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Home  »  Responsa On Death, Burial, and Mourning – Reform Movement

Responsa On Death, Burial, and Mourning – Reform Movement

Reform Responsa (extracted from https://www.ccarnet.org/rabbinic-voice/reform-responsa/)
Category Topic Journal Acronym  Number Page   Acronym  Page
Ashes
of a couple, in a single urn NARR 304-305
scattered, tombstone for NARR 307-309
scattering, of the dead NARR 306-307
Assisted Suicide
treatment of the terminally ill TFN 5754.14 337-364
Autopsy
Autopsy Shalhevet, March 1981, # 20 ARR 278-283
for future knowledge CARR 140-142
Body
bequeathing parts of CORR 216-223
donation of, to science RR 130-131  MRR 278-280
freezing of, for later burial NRR 100-104
infectuous, refusing to handle CORR 181-184
Live Liver Transplantation NYP 5763.2
lost at sea RR 147-150
lost, later found NRR 142-146
preparing for burial on Shabbat quicklime on NRR 117-118
which to bury first (after a gravedigger’s strike) CORR 165-169
Burial
and tattooing TRR 119-121
at night RRT 158-162
at sea  JRJ, Summer 1986, 70 CARR 165-166
body parts mixed before TRR 84-87
delayed RR 150-154
extending the privilege of, from the synagogue CARR 148-150
from the Temple ARR 299-302
in Christian cemetery RR 140-142  CARR 166-167
in his or her city CORR 185-189
in Israel, without talit (see Talit, for the dead and cremation) in national cemetery NRR 105-108
in the garden CARR 164-165
mass CURR 169-175
of a divorced wife CARR 153-154
of a non-Jewish same-sex spouse TFN 5752.2 111-115
of a teenager of doubtful descent CARR 156-157
of a woman married twice CARR 154-155
of a young child CARR 152-153
of an animal in a jewish cemetery NYP 5773.5
of ashes in a mausoleum CARR 163-164
of books, ceremony for NARR 309-310
of convert CORR 240-244
of cremation ashes RRT 112-115
of cremation ashes at home CORR 169-172
of enemies, side by side RR 136-140
of human organs NARR 281-282
of human skin from Holocaust victim CARR 169
of Jews, in section of general cemetery ARR 320-321
of men and women, side by side MRR 260-268
of miscarriages, stillborn children and infants CARR 167-168
of mother’s ashes in son’s grave CURR 145-149
of non-Jew in Jewish cemetery CURR 154-162 ARR 323-331
of non-Jewish wives in Jewish cemeteries ARR 331-335
of old Bibles and prayerbooks CARR 169-170
of pet animals CURR 165-169
of prospective convert ARR 231-232
of second wife RRT 172-175
of still-born child TRR 123-125
on Yom Tov ARR 317-320
on Yom Tov, after a gravedigger’s strike CORR 163-164
Resomation: The Liquid Disposal of Remains NYP  5774.6
restricting, in congregational cemetery CARR 161-162
site, preferred ARR 349-350
some duties CORR 189-193
son’s presence barred from RRT 282-283
temporary, of fallen Israeli soldiers CORR 205-212
vertical NARR 288-289
with a baton NARR 282-283
with a candelabra NARR 283-284
with a kippah NARR 284
with first or second husband CARR 155-156
Burial customs
Putting Small Sticks in the Hands of the Deceased ARR 373-374
Casket
covering the NRR 152-157
open CARR 151-152
two, in one grave TFN 5751.8 117-118
Cemetery
added section to a NARR 317-319
building a chapel on a ARR 75-76
choice of ARR 348-349
congregational, restricting burial in CARR 161-162
control of a  NARR 311-313
employment of non-Jews in ARR 353
eternal flame in MRR 249-253
first grave in the CURR 138-140
general, Jewish section in RRR 145-148  NARR 315-317
naming of a NARR 313-315
non-Jews buried in NRR 88-91
of defunct congregation MRR 240-243
plantings  NARR 327-328
responsibility for CARR 174-175
selling part of the RRT 128-135
selling portion of a NARR 319-322
visiting the, before thirty days RRT 109-112
when to visit CORR 232-235
yews in a NARR 326
Christian cemetery
communal memorial services in RR 143-146
former, to be bought and used by Jewish congregation NRR 85-87
