JEWISH FUNERAL PRACTICES COMMITTEE OF GREATER WASHINGTON, INC
[The following agreement is a composite of the original contract and subsequent amendments and extensions.]
Agreement Between JFPCGW & Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home
For 7/1/06 Through 6/30/08
This contract is made between the Jewish Funeral Practices Committee of Greater Washington, Inc., “JFPCGW,” and Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home, Inc., with premises at 11800 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD hereinafter called the “Funeral Director” or “FD,” effective July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2008.
FD understands that JFPCGW’s primary purpose is to permit and encourage congregations to honor their dead by taking the lead in ritual activities and in protecting and comforting the mourners, and to follow the Jewish values of quick burial, and simplicity and equality in death. FD agrees to cooperate to further those purposes.
The Funeral Director agrees to provide any Jewish congregation or its members, or family members of its members, a funeral which includes the services and merchandise listed below. Except as indicated below, the price will be $1635 through June 30, 2007. The FD is allowed to add to the price any increase in the wholesale price of the casket as of July 1, 2007.
1. Removal of the body from the place of death, or another place, within 40 miles of the Washington Beltway.
2. Securing a signed copy of the physician’s death certificate at the place of death and at the time of removal. If the death certificate is not ready there and then, $80 will be charged for obtaining the death certificate later.
3. Refrigeration as required.
4. An all-wood pine rectangular casket, of appropriate size for the particular deceased, as mutually agreed between the Committee and the FD.
5. Use of the FD’s premises, 24 hours per day, including Sundays, for ritual washing (tahara) and watching (shmira) of the body and lounge facilities for the people involved. Ritual washing includes cleaning the body and stopping bleeding, dressing the body in a shroud set, placing it into the casket, and closing the casket. FD will provide all necessary supplies for the ritual washing, including muslin shroud sets, Israeli earth and clay [shards] protective clothing for the washers. FD will cooperate fully in learning the needs and meeting them. FD will maintain a Tahara Room with private entrance with a table suitable for performing tahara, with running water, heating, air conditioning, overhead lift and all supplies needed. FD will also create a shomers’ area separate from, and adjacent to the Tahara Room, with a telephone and rest room facilities.
6. Cleaning, dressing and casketing the body when ritual washing is not performed.
7. Use of the FD’s chapel for a funeral service when desired by a family.
8. Transportation of the body to another place, such as a synagogue or a home for the funeral service, then transportation to the designated cemetery within 40 miles of the Washington Beltway.
9. All customary paperwork, such as newspaper notices, Social Security and Veterans claims, death certificates, etc. This does not include the additional charges for those items made by the newspapers, or the fees for the certificates, which shall be charged at cost.
10. FD will order certified copies of the death certificate on behalf of the family by U.S. mail. If requested to secure certified copies by some other means FD will charge $80 for doing so.
11. Guest register book and fifty acknowledgement cards (memorial package), and Shiva/ritual candle, to be given to the family.
12. All transportation to and from places within 40 miles of the Washington beltway is included. Transportation of the body within the area of Maryland and Virginia beyond the 40 miles will be charged at $3.15 per loaded mile. Road trips to New York City vicinity (within a 40 mile radius of New York City), New Jersey or Pennsylvania will be charged at $835. Any area outside of these areas will be charged at $3.15 per loaded mile plus any overnight expenses required (such as hotel fees and meals).
13. On request, FD will furnish one or more limousines and drivers for a minimum of four hours. Minimum charges shall be $495 for one 6 passenger, $595 for an 8-10 passenger, and $695 for a 12-14 passenger limousine. Additional time shall be charged at $100 per hour or portion thereof. The time is measured from the time the limousine leaves the garage to the time it returns, but no more than one hour shall be charged for the round trip to and from the garage.
14. The family will not be required to visit the funeral home. FD will send a representative to the bereaved’s home to accomplish paperwork, when requested.
15. FD will permit one person associated with the funeral to ride in the funeral coach with the director.
16. If there is no religious or funeral service, or if the body is transported to another funeral director prior to such service, the charge shall be $ 1035 within a 40 mile radius of the Washington Beltway. A charge of $3.15 per loaded mile will be charged for any mileage in excess of 40 miles.
17. This funeral is provided as a package. There will be no credit for services or merchandise provided above which are not taken by the patron, except as specified in this contract.
18. The FD agrees that when a bereaved member of any congregation contacts it, it will inform the person designated by the congregation or the Rabbi of the congregation. The FD will also inform the bereaved of the designated congregational contact or the rabbi. FD will not attempt to sell any upgrade merchandise or services to the bereaved without involving the person designated by the congregation or the Rabbi of the congregation.
19. Any merchandise not included or optioned in this agreement, may be charged at FD’s then current price list, reduced by the price list value of such merchandise as it replaces. In no event will there be a separate charge for professional services.
20. Families or congregations will not be billed earlier than 30 days after the burial, except that cemetery charges may be billed as required by the cemetery.
21. FD will assign a single account executive whose primary duty is to receive calls for services, and to facilitate its performance, under this contract. FD will see that such functions are covered when the account executive is absent. Contract patrons will be given a single number to call.
22. FD will keep JFPCGW advised of its procedures and of changes to its procedures within 15 days of making the change.
23. FD will furnish JFPCGW quarterly statistics of funerals performed and pre-need contracts made under this agreement by the 15th day of the succeeding month, including the name of the deceased, the congregation or other source of the call, and a copy of each invoice.
24. Menorah Gardens Cemetery at 1200 Veirs Mill Road in Rockville Maryland will make available to those families that choose to bury within the cemetery one burial site in a location of the cemetery’s choosing at no cost to the family. The family will be responsible for paying the Professional Service Fee (grave opening and closing fee) and the cost of any memorial that it may select to be placed on the gravesite. If the family chooses to purchase additional grave spaces at the same time as the initial burial, the family will be allowed to select the area of the cemetery where they would like to purchase their burial rites and a credit will be given for one burial rite.
25. For the years beginning 7/1/2008 and for each of the next 5 years annually, JFPCGW shall have the option to renew this contract, with annual price changes in accordance with the U.S. Government’s Consumer Price Index for Washington-Baltimore all items – urban, for the most recent 12 month period available as of April 15, 2006, and of each succeeding year, respectively, or of such substantially equivalent index as the Government may promulgate. Reference data may currently be found at http://www.data.bls.gov/.
26. If the consumer requests a casket upgrade, FD will offer a solid hardwood casket with no metal at the price of $1995 after providing a credit of $510 for non-use of the standard casket.