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Jewish practices
Shiva. Kaddish. Chevra Kadisha.
Jewish tradition offers one of the most structured approaches to grief, with designated periods of mourning that hold the bereaved and gradually return them to the world.
Key practices
- Chevra Kadisha — a volunteer burial society that washes and prepares the body (tahara)
- Shomrim — someone sits with the body at all times until burial
- Burial — as soon as possible (not on Shabbat); cremation is not traditional in Orthodox practice
- Shiva — 7 days of mourning at home; community visits, brings food, says Kaddish
- Shloshim — 30 days of reduced mourning
- Yahrzeit — annual anniversary of the death, marked by lighting a candle and saying Kaddish
In Australia
Most major Australian cities have a Chevra Kadisha and Jewish funeral homes. Your synagogue or local Jewish community council can coordinate. Jewish cemeteries exist in all capital cities.
See all 64 guides in Grief & healing →
From bluetulipco.com/library/grief/jewish — printed 1 October 2026.
General information only — not a substitute for legal, medical, financial, or therapeutic advice. Read the full disclaimer.
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