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Pre-Purchasing a Burial Plot

Pre-purchasing a burial plot is a way for you to make important decisions and arrangements yourself, saving your family the emotional burden.

Sydney has a number of cemeteries with Jewish sections, see list on our web page. Different cemeteries may have different sections to choose from. Typically, there are Lawn sections and Monumental sections. The Lawn section is a grass covered area with a headstone. The Monumental section allows for a full monument to be placed over the grave. Most plots are double depth, which means there may be the option of two burials in the one plot. You can contact the cemetery and make a time to meet and see the different areas and obtain the prices.

Once a decision is made to purchase a burial plot within a Jewish consecrated ground, you will need to contact the Sydney Chevra Kadisha to obtain approval for the purchase.

In order to approve the purchase, the Sydney Chevra Kadisha will need to verify whether the person that the plot is being purchased for is Jewish.  To assist the Sydney Chevra Kadisha with the approval process, please complete the two forms below, and return them to the Sydney Chevra Kadisha;

1)  Confirmation of Being Jewish Form
(Form For Approval to Purchase a Plot Within a Jewish Consecrated Ground)

2)  Personal Information Form – one form per person –  (PDF version)
(Form Required for Purchasing or Reserving a Plot)

Once we receive the forms we will liaise with you and the cemetery.

Please Note: The Sydney Chevra Kadisha does not sell burial plots.  The actual purchase will be done from the cemetery of your choice (see the Cemeteries menu item above for contact details).

Cemetery Plot Charges   – Guide for Cemeteries Burial Plot Charges

Procedure following a death

What to do in case of a death?

  1. Call the doctor of the deceased to organise a Medical Cause of Death Certificate.
  2. If the deceased passed away in a nursing home and a doctor is not available to issue the Medical Cause of Death Certificate, a Registered Nurse can issue a Verification of Death Certificate. This will allow the Chevra Kadisha to transfer the deceased to their premises, however, a doctor’s Medical Cause of Death Certificate will still be required to be arranged before the burial can take place.
  3. In the case of a death requiring the Coroner  (i.e. sudden death, death after/during an operation or if a doctor is unavailable) please print out and sign the Objection to Post-Mortem form found below and Email or FAX to the NSW coroner.
    Objection to Post-Mortem form  
  4. When the Medical Cause of Death Certificate is ready please call and notify the Sydney Chevra Kadisha on 9363-2248  – 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week.
  5. The Sydney Chevra Kadisha will make arrangements to transport the deceased to their premises, where there is 24/7 guarding of the deceased.
  6. If it is a shabbat or high holiday, please follow the answering machine prompts.  You will be redirect to a non Jewish Funeral Home working on behalf of the Sydney Chevra Kadisha, who will organise the transportation of the deceased to the Sydney Chevra Kadisha’s premises.  The Chevra Kadisha will contact you at the end of Shabbat or High Holiday to make the funeral arrangements.
  7. At the funeral arrangement meeting you will be asked various questions. In order to ensure the meeting is productive please complete the Funeral Plan Form to the best of your ability (or print and complete the PDF version of the form) and bring it to the meeting.

Why Bury? Misconceptions about Cremation 

Since the very beginning of the Jewish people thousands of years ago, although many options were available, Jews have always insisted on burial.

Jewish law (“Halachah”) is unequivocal that the dead must be buried in the earth.

Clink on the links below to access the resources outlining the need for a Jewish Burial.

Why Bury   (by Doron Kornbluth)

Burial versus cremation   (by Rabbi David Freedman)

Burial, cremation and the environment   (by Doron Kornbluth)

Misconceptions about Cremation   (by Doron Kornbluth)

End Cremations   (Video by the NASCK)

Stone Masons

Binstock and Sons
www.binstock.com.au
Tel: 9746 7696
A/h Tel: 9387 6081 – mobile: 0418 643 452
email: michael@binstock.com.au

Menucha Monuments
www.mmonuments.com.au
mobile: 0420745976 (David Brook)
email: david@mmonuments.com.au

Tyrrells Memorials
www.tyrrellsmemorials.com.au
ph: 9878 1714
email: nathan@tyrrellsmemorials.com.au

Italian Monuments
www.italianmonuments.com.au/
ph: 9649 3001
email: info@italianmonuments.com.au

H Johnson & Co
www.h-johnson.com.au/
ph: 9666 9007
email: sales@h-johnson.com.au

Heritage Memorials Pty Ltd
www.heritagememorials.com.au
ph: 9521 1544
a/h: 0418117012 or 0417209966
email: sales@heritagememorials.com.au

Please call the Chevra Kadisha for a list of other Stone Masons.

Glossary of Terms

 

Aninut First stage of mourning – the period between the death and the funeral
Chessed shel emet a true act of kindness (literally, truth) – a particularly special mitzvah
Chevra Kadisha holy brotherhood society
Cohenim Cohens, the priestly class
(K)El Maleh Rachamim memorial prayer
Goses a dying person in his/her final moments
Halacha Jewish law
Hesped eulogy
Kaddish, Mourners’ Kaddish special prayer repeated by mourners
Kria ritual tearing of clothes to show a sign of morning and loss of loved one
Kvurah burial
Levaiyah lit, accompanying the deceased – refers to the funeral
Matzevah, hakamat matzevah lit, the raising of the headstone – refers to the consecration
Minyan group of 10 Jewish men (over 13 years old) necessary to conduct a prayer service
Mitzvah good deed
Onen mourner during the aninut period
Pikuach nefesh the saving of a life
Seudat Havra’ah condolence meal
Shabbat the Sabbath
Shechinah Divine Presence
Shiva 1st stage of mourning, which lasts seven days
Shloshim 2nd stage of mourning from end of shiva to the morning of 30th day following the burial
Shmira Watching over the body, from the time of death until the burial
Shomer, shomrim watcher/s who ensure the deceased is never left alone
Tachrichim plain white shrouds used to dress the deceased
Tahara ritual cleansing of the body, performed by the Chevra Kadisha
Tallit men’s prayer shawl
Tzedakah charity and righteousness combine in the giving of money to help others
Tzitzit strands of thread used when praying, tied to the tallit’s edge
Tzur stone, rock, sometimes used to refer to G-d
Yahrzeit anniversary of a death
Yom Tov Jewish holiday
Yud-Bet Chodesh the 12 months or final stage of mourning from the burial
Note: The modern (Sephardi) Hebrew pronunciation is shown here.