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TRANSLITERATION:

Yis’ga’dal v’yis’kadash sh’may ra’bbo, b’olmo dee’vro chir’usay v’yamlich malchu’say, b’chayaychon uv’yomay’chon uv’chayay d’chol bais Yisroel, ba’agolo u’viz’man koriv; v’imru Omein.

Y’hay shmay rabbo m’vorach l’olam ul’olmay olmayo.

Yisborach v’yishtabach v’yispoar v’yisromam v’yismasay, v’yishador v’yis’aleh v’yisalal, shmay d’kudsho, brich hu, l’aylo min kl birchoso v’sheeroso, tush’bechoso v’nechemoso, da,ameeran b’olmo; vimru Omein.

Y’hay shlomo rabbo min sh’mayo, v’chayim alaynu v’al kol Yisroel; v’imru Omein.

Oseh sholom bimromov, hu ya’aseh sholom olaynu, v’al kol yisroel; vimru Omein.

ENGLISH:

May the great Name of God be exalted and sanctified, throughout the world, which he has created according to his will. May his Kingship be established in your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire household of Israel, swiftly and in the near future; and say, Amen.May his great name be blessed, forever and ever.

Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, honored elevated and lauded be the Name of the holy one, Blessed is he- above and beyond any blessings and hymns, Praises and consolations which are uttered in the world; and say Amen. May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who makes peace in his high holy places, may he bring peace upon us, and upon all Israel; and say Amen.

HEBREW:

ENGLISH:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

HEBREW:

This psalm speaks of God’s protection and care, especially during death. Both Jews and Christians use this psalm as a hymn. For Jews, Psalm 23 is often recited during Shabbat and other religious occasions.

ENGLISH:

O God, full of mercy, Who dwells on high,
Grant proper rest on the wings of the Divine Presence –
In the lofty levels of the holy and the pure ones,
Who shine like the glow of the firmament –
For the soul of (…….) who has gone on to his world,
Because, without making a vow,
I will contribute to charity in remembrance of his soul.
May his resting place be in the Garden of Eden –
Therefore may the Master of Mercy
Shelter him in the shelter of His wings for Eternity,
And may He bind his soul in the Bond of Life.

The Lord is his heritage,
And may he repose in peace on his resting place.
Amen.

In Judaism, a mourner is the spouse, parent, sibling or child of the deceased. Other family members and friends, although not technically considered mourners, can still observe any mourning rituals they want to participate in. From the time of death until the burial, a mourner is considered an “Onen.” Onens must put aside many of their daily responsibilities in order to focus on arranging the funeral.

According to Jewish tradition, immediately following a death, the deceased should not be left unattended. A Shomer, or “watchman,” stays with the deceased from the time of death until burial. It is common for the Shomer to be a member of the family. However, the Jewish Funerals Texas staff is available to serve as Shomereim.

After contacting Jewish Funerals Texas, you should contact your local rabbi. The rabbi will set a date and time for the funeral service. Many congregations will allow services in their temples. If you are having a bigger funeral, consider having a graveside service at the cemetery. Traditional Jewish funerals are usually held 3 days after passing.

Jewish scholars say that it is disrespectful to look at a person who cannot look back. Therefore, a traditional Jewish funeral has a closed casket without a viewing.

Unless local laws require, Jewish burials do not use embalming. Your funeral director will be able to tell you if there are any laws that may require embalming.

The Chevra Kadisha, or “sacred society,” is a group of pious men and women who ritually prepare the deceased for burial. They perform the Taharah, which is a purification bath, and then dress the person in Tachrichim, a traditional burial shroud made of white linen.

Jewish funerals use simple wooden caskets made without metal parts. Jewish Funerals Texas has a variety of traditional caskets that families may choose from.

Most traditional Jewish funerals do not have flowers, however, many Reform and Conservative Jews choose to have a few flowers present for the service. Most rabbis will not object to a small floral tribute on the casket but will object to having the entire casket surrounded by flowers.

Jewish funerals will usually last about twenty minutes and consist of the recitation of Psalms, Scripture readings and a eulogy.

Jewish mourners may choose to perform a K’riah, or “rending of the garment” before the service. This ancient custom is symbolic of the tear in the mourner’s heart. Traditionally the mourner’s clothing is torn. However, modern mourners often wear a black ribbon instead. If the person is mourning a parent, the ribbon is worn on the left side of the person. For other deceased persons, the ribbon is worn on the person’s right side. The ribbon is worn for seven days, except on Shabbat. When mourning the death of a parent, the ribbon is worn for thirty days.

Traditionally, Jewish funerals use burial. Mourners symbolically participate in the burial process by placing a few shovels of earth onto the casket. This ritual is known as “the Chesed Shel Emet,” the ultimate act of love and kindness. After the casket is buried, mourners recite the Mourner’s Kaddish and form a Shura. A Shura is a double line where funeral-goers face each other, forming a pathway through which the mourners pass to receive words of comfort.

One of the oldest and most meaningful Jewish funeral traditions is the Seudat Hawra’ah. Upon returning to the house of mourning following the burial, the community provides the family’s first meal. This meal of condolence, called the Seudat Hawra’ah, sets the tone of Shiva and makes sure the family is taken care of during their mourning period. Eggs or bagels are traditionally served to symbolize the continuity of life.

Shiva, meaning “seven,” is the seven-day mourning period following burial. During Shiva, mourners should remain at home, while their community comes to the home to take care of the mourners, attend services and say Kaddish. The atmosphere of the house should be one of dignity and remembrance.

Shloshim, which means “thirty” in Hebrew, is the thirty days following the burial. Shiva is the first seven days of Shloshim. After Shiva, Shloshim is the time when mourners return to their regular lives.

Yahrzeit is the annual anniversary of a loved one’s passing on the Hebrew calendar. The yahrzeit is observed by lighting a 24-hour candle and reciting the Kaddish. Most congregations will announce any Yahrzeits during Shabbat services.

In Judaism, graves must be marked with a simple headstone, or Matzava. Although it is not required to have an unveiling or dedication service, many families choose to have some sort of ceremony when the grave marker is put in place. Traditionally, the headstone can be put into place anytime after Shloshim, but most families choose a time close to the first yahrzeit.

Judaism teaches that mourners should not show excessive grief while visiting their loved one’s grave, should not visit the grave until after Shiva, and should not visit other graves in the same cemetery.

• Veterans Administration Forms

  These VA Forms are required for ground burial of casketed remains and cremated remains as well as internment of cremated remains in the columbarium at a national cemetery. The Veterans Administration requires that proof of honorable discharge be provided to the funeral home for all burials at a national cemetery. A veteran of the armed services discharged under conditions other than dishonorable as well as their eligible spouse and dependents may petition for burial at a national cemetery.

• Vital Statistics Form
• Appointment of Agent to Control Distribution of Remains

• Vital Statistics Form
• Dallas Medical Examiner Decedent Release Form

• Galveston Medical Examiner Release Form
• Harris County Institute of Forensic Science Decedent Release Form
• Harris County Institute of Forensic Science Decedent Release Form (Spanish)
• Vital Statistics Form