WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A BEREAVMENT.

Below is a list of things that have to be done when someone dies.

Please note they are in no particular order, and many of them have to be done in parallel.

If you require help please contact the Minister, or a member of the board.

Legal

1   Get The ???Medical Certificate of Cause of Death??? signed by a doctor.

2   Tell the Doctor that you are Jewish, you need this immediately, as burial has to take place within 24 hours.

3   Phone up the local Registrar in the area where the death occurred not where the deceased lived. For Bromley this is 020 8313 4666.

4   Tell the registrar you are Jewish and need a death certificate immediately as burial has to take place within 24 hours, and book an appointment to see them for a time as soon as possible after you believe you will have possession of the Medical Certificate.

5   You will need the deceased??™s birth certificate, and the ???Medical Certificate of Cause of Death???.

6   Take these to the Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages. They will issue you with the official Death Certificate and a Green certificate for the Burial Society. For Bromley this is Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH Tel 020 8313 4666.

7   Get several copies of the death certificate (at least 5) from the registrar. This will save you time and inconvenience, as you will find many administrative bodies requesting a certified copy (i.e. they will not accept photocopies).

Levoyah

8   Get hold of the Hebrew name of the deceased, and his Tallis (if male over Bar Mitzvah).

9    If you do not know their Hebrew name phone Rev Amit for this.

10  In any case let Rev Amit know about the death as soon as possible and advise the Administrator, Eve Govendir and/or at least one Board Member.

11  Phone up the Burial Society. If you have a reserved plot the Levoyah may be at Bushy (Burial Society 020 8343 3456) otherwise it will be at Waltham Abbey (Burial Society 020 8518 2868).

12  If it is out of hours leave a message or use their emergency number and phone them back as soon as their office opens.

13  They will give you a date and time. You do have some control over this for example if family are flying in from abroad or are in hospital. Explain your situation, they are usually accommodating.

14  The Burial Society will provide a car to pick up the chief mourners. Make arrangements for those using the car to be collected all together at one address.

15  The car can hold up to 6 people comfortably and a 7^th person if absolutely necessary.  Please note it is advantageous if there is space, to take the Minister in the Burial Society car.

16  As soon as the Burial society has given a firm date and time for the Levoyah, p hone up the Minister and administrator again to give them the details. Decide where, at what times, and for how many days, you are going to hold the Shivah and let them know this at the same time.

17  The Burial Society will arrange to pick up the body usually early on the morning of the Levoyah.

18  Please ensure that the green certificate, and the Tallis are with the body. It may help if someone is present when the body is picked up.

19  Write a eulogy for the deceased for the Minister to read out at the Levoyah. You can also read out eulogies at the Shivah.

20  Choose an item of clothing to wear which can be torn ???Keriah???.

Shivah

21  Pick up the Shivah chairs and the Shivah prayer books from the Shul. The chief mourners need to sit on Shivah chairs.

22  Get hold of a Yartzeit candle.

23  Ensure you have some candles for your Shabbat candlesticks. These will be lit during the Shivah service.

24  In the room where the Shivah service is to be held, locate the East so that you can inform the Minister when he arrives.

25  Organise catering for the Shivah, and the special meal for the chief mourners for when you come back from the Levoyah (bagel, hard boiled egg and Schmaltz herring).  Many of the usual kosher caterers can help you arrange this.

26  Inform all the departed??™s friends and family about the situation and the details of the Levoyah and Shivah.  If at all possible, it is useful to print out copies of the address (and map), which can then be handed out at the Levoyah.

27  Ensure that there is going to be a Minian at the Levoyah and Shivahs. If you have concerns that there may not be a mynian, please let Rev Amit, the administrator, and / or a member of the board know.

28  Cover all your mirrors in the Shivah house.

Religious

29  Please remember the mourners should not wear leather shoes.

30  Please let the wardens know of your arrival in Shul, and let them know whether you are sitting Shivah, or this is your first Shabbat after sitting Shivah.

31  There is no mourning on Shabbat, so the mourners will be asked to wait outside the Shul on Friday evening until Lechah Dodye has finished, and then invited in.

32  The mourners should take different seats to their usual seats until the period of mourning has finished.

33  The mourners say Kaddish. This is the Mourner??™s Kaddish and the Rabbi??™s Kaddish.

34  The torn clothing ???Keriah??? should not be worn during Shabbat, but should be worn again if Shivah continues after Shabbat.

35  Male mourners will not receive a mitzvah during Shivah, but will be called up the Shabbat after Shivah.

36  Kaddish is not said until after the Levoyah, A special Kaddish is said at the Levoyah.

37  The Mourners say Kaddish at a Shivah during ma??™ariv and in the memorial service.

38  If you would like help saying the Kaddish please speak to the Minister, there are transliterations, and people can assist you.

39  If you would like someone to be with the deceased prior to the Levoyah, please ask the Minister.

40  The period of mourning is dependent on your relation with the deceased. Please ask the Minister for date of end of mourning.

41  Between death and the Levoyah, the next of kin should only concern themselves with the deceased, and should not attend Shul.