VOLUME 27, NUMBER 3 • SUMMER 2021 • TAMMUZ 5781

We’ve Been Challenged! HFBA must raise $100,000 to meet a $50,000 match

a $50,000 matching gift challenge. We have to raise an additional $100,000 in response. To meet the continuing urgent need for indigent burials, an anonymous foundation has steppedchesed we up canwith provide to the poorest and most vulnerable among us. The funds will cover the tahara Our goal of $150,000 will enable us to underwrite the cost of some 30 burials – the final (ritual cleansing), diminished,the shrouds deservesand coffin, a theproper funeral burial. service and burial. RightPlease now, match every this magnanimoustwo dollars you gesture contribute with one will of release your own. another Every Jew,dollar no ofmatter funding. how poor or To donate, go to www.hebrewfreeburial.org/donate or send in your gift in the enclosed envelope. The Dishes We Serve Mourners: Our Foods Express Both Love and Wisdom ven the foods we serve to mourners, brought with comfort and love, teaches us Jewish approaches served with ashes. For Sephardi Jews, the eggs will Eto loss and mourning. The prescribed meals are behomes, prepared the eggs as huevos may be haminados, simply hard hard-boiled boiled or even eggs cooked overnight.

filled with symbolic meaning and while different Jewish an even more austere custom. Describing the pious culturesThe nexus have of distinctive our customs ingredients comes from and the cooking Talmud, styles, ofMaimonides, earlier generations, writing he a century writes: after Rashi, describes whichthe symbolic tells us meanings that “A mourner are always is forbidden similar. to eat of his “A person would sit alone between the oven Moed Katan and the cooking range. Others would bring own bread on the first day [of mourning]” ( him dried bread and salt. He would dip it in water and drink a pitcher of water while of27b). shiva. Over the years, this dictum – for others to prepare worried, forlorn and in tears, as one whose theRashi, mourners’ the renowned meals – has11th extended to the entire week dead was lying before him.” explains that mourners are offered lentil soup because lentils century “are commentator, as round as a - wheel, for mourning is like a - In our own time, the concept of round foods – sym - canbolizing mourner’s the circle home. of life – continues to resonate. In ad givewheel mourners revolving eggs the becauseworld.” dition to eggs, bagels are now a mainstay of the Ameri It is the custom, he says, to East,In Israel, there theis pita first bread foods or served ka’ak, area round bourekas bread or that mourners“they are round to speak. and have no rugelach. For Mizrachi Jews, those from the Middle mouth.” It is often difficult for continued on page 6 may be sprinkled with sesame seeds and topped with In European (Ashkenazi) HFBA Receives the Highest Rating from Charity Navigator, America’s Largest and Most- Utilized Independent Evaluator of Charities!

2 | The Hebrew Free Burial Association | Chesed It is heartbreaking reading the stories of all those In the Mail poor unfortunate souls who had to die all alone. It is so Letters below have been edited for clarity sad. There are people out there who have had so much and to protect confidentiality. tragedy in their lives. Anyway, we can’t afford much but we want to help. A donation is enclosed. I want to thank you for your support and coordination V.N. to ensure that J. had a proper send-off. The funeral went forward on Monday as planned. As I told you, I had made Thank you so much for calling me about Joan. Even that commitment to him. The officiating rabbi was very though I never met her, she was related to me- she was kind and respectful. Another friend came down from my father’s sister’s daughter. We had spoken a few times Danbury to attend. each year and the last time, months ago, she had wanted We have high praise for the work you do on behalf of to meet me and then Covid-19 arrived. I am glad she is the Jewish community. resting in peace. She had a hard life. Please accept this Be well, stay safe and know you are appreciated. donation in her memory. Continue your kind deeds. L.B. E.O.

