking Jewish worshipers there. Besides firebombs, PA terrorists also hurled two grenades last week. If Obama were to keep a diary of security incidents in Israel in just one week, he would discover: — Hevron Arabs threw rocks on children in a playground in the Avraham Aveinu neighborhood of Hevron; — PA Arabs fired at Kibbutz Migdal Oz on erev Shabbat, apparently careful to wait until the Muslim day of rest was over on Friday; — Arab Knesset Members, as part of their public service to the country, joined Palestinian Authority Arabs for Prayers at the Ofer jail, near Jerusalem, to show solidarity for hunger strikers.

After prayers, hundreds of Arabs threw rocks at soldiers, two of whom were lightly inured; — PA Arabs rioted at Efrat, a “settlement” of several thousand families five miles south of Jerusalem, at Beit Haggai, which borders Hevron to the southwest, and at Beit El, another “settlement” of more than 1,500 families in Samaria; — Rock-throwing Arabs, trying to cause fatal accidents, managed to wound an eight-year-old in the face at Beit El and a driver whose windshield was smashed at one of the terrorists’ favorite locations, the village of Azoon on the road between Kfar Saba, at the northern edge of metropolitan Tel Aviv, and the Jewish communities of Maaleh, Ginot and Karnei Shomron; A Place To Call Home Friday, November 9th, 2012 Coming to Kever Rachel one cannot help but recall the traditional domed structure that once stood as a humble memorial to the greatest of women. Unfortunately a fortress like edifice of towering large concrete slabs has now replaced that familiar picture.

It was here, at this holy site, that I first met Evelyn Haies, an American mother, grandmother, and globetrotter. Evelyn spends the better part of each year in Israel working to improve the site. In fact, as soon as we met she invited me to attend a shiur she had arranged in the adjacent previously-owned Arab home. But first I wanted to know more. I wanted to know what possessed an American mother of five, and grandmother, to leave her family in the U.S. to come to Israel and devote so much time to Kever Rachel. In lieu of answering, she beckoned, smiling broadly. I followed her into the adjacent structure (the only other building in the complex) where she pointed to a bullet hole in the glass of the window on the second floor. “Arab sniper fire,” she explains. “I bought this house a number of years ago, in an attempt to increase awareness of the importance of this site, to encourage people to visit, and to learn more about Rachel herself.” She points out the pictures her granddaughter had drawn to hang on the wall. In a large room on the first floor there is a learning session in progress.

A group of avreichim are poring over their sefarim. In an entirely separate room a shiur for women is about to take place. “And so what’s a grandmother like you doing here?” I asked, still wondering what it was that first triggered her interest. And Evelyn, who for years has worked as literature teacher and has published a very popular songbook, took the plunge the year the Twins Towers came down. “I was part of a group of women from Brooklyn who were looking for ways to help Klal Yisrael, especially our brethren in Israel. We wanted to prove our connection to the land and to our people. We met monthly and I recall one meeting in which we decided to adopt a sister city. Ariel was on our list, as were other cities. And then I had this sudden drive to adopt Kever Rachel. I took the floor and threw my suggestion out to the ladies. “They loved it and agreed immediately. “The year was 1995 when the die was cast; thus began my personal lifelong connection with Rachel Imeinu. “So while I had had this brainwave I wasn’t quite sure how to actualize it.

Together we decided that the first way to proceed was to raise public awareness of who Rachel actually was, and her relevance today. To do this we wanted people to research all the relevant sources in Tanach. Thus began the Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation. “We began with the children first, going around to the Jewish girl schools in Brooklyn and advertising a writing competition on the subject of Rachel Imeinu. The best compositions would receive cash prizes. “The contest was a massive hit. My mailbox was jammed with hundreds of stories; the creativity was simple astonishing and the feedback overwhelming. Teachers and principals offered their thanks and the girls themselves appreciated their new awareness and connection to Rachel.” Later that year, Evelyn received an excited phone call from a woman who had decided that in honor of her granddaughter’s bas mitzvah the two of them were going to go to Israel and visit the holy sites, especially Kever Rachel. Evelyn thought that this was a great idea and decided that she too would do the same. “But I wanted to do more and more and I didn’t know what or how. So I bought a lottery ticket,” Evelyn laughs heartily. “And guess what?

