It’s no one’s favorite topic, but facing death is inevitable. While hundreds of books and articles have been written to help families deal with the emotional repercussions of a loss, many fewer resources exist to advise them on how to deal with the logistics. In our complex society, most people have assets and accounts strewn…
It’s not always easy to know what to say to someone in mourning. A lot of times people can make the mistake of saying ‘it was meant to be,’ or ‘at least they didn’t suffer,’ or ‘well, she was pretty old, wasn’t she?’ So instead of putting your foot in your mouth, consider giving your…
It’s a crisp autumn day in Madison, Wisconsin, and I’m running late for a meeting with a dead person. I volunteer with my congregation’s Chevra Kadisha, a group that helps prepare Jewish bodies for burial and ensures that every congregant has company from the moment they’ve passed away until the last clump of dirt covers…
Sarah Silverman’s dad Donald is in perfectly good health for an 81-year-old. So Silverman decided “to show you just how important it is to take your elderly parents, bring them on your television show, and make a plan for their death.” As Donald said, popping up next to his daughter during the season finale of…
The past year had been a really tough one for me. I experienced a frozen shoulder which lasted over six months, digestive symptoms only a GI doctor could listen to, multiple skin problems and — oh yeah — one of my front teeth suddenly came out unexpectedly while I was out of town. Also, I…
Like many families, I go into the Jewish holiday season with some sense of sorrow and regret. There is nothing sad about these holidays themselves — even Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and forgiveness is pervaded with a sense of hopefulness and expectation that God will forgive us and inscribe us in the “book…
Mac Miller, born Malcolm James McCormick, died too soon. His life was notable not just for his massive popular and critical success, but also for his habit of living with curiousity, introspection, and generosity. The beloved rapper and producer, who celebrated his Judaism in all that he did, died on September 7. Cause of death…
An activist who believed Israel isn’t the one and true homeland of all Jews, Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz, died of Parkinson’s disease at 72, The NewYork Times reported. “She was living and breathing the dynamic movements of her time,” said her long time partner Leslie Cagan. The civil rights movement started Kaye/Kantrowitzbegan’ social activism. Mobilizing in the…
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