Tag
Shiva
11 articles
Sitting Shiva: The Jewish Practice of Mourning
Shiva — the seven-day Jewish mourning period — transforms a home into a sanctuary of grief, where community gathers to comfort the bereaved with presence, prayer, and food.
Attending a Jewish Funeral: What to Expect and How to Show Respect
A respectful guide for attending a Jewish funeral — no flowers, bring food instead, and know that 'may their memory be a blessing' means more than 'sorry for your loss.'
Why Jews Cover Mirrors in Mourning
Mirrors are covered during shiva to shift focus from physical appearance to spiritual reflection, ensuring mourners concentrate on grief rather than vanity.
What Is Shiva? A Complete Guide to Jewish Mourning
Shiva is the seven-day mourning period observed after the burial of a close relative. Here is everything you need to know — what happens, what to bring, what to say, and what not to say.
Jewish Condolences: What to Say, What Not to Say, and How to Comfort
Knowing what to say when someone is grieving is hard. Jewish tradition offers specific phrases, clear guidance, and a surprisingly liberating rule: sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.
How to Make a Shiva Call
Making a shiva call — visiting a mourning family — is one of Judaism's most important mitzvot. This guide explains what to expect, what to say, and how to bring genuine comfort.
How to Sit Shiva: A Complete Guide for Mourners
A guide for the mourner — what to expect during shiva, the meal of consolation, mirrors and low chairs, davening at home, receiving visitors, knowing when to end, and the path back to normal life.
Jewish Approaches to Grief and Mourning
Judaism's structured approach to grief — from the shock of death through aninut, shiva, shloshim, and the year of mourning — is one of the tradition's most profound gifts. Here is how Jewish mourning works and why it heals.
Shloshim: The 30-Day Mourning Period After Shiva
Shloshim — the 30-day mourning period after shiva — marks the gradual transition from intense grief to normal life. Learn what restrictions apply, when they ease, and how this intermediate period provides a structured path through loss.
Jewish Food for Every Life Event: From Bris to Shiva
In Jewish life, every milestone has its menu. Bagels at the bris, everything at the bar mitzvah, honey cake at the wedding, hard-boiled eggs at shiva. Explore the foods that mark — and comfort — every stage of Jewish life.
Jewish Mourning: The Complete Guide from Death to Yahrzeit
Judaism provides the world's most structured system for grief — from the moment of death through aninut, funeral, shiva, shloshim, the year of mourning, and yahrzeit. This complete guide covers every stage.