DID Canada and other countries. Between 1951 and YOU KNOW Jewish Life in

Harbin, China 1953, about 3500 “Chinese Jews” settled in Israel and ? Jewestablished left in 1985. their own community. The Harbin Jewish During the late 19th communityIn 1958, the stopped Chinese functioning authorities in selected 1963 and 853 the of last the more than 3000 Jewish graves to move Harbin, in northeast centuryChina, to through escape the mid-20th pogroms,century, Russian persecution Jews immigratedand unfair economic to to the Public Cemetery, effectively closing mostand abandoning of the gravestones the Jewish are cemetery.illegible. workingrestrictions. as businessmen, There they lived professionals, with full InThese 2004, graves the Harbin may still Museum be found of Jewishalthough civil rights and built a thriving community

merchants and railway workers on After the Japanese History and Culture located at the site of the Trans-Siberian Railway connecting personal itemsthe documentingNew Synagogue, the waslives established. of some of the The disband.Moscow andPeople Peking left for(now Shanghai, Beijing.) the United States, moremuseum than features 20,000 documents, Jewish residents photographs, of Harbin. films, and occupation in World War II, the community began to

included an article in which HFBA featured The November 18, 2020 edition of Time Magazine

prominently. The article, “Lost in the Pandemic: Inside New York City’s Mass Graveyard on Hart Island,” described how this “potter’s field,” in existence for over bodies.150 years and containing over a million bodies, still HFBA becomes the final resting place for so many unclaimed resulted in the subsequent need for some bodies to be During the current pandemic, the frantic rush to bury NEWS disinterred and re-interred. The Time article movingly describes the journey of one Jewish woman’s body from —IN THE— ritesan unmarked of her Jewish mass faith. grave to HFBA’s cemetery. There she was buried with dignity according tohttps://time. the tradition and com/5913151/hart-island-covid/ The full article may be read here:

3 BELOW ARE TRANSLATED SUMMARIES OF THE ARTICLES APPEARING IN THIS ISSUE OF CHESED.

Русский Дайджест Еда, подаваемая скорбящим, выражает любовь и мудрость с городскими властями и подтвердила, что Сара была еврейкой, вышла замуж за нееврея и затем развелась. Детей у пары не было. Линда смогла предоставить еврейское имя Сары, а также имена её родителей, Даже блюда, подаваемые скорбящим по усопшим, бабушек и дедушек. Когда всё это выяснилось, тело выражают традиционный подход иудаизма к потере Сары было эксгумированоHFBA) и перезахоронено на . близких и к ритуалу скорби. Помимо успокающего еврейском кладбище. Еврейское Благотворительное действия, предписанная в этих случаях еда имеет и Похоронное Бюро ( провело обряд погребения символическое значение. И хотя еврейские традиции Вскоре Линда прислала благодарственное письмо с в разных уголках света обращают больше внимания вложеннымНам в бросилинего пожертвованием. приятный вызов ! на те или иные. ингредиенты и стили приготовления HFBA должно собрать $100 тыс. пожертвова- пищи, этот символизм, в еврейской культуре ний чтобы получить ещё $50 тыс. неизменен Как объясняет Раши живший в 11-м веке знаменитый толкователь Торы, скорбящим предлагают суп из чечевицы, потому что зёрнышки Чтобы HFBA имело возможность и дальше хоронить, её «круглы как колесо, а ритуал оплакивания подобен малоимущих, нуждающихся в еврейском погребении, колесу, вращающему весь мир». Он добавляет, что некий анонимный фонд пообещал перевести $50 тыс. принято давать скорбящим яйцо, поскольку «круглое Прямо сейчас на каждые два доллара, если нам удастся собрать $100 тыс. пожертвований. оно и не имеет зева». Это напоминает о том, что которые вы дадите, HFBA получит один доллар скорбящие не должны разговаривать. дополнительно. В домах европейской (ашкеназской) традиции Чтобы перевести деньги, зайдите на сайт www. hebrewfreeburial.org/donate или вышлите Ваше подаютhuevos сваренное haminados вкрутую яйцо или даже яйцо смешанное с золой. Для сефардов яйца готовят в пожертвование в приложенном конверте. стиле (дословно «побитые яйца»), яйца вкрутую, которые варятся всю ночь. Вопросы и ответы В наше время эта традиция «круглой» еды тоже жива и актуальна.). Помимо яиц основным блюдом : скорбящих в еврейских домах Америки стали бейгели. (бублики В Израиле в первую очередь подают - Вопрос Татуировки запрещены согласно буреки (слоёные несладкие пирожки) или ругелах еврейскому закону. Может ли человек с татуировками Для евреев из стран Ближнего Востока (мизрахи) та быть похоронен на еврейском кладбище? кой «круглой» едой служит пита или ка-ак – круглая лепёшка, обычно посыпанная кунжутным семенем и Ответ: Татуировки действительно запрещены, HFBAспециями. помогает основываясь на стихе из Второзакония (19:28) «не должен ты делать на себе порезы из-за умерших или , наносить иные знаки на тело, Я – Вс-вышний». Этот - запрет – часть всеохватывающего еврейского запрета Сара скончалась в возрасте 74-х лет от коронавируса изменять или увечить своё тело. Однако наличие та и общественный администратор Нью-Йорка начал туировок не препятствует погребению на еврейском поиски её родственников. Несмотря на начатую кладбище, и все еврейские источники сходятся в том, процедуру поиска, Сара была в ускоренном порядке что такого человека должны и обязаны похоронить погребена на городском кладбище на Заячьем среди евреев, на освящённой земле. острове. Однако сестра её бывшего, мужа заявила городскому судмедэксперту, что хоть у Сары была - итальянская фамилия по мужу по рождению она была еврейкой. К тому же проживающая в Калифор нии дальняя родственница Сары, Линда Ф*, связалась

