The Neshama Foundation is here to help. Our goal is to help people understand the importance of giving their loved ones a true Jewish burial. In the short time that we've been open, our members have been through some incredible experiences. Here is one such story that happened just a few weeks ago.

They were Holocaust Survivors. They had seen their parents walk into the crematorium of Auschwitz. Now 60 years later, Abe and Sarah* were making pre-arrangements for themselves. They insisted that if cremation was okay for their parents, it was good enough for them. One of the members of The Neshama Foundation respectfully challenged their premise. Your parents are crying out, “My children! We had no choice, but you do have a choice. Don’t voluntarily do to your bodies what was done to us.” They agreed to do a traditional Jewish burial and signed a contract with a Funeral home.

A few years later, when Abe passed away, Sarah went in to finalize the arrangements and was presented with alternative funeral options. She was under the impression that if a Jewish funeral home offers cremation, then it must be OK and changed the contract. Abe was cremated the next day.

Our desire is motivated by one idea, that the transformation of Jewish souls from this world to the next, be as painless as possible. Thank G-d we are able to reach out and prevent many Jews from being cremated, but in this instance, we lost. Unfortunately, there are many funeral homes who advertise as Jewish while offering services contrary to Jewish law. This battle was lost, but the war against cremation continues on. May we all realize that all our loved ones deserve a proper Jewish burial and let us not become victims of the commercialization of the Jewish funeral industry, and by funeral homes who are only Jewish in name.

Please contact us with any questions, comments, or requests for help.

*names have been changed to protect their privacy

#truestories #cremation #JewishBurial