I won!” Evelyn was the lucky winner of $26,000, which she used to finance the writing of a Sefer Torah for the Kever Rachel complex. The day Evelyn approached a sofer and commissioned him to write the Sefer Torah was one of the most exciting ever. And when it was finally completed her excitement knew no bounds. The Sefer Torah merited a double “send off” – one in Brooklyn and another in Israel. The U.S. one was scheduled for a rainy day during the week of Parshas Lech Lecha. Amazingly the rain held off while the dancing and singing crowds escorted the Torah to the shul; the minute it was indoors the rain fell once again. Evelyn’s eyes light up at the memory. Sarah Pachter Tales of Rachel’s Tomb, a Strange Fire, the Golden Graft, the True Foundation Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 BREAKING NEWS: An illegal and unauthorized group tried to forcibly enter Beit Bnei Rachel in the Rachel Tomb walled complex today, reported Dov Shurin, a radio host who serves as the house manager.

The police were forced to respond and prevent the trespass, as the group which has made previous attempts to remove any trace of the rightful owner of the building, Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation (RCRF), continued in their efforts to destroy the foundation. The group accosted one of the women who studies with RCRF for the building key and resorted to trying to break the locks on the back door to enter the building. The group tried to break in again with an axe at 1:30am Israel time and the police have responded again. Damages to doors today are $1000. Damages since their occupation are immeasurable. The police ultimately denied access to the unauthorized group and instructed them that they must take all of their claims to court. This sends a strong message to the group that has long evaded the legal process that they cannot continue their strong-arm tactics and invade the property that was purchased by RCRF in 2001. Despite today’s confrontation, Dov Shurin announced that all RCRF activities will continue as they have for the past decade and encouraged the public to come to Beit Lechem to study, pray, and learn the ancient but timely lessons of Rachel Imeinu.

_________________ Rachel Imeinu, the Jewish Mother par excellence, was – according to Biblical sources – buried “on the way” from Jerusalem to Hebron, in Bethlehem to plead for her children going into exile and to welcome them back upon their return. Bethlehem was the home of Boaz, Ruth, Naomi, and King David. King Solomon exempted the residents of Bethlehem from taxes because of his personal attachment to the place where King David was a shepherd and wrote the Tehillim that we read with passion today when we encounter problems and the need for tikkun. Rachel has always been a symbol of the unity of the Jewish people, whose sacrifice on behalf of her sister has inspired Jewish women to emulate her as a role model. Helping to protect and reclaim the burial site of Rachel Imeinu became my mission in 1995. I formed Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation (RCRF), a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation when Rachel’s Tomb was on the Oslo chopping block. Some government officials suggested giving away Rachel’s Tomb (“Kever Rachel”) or even moving it. Klal Yisrael rallied; Rabbi Menachem Porush and Chanan Porat cried.

My organization was instrumental in having hundreds of petitions, proclamations from US officials, as well as children’s letters sent daily in support of retaining Rachel’s Tomb for the Jewish people. PM Rabin responded to the outcry by adding an amendment to the September 28, 1995 Oslo Agreement that put Rachel’s Tomb in area C, completely under Israel control as part of the larger designated area which reaches beyond the area where the separation fence was constructed. On the day of PM Rabin’s Assassination, 50,000 people were visiting Ima Rachel’s kever on her yahrzeit. On that weekend, I chaired a 3-day Conference of the Women’s Branch of the OU in Washington, DC. The theme of the event was “Breaking the Silence” and the theme song, “We are Rachel’s Children” was introduced that day. From rallying Rachel’s children to reclaim their identity and holy roots, to purchasing and delivering a Sefer Torah to the empty un-walled streets in front of Rachel’s Tomb, to petitioning to have regular scheduled trips of Egged buses eight times daily, RCRF now finds itself in a dilemma: whether to be silent like Rachel or cry like Rachel.

