{"id":693,"date":"2020-04-07T10:53:21","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T14:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/?p=693"},"modified":"2020-07-21T09:49:43","modified_gmt":"2020-07-21T13:49:43","slug":"nasck-levayahs-cemeteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/2020\/04\/07\/nasck-levayahs-cemeteries\/","title":{"rendered":"National Association of Chevra Kadishas: COVID-19 Protocols for Levayahs and Cemeteries"},"content":{"rendered":"
Among the many trying challenges we face in these dire times is the sorrow of isolation from one another, added to the deeper one of personal loss, as we accompany those beloved to us to their resting places.<\/div>\n
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Just as the current times demand that we now pray and study at home, the way to give honor to the dead during this pandemic is by staying at home. That is what the\u00a0\u00a0niftar\u00a0\u00a0(departed) would have wanted and what Jewish law, which warns us\u00a0to be extremely careful to guard our health, demands of us. We therefore must not congregate at funeral homes, shuls, residences, or on city streets to pay our respects to the\u00a0\u00a0niftar\u00a0\u00a0and their families.<\/div>\n
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While we honor the departed through proper Jewish burial despite the challenges\u00a0entailed, we must maintain a balance. We must remain sensitive and committed\u00a0to serving our bereaved families as fully as possible, while working to\u00a0ensure their health and safety, along with the health and safety of the funeral home and cemetery staff.<\/div>\n
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We recognize that the burial may provide the only opportunity for family to say Kaddish and be offered proper\u00a0nichum aveilim\u00a0(comforting of the mourners). As such, the following suggested policies and procedures should be followed\u00a0at the cemetery to minimize\u00a0the risk of exposure and to ensure the safety of all.<\/div>\n
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B\u2019virchas kol tuv v\u2019chag kasher v\u2019sameiach,<\/div>\n
Rabbi Elchonon Zohn<\/div>\n
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1. PARTICIPANTS<\/div>\n
a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Crowd size should be limited to the greatest extent possible. A minyan for Kaddish is not required at every\u00a0levayah\u00a0. Nevertheless, when requested, a proper minyan for Kaddish at the burial should be accommodated.<\/div>\n
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b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Participating relatives should be limited to the surviving spouse,\u00a0children of the deceased and their spouses, as well as siblings and parents, G-d forbid.<\/div>\n
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c.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If an experienced chevra kadisha, known to the cemetery, is directly overseeing the\u00a0\u00a0kevurah\u00a0(burial), they should be permitted to do so with adherence to proper safety procedures regarding PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). See #2b, below, for details of safety procedures.<\/div>\n
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d. In any case, no more than 20 people should be present; this includes all family, chevra kadisha, funeral directors, and clergy. Of course, we must comply with state and federal regulations, taking into account any exemptions they allow for such gatherings.<\/div>\n
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2. INFECTION CONTROL PROTOCOL<\/div>\n
a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All visitors who intend to exit their cars (to carry the\u00a0aron\u00a0, shovel, or to recite Kaddish) shall wear masks, and preferably gloves (to be provided by the family or funeral home).<\/div>\n
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b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Active participation in the carrying of the\u00a0aron\u00a0(coffin) or\u00a0kevurah\u00a0requires wearing the following PPE, and adherence to the following procedures:<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Face mask<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Disposable gloves<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Protective gown (if available)<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One shovel per\u00a0individual\u00a0\u2014 no sharing of shovels<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All shovels to be sanitized by those using them\u00a0before and after use<\/div>\n
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c.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is recommended\u00a0that the funeral home direct the family in these procedures and ensure PPE and shovels will be present and procedures adhered to.<\/div>\n
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3. CROWD CONTROL<\/div>\n
a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Any person who is Covid-19 positive or is experiencing symptoms associated with Covid-19,\u00a0should not be in attendance under any circumstances.<\/div>\n
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b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All present must remain in their vehicles.\u00a0In cases where Kaddish is being accommodated, the minyan must remain inside their cars during the recitation of Kaddish, and respond without getting out of their vehicles. Only those saying Kaddish are permitted to leave their vehicles. It is imperative that all present maintain proper social distancing of at least 6 ft. from others.\u00a0Masks must be utilized, and gloves are strongly recommended.<\/div>\n
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c.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When a chevra kadisha is present, graves\u00a0should be allowed to be filled by hand shoveling. (See 2b for shoveling procedures.) Cemeteries may request they fill only until the\u00a0aron\u00a0is fully covered. At that point there is usually a covering of 3\u00a0tefachim\u00a0(approximately 1ft) over the entire\u00a0aron\u00a0.\u00a0The remaining\u00a0filling of the\u00a0kever\u00a0(grave) may be done by cemetery workers \u2014 ideally with shovels rather than by machine, if at all possible.<\/div>\n
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d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At no time may anyone approach the grave when cemetery workers are present, nor may anyone approach any cemetery worker.\u00a0Anyone involved in the burial must leave the area of the grave, and must be more than 6 feet away from the grave, before the cemetery workers may be asked to return.<\/div>\n
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e.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All\u00a0hespedim\u00a0(eulogies) at the cemetery should be postponed until the current crisis has passed, when proper memorialization of departed loved ones will,\u00a0be”H\u00a0, be possible in the presence of all who wish to honor them. Modern technology offers many options for eulogies to be heard or viewed by many.<\/div>\n
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Thank you for adhering to these protocols and for your understanding and patience during these unprecedented times.\u00a0We pray for those infected with Covid-19, those caring for the sick, and those ensuring the proper burial of the deceased.<\/div>\n
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In the merit of protecting ourselves and others, and for the\u00a0chesed\u00a0\u00a0(kindness) and\u00a0kavod\u00a0(honor) shown to those who have passed on, all of whom were created in the image of G-d, may we soon see the day when Hashem will permanently wipe the tears from every face.<\/div>\n
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These guidelines were issued on April 7, 2020, and will be updated as necessary.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Among the many trying challenges we face in these dire times is the sorrow of isolation from one another, added to the deeper one of personal loss, as we accompany those beloved to us to their resting places. Just as the current times demand that we now pray and study at home, the way to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1764,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[524639,514283,509577],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1764"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=693"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1613,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693\/revisions\/1613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}