The Hebrew Free Burial Association | Chesed | 4 HFBA’s Covid Update Even though the Covid pandemic in our area is waning, our caseload remains greater than prior to the pandemic. We are still experiencing spikes in our caseload including 47 victims of

trailer that was bought last spring to accommodate the surge of deaths from Covid,Covid betweenis still being January used 1 to and accommodate May 31, 2021. Covid Infrastructure, and non-Covid like decedents our 40’ as needed.

HFBA Names and details have been changed to Helps protect confidentiality.

Although Gerald H. had died in October 2020, HFBA know that as a felon, he himself was prohibited from goingyears agoto Staten developed Island multiple to his brother’s sclerosis. funeral. He also HFBA’s let us was only informed in May 2021 about his death at age volunteer minyan and the social worker who had known 79. The New York City bureaucracy had done little to refrigeratedfind any surviving trailers family put in members place during in the the intervening beginning seven months and his body lay in the one of the Phil attended the burial. Harold participated by phone. provides bereavement services, called HFBA to report theirof the own Covid research. pandemic We by were the ableNew to York locate City’s the Medical man theMisaskim, death of the Ken volunteer D. Jewish organization which Examiner’s office. HFBA staff members embarked on HFBA learned that Ken, 67, had who was currently living at Gerald’s last known address died of Covid and had been buried in city cemetery. In and he was able to provide the name of Gerald’s last an effort to have the body disinterred and reburied at employer. The employer, the owner of a messenger toMount provide Richmond even the Cemetery, most basic HFBA information staff reached about out her to service, provided Gerald’s social security number. HFBA brother.an estranged She said sister. she Unfortunately, had nothing to the do sister with refusedhim during staff also found a Facebook page dedicated to Gerald’s burial.memory. As However, a last resort, we werestaff membersstill unable reached to find outa to concerning his death. HFBA worked with the Medical surviving family member who could authorize Gerald’s Examinerhis lifetime and and had wanted Ken’s nothing remains to reburied do with accordinganything to the friend who had first called HFBA about Gerald’s death. Asked if he would assume the responsibility of SarahJewish, law74, hadfive diedmonths of Covid after andhis death. the Public Admin- acting as an agent, he agreed, and Gerald’s body was istrator was conducting its usual investigation of an released from the Medical Examiner’s custody for burial. HFBA was finally able to provide Gerald with a dignified, traditional Jewish burial. Phil J. However,unclaimed a body.former Despite sister-in-law the ongoing told the search, Medical Sarah Exam was- inerprecipitously that, despite buried her in Italian city cemetery surname, on Sarah Hart had Island. been on Wheels, 69, receivedsent a team Meals who on discovered Wheels. When Phil hadPhil dieddid innot his answer apartment. the door A social to accept worker a food was delivery, able to locate Meals an estranged brother, Harold, who told HFBA that their wasborn Jewish. Jewish. She Additionally, had been marriedLinda F., toa distant a non-Jew cousin and in divorcedCalifornia, with reached no children. out and Linda also confirmed was able to that provide Sarah and that there was a grave reserved for Phil. However, Sarah’s Hebrew name as well as the names of her parents were buried at New Montefiore Cemetery parents and grandparents. Upon learning that her cousin requested that Phil be buried at HFBA’s Mount Richmond because Harold could not afford to pay burial costs, he ahad donation. been disinterred and buried by HFBA in a Jewish Cemetery. Harold provided Phil’s Hebrew name and cemetery, Linda sent a note of thanks, enclosing told us that Phil had learning issues as a child and thirty 5 | The Hebrew Free Burial Association | Chesed Q. Tattoos are prohibited according to Jewish law. May a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? A. Tattoos are indeed prohibited based on the verse in Leviticus Your help is needed now more than ever. (19:28), “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead or Donate online at havingincise any a tattoo marks does on yourselves.”not preclude This a Jew is frompart of burial the overall in a Jewish Jewish www.hebrewfreeburial.org/donate prohibition of bodily modification and mutilation. However,should Giving on our secure website and must be buried among Jews in consecrated ground. is both easy and efficient! cemetery and all Jewish sources agree that such a person