I have learned to have savlanut, patience, but during the last year and a half conditions at the property for which my foundation provided the majority of funds to purchase and establish Beit Bnei Rachel adjacent to Kever Rachel have continually deteriorated. This has required me to deal with one obstacle after another. I have given not just money, but my heart and soul, and my activities are for all Bnei Rachel. I work five months a year in Israel doing programming, events, and teaching Derech Eretz in the Rachel’s Tomb complex. While in America I work many hours throughout the night coordinating with the staff and officials in Israel. We had the most lofty dreams when we partnered together to build the Rachel’s Tomb complex, and my foundation originally purchased the valuable property next to Kever Rachel to build a Beit Bnei Rachel in partnership with a group that contributed no funds, but was responsible for purchasing, maintaining and improving the property and assisting us in realizing our dream and establishing a proper yeshivah at the site. The leaders of that group have seemingly abandoned those ideals in an attempt to seize title and control of the valuable land adjacent to Kever Rachel.

Evelyn Haies Kever Avot KEVER AVOT KEVER AVOT (Heb. קֶבֶר אָבוֹת; "grave of the fathers"), the custom of visiting the graveside of parents or close relatives and praying there. The theme of the prayers is peaceful eternal rest for the departed and an invocation for God's aid to the living on the basis of the pious deeds of the dead performed in their lifetime. Judaism did not encourage "praying to the dead" and the custom of kever avot was, therefore, limited to special occasions; the day of the *Yahrzeit, the eve of Rosh Ḥodesh especially that of the month of Elul, and in various Ashkenazi communities also the Ninth of *Av in the afternoon (Isserles to Sh. Ar., OḤ 459:10 and 481:4). It was also customary to visit the graveside of pious individuals so that "the departed will intercede for mercy on behalf of the living" (Ta'an. 16a).

It was related that Caleb visited Hebron and prostrated himself upon the graves of the patriarchs, saying to them, "My fathers, pray on my behalf that I may be delivered from the plan of the spies" (Sot. 34b). According to the Midrash, Jacob buried Rachel on the way to Ephrath near Bethlehem so that she could later pray for her children as they passed by her grave on the way to the Babylonian exile (Gen. 35:19; Jer. 31:15). This practice was particularly stressed by the Ḥasidim who considered the earth above the final resting places of their rabbis as holy as the Land of Israel. Rooms known as ohalim were constructed above their graves, and Ḥasidim gathered there to pray on the Yahrzeit or whenever they desired the heavenly intervention of the departed rabbis. Those who opposed the Ḥasidim, however, discouraged these practices. It was related that R. *Elijah b. Solomon of Vilna even regretted the one time he visited his mother's grave. R.

Ḥayyim *Volozhin reportedly left instructions that his disciples were not to visit his final resting place. Likewise, R. Ḥayyim *Soloveichik of Brest-Litovsk never visited the graves of his parents. See: *Av the Ninth, *Cemetery, *Hillula, *Holy Places, *Lag ba-Omer, *Mourning Customs. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Teachings: Kever | Reclaiming Judaism Rabbi Goldie Milgram Considerations before Dying Writing and regularly updating a legal will, an ethical will, a living will, and power of attorney for finance and health care; be sure to specify in your living will your intention to fulfill the mitzvah of organ donation. Acquiring the deed to your kever, grave Genesis 3:19: “for you are dust and to dust you will return.” Jewish tradition views humanity as created from earth, so we are responsible for the rapid return of our body’s remaining nutrients to the earth to support the cycle of all living things. Most traditionally, this is done within 24 hours. It is customary to pre-arrange a grave for yourself; many do this in late mid-life.

Organizing a family plot with a pre-paid perpetual care contract reduces stress on future generations and creates a genealogical cluster of grave markers that may become meaningful to those who come long after you. The Funeral, or Levaya - My Jewish Learning The Funeral, or Levaya Reprinted with permission from A Time to Mourn, A Time to Comfort ( Jewish Lights ). The Hebrew word for funeral is levaya–[honoring the deceased by] “accompanying” [his/her bier to the grave]. Jewish tradition places a great value on the interactive nature of burying the dead. The rabbi doesn’t bury the dead. Neither does the cemetery worker. Rather, the bereaved family, assisted by the community, is responsible for this most important mitzvah [commandment] of bringing the dead to the final resting place. When Is the Funeral Held? The burial should take place as soon as possible. The biblical injunction is to bury on the same day as the death. The rabbis of the Talmud considered a speedy burial to be among the most important ways to honor the deceased. They believed that final atonement depended in part on the body returning to the dust of the earth and did not want the process delayed.

