Cremation is tragic, but there’s nothing I
can do about it.
YOU can have the Zechus
to make an eternal difference!
CARE FOR A MEIS MITZVAH.
PERFORM CHESED SHEL EMES.
HELP A JEW CHOOSE KEVURAH.
The Painful Reality
minutes
Every 16 minutes in the US,
another Jew is cremated.
cremation rate
Approximately half of American
Jews are choosing cremation,
unfortunately, this trend is
growing
neshamos
In America alone, 30,000 souls
are irreparably harmed by
cremation every year
Our People, Our Responsibility
“מת בעיר כל בני העיר אסורין בעשיית מלאכה”
“When someone dies, all of the city’s residents are forbidden from work (until the burial is arranged).”
— Moed Katan 27b, Codified in Rambam and Shulchan Aruch.
“In America today, every [secular] Jew who dies is a
potential meis mitzvah.”
— Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, zt”l (circa 1983)
The modern-day meis mitzvah is quite different from the meis mitzvah of the past. Classically, a meis mitzvah was a body found with no one to bury them. The meis mitzvah of today is choosing cremation, and therefore will not be buried. Caring for the meis mitzvah of today requires a new approach, a proactive approach.
Our People, Our Response
Last Kindness, an initiative of the National Association of Chevra Kadisha,
is dedicated to helping every Jew choose and receive dignified burial.
Here’s what we’re doing
Staffed
Helpline
Educational
Videos
Professional
Trainings
Workshops
and Webinars
Social Media
Presence
Print
Materials
Your People, Your Opportunity
As Torah-observant Jews we have both the obligation and the
opportunity to care for all of Hashem’s children
Here’s what you can do
Identify one person in your life at risk for cremation and pledge to start one of the most consequential conversations you will ever have. Speak to one person.
Care for one neshama.
Open this page on your phone in order to join
Invest in the ultimate chesed shel emes.
Prevent the cremation of a fellow Jew and enable all Jews to choose and receive proper kevurah.
Join a workshop or bring a webinar to your community.
Learn Why so many Jews are opting out of burial and How you can make all the difference.
Get the word out.
Share these posts through Whatsapp or social media. Print a sign for your shul to raise awareness in our community about this very real tragedy.
Download shareable content
Have you had the conversation?
Did you take action?
Share your story to inspire others.
Here’s how people like you succeeded by taking action and reaching
out to prevent the cremation of a fellow Jew.
When the Jewish owner of a healthcare facility found out that Misha, an elderly Jew with little family, was likely going to be cremated, he cared enough to say something, and helped Misha put his burial wishes into writing.
When a Jewish couple decided to cremate because they thought it was the more environmentally-friendly option, a caring nurse stepped in and provided them with the true facts – that burial was actually the greener choice.
When Donna learned that her parents were planning to be cremated, she persisted and regularly spoke to them about how important and meaningful burial was to her.
Donna’s parents both received proper kevurah because someone cared.