...continued from page 1 HFBA MISSION STATEMENT The Dishes We Serve Mourners THE HEBREW FREE BURIAL ASSOCIATION devotes spices. Persian Jews serve the mourners kuku sabzi, a traditional, local its resources to performing chesed shel emet (the ultimate act of loving kindness). It is the only agency in the New York metropolitan area dedicated to assuring that every Jew, regardless green herb frittata. In this context, it symbolizes renewal. of financial means or religious affiliation, receives a communalWhile Ashkenazi approach. tradition suggests that the mourners eat alone and dignified, traditional Jewish funeral and burial. without anyone else at the table, other Jewish cultures take a more

BOARD OF DIRECTORS In Sephardi and Mizrachi homes, the mourners sit with their guests Bryan Alter Deborah Newborn but not over bread. Bukharan Jews will eat an entire meal with friends Doron Bar-Levav Daniel A. Pilarski and eat together. Iraqis recite blessings over fruits and vegetables – Richard Fishman Sam Ross guests have soup together. Charles Greinsky Shari Safra Andrea Harris Minna Monte Seitelman andDuring extended the week family, of includingshiva, friends dessert. will Yemeniteoften send Jewish prepared mourners meals forand David Knapp Rabbi Dr. Henry Sheinkopf - Paul H. Nagelberg Norman Weisman RABBINIC ADVISOR CEMETERY CHAPLAIN the mourners to eat. Some synagogues, communities or friends orga Rabbi Elchonon Zohn Rabbi Shmuel Plafker The foods we serve the mourner remind us that birth and death are nize “meal trains,” coordinated by day, meal and menu. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Amy Koplow us that we are not alone. There are others who love us and count on inexorable and that we must be strong. Our community’s support tells

ofus. mourning The rhythm and of our the eventual week, with reconciliation its prayers, withvisits, the and death meals, of ourtakes beloved.us through a most wrenching time and prepares us for the full year

Huevos Haminados Ingredients Directions 8 eggs • Place all ingredients CHESED IS PUBLISHED BY THE HEBREW FREE BURIAL ASSOCIATION into a pot and cover well with lukewarm Renée Septimus, Editor Adam Rawson, Designer Printed by Print & Communication Services, LLC 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper water. • After boiling the water, cover the pot 125 Maiden Lane, Unit 5B or1⁄2 1/2 teaspoon teaspoon ground tea New York, NY 10038 coffee (optional) Phone: (212) 239-1662 overnight or for a minimum of six hours. Addand reducemore water the heat as needed. to very low. Cook Fax: (212) 239-1981 leaves (optional) [email protected] 1 teaspoon vegetable oil www.hebrewfreeburial.org 4 - 6 yellow onion skins with a spoon to crack them, and con- www.facebook.com/hebrewfreeburial 1 teaspoon vinegar • tinueAfter severalto cook. hours, This will tap cause the shells a beautiful gently 1 teaspoon salt marbled color to form on the egg whites. • Drain the eggs, rinse the shells and refrigerate.

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