By the time of the Middle Ages, since embalming was forbidden, it became a matter of hygiene and public safety that the body be buried expeditiously. Yet, today it is difficult to hold a funeral on the day of the death itself. Proper preparation for burial and the need to notify the community require the funeral be held the day after death at the earliest. In addition, further delays are allowed in the following special cases: 1. When close relatives must travel long distances to attend the funeral. As the Jewish community has become more and more mobile, families have scattered all over the continent, indeed the globe. Even though airplanes can bring together families in a matter of hours, the funeral may have to be delayed a day or two to allow for such travel. 2. When Shabbat [Sabbath], the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the yom tov [holiday] days of the pilgrimage festivals of Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot occur. 3. When a suitable casket or shrouds are not available. 4. When civil authorities require unavoidable postmortems, documentation, etc.

Reprinted with permission from A Time to Mourn, A Time to Comfort ( Jewish Lights ). The Hebrew word for funeral is levaya–[honoring the deceased by] “accompanying” [his/her bier to the grave]. Jewish tradition places a great value on the interactive nature of burying the dead. The rabbi doesn’t bury the dead. Neither does the cemetery worker. Rather, the bereaved family, assisted by the community, is responsible for this most important mitzvah [commandment] of bringing the dead to the final resting place. When Is the Funeral Held? The burial should take place as soon as possible. The biblical injunction is to bury on the same day as the death. The rabbis of the Talmud considered a speedy burial to be among the most important ways to honor the deceased. They believed that final atonement depended in part on the body returning to the dust of the earth and did not want the process delayed. By the time of the Middle Ages, since embalming was forbidden, it became a matter of hygiene and public safety that the body be buried expeditiously. Yet, today it is difficult to hold a funeral on the day of the death itself.

Proper preparation for burial and the need to notify the community require the funeral be held the day after death at the earliest. In addition, further delays are allowed in the following special cases: 1. When close relatives must travel long distances to attend the funeral. As the Jewish community has become more and more mobile, families have scattered all over the continent, indeed the globe. Even though airplanes can bring together families in a matter of hours, the funeral may have to be delayed a day or two to allow for such travel. 2. When Shabbat [Sabbath], the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the yom tov [holiday] days of the pilgrimage festivals of Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot occur. 3. When a suitable casket or shrouds are not available. 4. When civil authorities require unavoidable postmortems, documentation, etc. Funerals are almost always held in daylight hours (although in Jerusalem, burials do take place at night). Times are chosen that are convenient for the family and for a maximum number of friends to attend. Preferred times seem to be near the lunch hour and late afternoon. Where Is the Funeral Held?

The place of the funeral varies according to the custom of the local community. Here are the options: 1. The home. It is possible to have the service in a home, but very few people do this today. 2. A funeral home. Many communities have a Jewish funeral home that houses the mortuary and a chapel for services. 3. A synagogue. In some communities, the service begins in the synagogue sanctuary or chapel, and then proceeds to the cemetery. However, some congregations do not allow these services in the sanctuary, unless the deceased is an outstanding member of the community. 4. The cemetery. In the larger Jewish communities, the cemetery will usually have a chapel for services on site. 5. At graveside. In some ways the simplest of alternatives, it is absolutely appropriate to conduct the entire service at graveside. Of course, season and likely weather should be taken into consideration when choosing this option. Often, the cemetery will have some tenting for the immediate family, but usually not enough for the entire funeral party. Is There a Standard Funeral? Surprisingly, the answer is “No.” There is not a single standard for the service, although there are the following basic components: 1. Readings.

