Birth is a Beginning, Death a Destination

Birth is a Beginning and Death a Destination: A three-week course on Jewish practices around end of life, burial and family memory. 

Wednesdays, November 18, 25; December 2 from 12 – 1pm via Zoom. December 6 is an optional in person tour. 

Free and open to the community. Registration required.  

The first two sessions will be taught by Rabbi Jonathan Singer; the last class and tour will be led by cemetery enthusiast and Emanu-El congregant, Judi Leff.  

Join Rabbi Jonathan for a two-part class to talk about end of life ritual and spiritual approaches that are foundational to how Jews support each other during this difficult yet holy time. He will walk participants through the choices to be made around burial, cremation, mourning practices; the role of children and grandchildren, and different spiritual responses to how mourning can be a powerful life affirming process. All questions will be welcomed as we sometimes hesitate to really talk about what, is indeed, an essential subject.  

The final class, led by Judi Leff, will be a deep dive into our historic cemetery, the foundational people buried there, and new burial debates. Those who choose can participate in a COVID-safe in-person tour of our historic Home of Peace cemetery on Sunday, December 6 at 2pm.  

Event Signup