Are Jewish Burials The Same As Green Burials?
Saving energy, recycling and conserving natural resources is becoming a way of life; It has to be! You see it everywhere these days… But I never thought it would affect was death care industry. But if you do a little research; history and religion tell you it’s not a new concept at all…..And Judaism as been practicing it since the beginning of time.
Green burials may not quite be on the rise or ever become as popular as cremation but it definitely has a lot of people’s attention. In fact, statistics show more people are becoming interested in a greener burial method. In 2015, 64 percent of adults 40 and older said they would be interested in green funeral options — options designed to have a lower impact on the environment, such as using biodegradable caskets and less chemicals in preparing the body for burial. That’s up from 43 percent in 2010, according to the Funeral and Memorial Information Council’s “Study of American Attitudes Toward Ritualization and Memorialization,” released in 2015.
What is a green burial?? Think no embalming; a biodegradable casket (made of wood, straw, etc.) or shroud and nothing preventing the body from decomposing naturally (such as a concrete vault or protective metal casket). The goal is to not pollute the earth with certain embalming chemicals, concretes and metals. And while Jewish burial practices are recognized for religious purposes, the requirements are the same.
Jewish religion prohibits embalming. The blood is considered part of the body and is to be buried with the deceased. A simple wooden casket and cotton or linen burial garments are utilized. A soft wood such as pine is preferred because it decomposes more rapidly. The casket is constructed without the use of any metal. And finally, placing the casket in direct contact with the earth is an important part of the “dust to dust” cycle.
If you think about the three main elements involved in a Jewish burial, it sounds very much like the “green burial” trend. The only difference is the reasoning behind the two. So if you’re interested in green burial options and not sure if your town has any green cemeteries, ask your funeral director about simply following Jewish burial traditions. While most cemeteries aren’t classified as “green cemeteries,” almost all can accommodate Jewish burials.