Generally, a funeral begins with several readings about death from Jewish sources. Psalm 23 with its famous verses, “Adonai is my Shepherd, I shall not want. God has me lie down in green pastures… God revives my soul for the sake of God’s glory… Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no harm, for You are with me… ” Psalms 15, 24, 90, and 103 are also often recited. At the funeral of a woman, the Eishet Chayil [Woman of Valor] (Proverbs 31) is sometimes included. These readings offer comfort and reflection about the deceased and the survivors. 2. The eulogy. The eulogy (hesped) is designed to recall the life, characteristics, and accomplishments of the deceased. Most often, it is offered by a rabbi who has been furnished information about the deceased in an earlier meeting with the bereaved. This is seen as a sign of respect and an honor to the deceased and the family. Yet, increasingly, members of the family request the opportunity to speak about the life of the departed.

These personal eulogies are often delivered with great emotion and with a degree of insight that is difficult for a third party to achieve. In every case we know of, a eulogy offered by an adult child for a parent, or a brother for a sister, or even a grandchild for a grandparent has been a source of great comfort and honor for the mourners and a tremendously moving experience for the listeners. Some rabbis will welcome this contribution to the funeral (as long as not too many people want to speak), while others would prefer that personal eulogies be given at a shiva minyan [a home prayer service where mourners are able to say Kaddish, the memorial prayer]. 3. The memorial prayer—El Male Rachamim [God, full of mercy]. Among the most well known prayers in Jewish liturgy, the El Male asks God to grant perfect peace to the departed and to remember the many righteous deeds s/he performed. “May this soul be bound up in the bond of life (b’tzror hachayim) and may s/he rest in peace.” The cantor normally chants this memorial prayer in a plaintive, mournful voice.

Moving to the Grave Site Generally, this concludes the formal service held in a synagogue or chapel and the funeral party moves to the grave site. It is a great honor to be named a pallbearer. Generally, the honor is offered to close relatives and friends. The coffin is actually carried by hand or guided on a special gurney to the grave site by the pallbearers who, traditionally, pause several (usually three or seven) times before reaching the grave. This indicates our unwillingness to finally take leave of the loved one. The rabbi or cantor recites verses from Psalm 91 expressing confidence that God watches over us at each of these stops. It is considered an important responsibility of the community to follow the casket for at least a few steps on the way to the grave. At the grave site, the final steps of the funeral ritual are performed. The mourners take their places by sitting in a row of chairs placed before the grave. If kriah, the rending of garments, has not taken place before the earlier service, the mourners stand and it is now done by the rabbi. The cantor may chant another psalm, and the rabbi often offers another reading from Psalm 91.

Then, in traditional burial, the casket is lowered by hand or mechanical device, and the rabbi says in Hebrew, “May s/he go to her or his resting place in peace.” Some rabbis will also say the traditional prayer Tzidduk Hadin, justification of the divine decree, which acknowledges acceptance of the inevitability of death. The climax of the service is when the mourners are asked to rise and recite the Mourner’s Kaddish (sometimes a [modified] version… is said), the ancient prayer which reaffirms our belief in the greatness of God. Then, mourners and those in attendance are invited to fill the grave with earth. Since this practice is not universally observed, the rabbi usually explains what is about to happen and the reasons why the community fulfills this ultimate mitzvah of burying the dead. When the mourners are ready to leave the cemetery, two parallel rows are formed by the participants, creating an aisle for the bereaved to pass through on their way from the grave site.

As the mourners walk through this corridor of consolation, the community offers the traditional prayer of condolence, “HaMakom y’nachem etkhem b’tokh sh’ar aveilei Tzion v’Yrushalayim“–“May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.” It is customary to wash the hands upon leaving the cemetery. Two customs associated with filling the grave are 1) to use the convex side of the shovel and 2) not to pass the shovel hand to hand, but to replace it in the earth for the next participant, “lest death be contagious.” Another interesting custom is to ask the deceased for forgiveness for any hurt one might have caused her/him. Some also pluck grass from the ground, which they throw behind them as a sign of their renewed awareness of human mortality.

Question: In Judaism, what is a ‘Kever’?
Answer: A grave