Deep in the hearts of Jewish Texans…
We — American Jewry in general, Jewschoolers and bloggers in particular — talk a lot about the power of the web to help us organize communities.
Here’s a great example I just encountered. In my hometown of Austin, Texas — where I’m currently hanging out ’til Sunday on Spring Break — the entire Jewish community, which includes one Conservative shul, two Reform ones, Chabad, and a variety of smaller groups, have all gotten together a communal Shomrim effort. Shomrim (one Shomer, many Shomrim), are people who volunteer to sit with the bodies of recently deceased Jews while they await their funeral and burial.
They’re doing this through a communal website. When someone dies, they can have Shomrim times listed on this website and then regulars who participate in this communal Shomrim group receive and e-mail directing them to sign up on the site for times to watch over the body.
Pretty cool.
Could anyone says why this ritual of sitting with the dead is done?
Thanks,
I don’t have a source text for you, but I think it’s just to show respect for the recently deceased and to perform a final act of kindness for them.
It should be noted that many Jewish communities, regardless of size or location, have similar systems set up across denominational boundaries.
Yeah, I’m sure it’s quite common. I just thought it was worth mentioning because of the web mechanism for organizing it. Without the web aspect, a system like this could easily become a burden on one person who would burn out.
David Brinegar-
I don’t know if this is true, but I’ve been told that the custom to sit with the body takes place to ensure that no one will embalm it or perform an autopsy.