Because cremation is being chosen by more families today than in the past, Star of David Memorial will provide the service should families request it. But we feel it is our responsibility as a Jewish owned and operated funeral home to make sure that those families requesting it are not doing so based upon common misconceptions and inaccurate information regarding its supposed ecological and environmental benefits and/or its financial savings.
The cost to the environment is much greater with the cremation process than it is with earth burial. The energy required to fuel a crematory along with the smoke created by the process and spread into the environment is significantly worse for our planet than earth burial in a wooden casket.
If financial considerations are the reason you are considering cremation rather than burial, it need not be as, in many instances we can provide earth burial for the same cost as cremation. Please contact us to discuss.
The Bible and Jewish tradition are clearly and consistently pro-burial and anti-cremation, considering the burning of the body a terrible violation of the person’s memory and God’s image. Jews and the Jewish State make enormous sacrifices to provide proper Jewish burials to all. When Torah scrolls are damaged beyond repair, they are lovingly buried. Our bodies, partners to our souls throughout our lives, are holier than scrolls and deserve burial as well.
Burial emphasizes, and cremation downplays, the importance of the individual. Burial symbolizes the acceptance of the cycle of life, a peaceful return to nature, returning what we have received. Cremation represents one last assertion of violent control, denying death’s natural process, and wishing to do away with the unpleasant ordeal as quickly as possible. Bury the pet versus burn the garbage.
Burial rarely creates family discord. Cremation often does and cannot be undone. Healthy societies need cemeteries to remind us of our mortality, connect us to our families, and teach us of the community of history.
After the cremation, the ashes are returned to us by the crematory within 48 hours, sooner if required, in a plastic container. You may elect to take the ashes in this container or purchase an urn. There are many different types of urns to choose from. You may decide to keep the ashes, bury them, place them in a niche, scatter them, or have them sprinkled at sea. However you decide, you may choose from our selection of urns, purchase one on your own, or just utilize the plastic container they are returned in from the crematory.
Urns come in all different shapes and materials and sized to hold the “cremains” (ashes). You may decide that some of the ashes are to be shared which might necessitate a “sharing” urn which is smaller than a standard sized urn. You might also elect to choose a “keepsake,” which could be a locket or pendant that can be worn. Please contact us with any questions you might have.
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