Mourning & Bereavement

people embrace in tears

Traditional Jewish mourning and bereavement practices are designed to help us bear our grief. But sometimes we need something more: a poem that captures our imagination, a creative ritual that addresses the particularity of our grief, a song that speaks to our heart. May you find a measure of comfort in your time of need.

Latest Rituals

Elliott batTzedek shares an original interpretation of the Kaddish.
two hands reaching to the heavens
Rabbi Marina Yergin shares a new ritual for mourning.
Rabbi Yergin leans against her father.
“I offer instead / my presence…”
sunbeams coming through the fog in the forest
An greeting for mourners orienting towards one another.
a person in shadow bent in grief
“We get to Kaddish, I just hit a wall…”
a person stands in a sunset, holding a candle
“Into what space do we turn on our winding ways / to the place of tears and grief?”
a person in shadow bent in grief
“Blessed is God, Ruler of the Universe, who created people with disabilities in Your image. / Blessed is God, who cherishes disabled lives and desires that they flourish and thrive.”
a whte-skinned woman sits in a wheelcahr and fold her hands in prayer
“Sometimes there is not /  enough space / to contain all of the grief.”
an empty bench facing a wide green lawn
“Time for your / soul to take flight, time for your soul / to light a new star.”
blue and purple galaxy of stars

The Reconstructionist Network

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.