On Mon, 06 Feb 2006 15:21:23 -0600, Melba's Jammin'
> connected the dots and wrote:

~In article >,
~ (Charlotte L. Blackmer) wrote:
~
~>
~> The idea of a professionally catered Jewish funeral makes me really
~> boggle, as my understanding was that the services needed to be held
~> very shortly after the actual death. That's not a lot of notice to
call
~> someone up, book them, and get the food produced!
~>
~> Charlotte
~> --
~
~This was a memorial service, not a burial service, Charlotte. My
sense
~is that a private service was held shortly after Barbie's death. This
~was a few days later. If that's what you were referring to.
~-Barb

The funeral is generally held as soon after death as possible. After
the casket has been put in the ground, and each person who wishes puts
a shovel-full or two into the hole, folks return to the house (where
there should be a pitcher of water to ritually wash hands on the
outside steps), and comfort the mourners. If they're traditional,
friends will have made and brought a bunch of food, set it up, and got
the coffee going, covered the mirrors. This is how it worked when my
Dad died 17 years ago.

When my cousin died, her family had deli platters and rolls, and
salad, coffee, tea, juice, and a woman to tend to the food. The
remaining female members of the clan numbed their sorrows. The men
were a little more circumspect.

This period of mourning last for 3-7 days, usually ending on the next
Friday night sundown.

maxine in ri