transfer of body of Jew to RR 162-165 CURR 162-165
Coffin
decorated NARR 286
lights at head of CORR 177-181
plastic NARR 287-288
wooden nails and handles for RRR 153-155
Cremation
ashes in Temple cornerstone RRT 167-169
family disagreement over CORR 228-231
When A Parent Requests Cremation RR21 5766.2
Dead
blood of the, using of CURR 242-246 ARR 284-287
body of the, ownership of NRR 79-84
clothes and shoes of the RR 293-297
photographing the RRT 169-171
removing of the, on Shabbat RRT 163-166
shoes for the RRR 149-153
shoes of the, giving away RR 174-176
Death
determination of MRR 188-197
Hastening the Death of a Potential Organ Donor NYP 5763.3
informing daughter of her mother’s TFN 5753.1 199-200
postponement of MRR 188-197
Disinterment
and mourning TRR 94-97
and reburial CARR 172-173
A Question of Disinterment NYP 5767.3
due to labor strike CORR 160-162
for legal evidence CARR 171-172
for removal to another grave ARR 353-355
from Christian cemetery RRT 175-178
of Jew from Jewish to a nondenominational cemetery RR21 5756.5
Dying patient
informed of condition RR 122-125
informing a NARR 262-263
kept alive RR 117-122
relieving pain of LXXXV(1975) 83-85 RRT 84-89  ARR 253-257
requests no funeral, no mourning RRR 110-113
Funeral
at night RRT 158-162
A Request to Omit the Funeral Service NYP 5770.6
Christian, Rabbi participating in CURR 175-178
congregational charge for CCARJ, Fall 1975, 75-77 RRR 138-141 CORR 193-196
expenses, family dispute over TRR 79-81
for those lost at sea RRR 104-107
from Temple RRT 95-99
halted at synagogue RRT 182-186
halting seven times TRR 44-46
interrupting a wedding TRR 103-107
Jewish, for non-Jewish spouse CARR 160
long-delayed CARR 146-147
masonic services at  LVI:1946, 125-127 CCARJ, October 1953, 29-30 ARR 308-309
of a child of a mixed marriage TFN 5751.7 267-269
of non-Jewish spouse of a member NARR 293-294
on Tu BiSh’vat NARR 275-276
on Yom HaSho’ah NARR 276
service in synagogue without body MRR 274-276
services, for ex-members of congregation CORR 200-204
visiting another grave after  TFN 5750.4 187-190 RRT 187-190
washing hands after RRT 293-295
without family members MRR 276-277
without Rabbi or Cantor CARR 150-151
Funeral directors
Jewish, obligation to patronize NARR 277-278
Grave(s)
alignment of CURR 132-138
depth of MRR 230-236
direction of  XXXIII:1923, 50 ARR 351-352
encroaching TRR 65-67
filling, in hot weather NARR 289-290
Jerusalem soil into the NARR 285
perpetual light on RRT 104-108
plantings or flowers on CORR 284-286
position of body in CORR 172-176
reuse of a NARR 303-304
two coffins in one RRT 100-104  ARR 355-358
unfilled NRR 97-99
unmarked NARR 301-303
vacated, reuse of RR 132-135
walking on TRR 52-54
Hevra Qadisha
formation of a TFN 5754.8 87-90
not using synagogue’s NRR 114-116
Human organs
burial of NARR 281-282
Memorial
father’s Hebrew name forgotten for CORR 32-37
for Christian relatives MRR 226-229
for Polish family graves NARR 325
Mourner(s)
visiting the NRR 133-138
Mourning
by Gentile relatives of Jews NYP 5760.4
dates of MRR 243-248
for non-Jewish spouse CARR 182-184
for the cremated NRR 139-141
in different time zones MRR 243-248
incense for NARR 292-293
Patient
choosing which one to save MRR 203-216 ARR 246-254
elderly, who refuses dialysis NARR 259-262
hospital, beyond recovery TFN 5750.5 365-369
physician keeping truth from ARR 245-246
testing emergency medical procedures (on) without the consent of TFN 5755.11 381-390
Two Questions Concerning Medical Treatment for End-of-Life Patients NYP 5768.1
Qaddish
for apostate RRR 132-138 ARR 387-390
for born non-Jew RRR 132-138 ARR 387-390
for child RR 165-168
for father guilty of incest CARR 185-186
for pet CARR 186-188
Gentile names on a TFN 5755.7 49
hiring someone to say CURR 180-181
length of time for recital of ARR 383-385
omitting the, at burial TRR 99-102
reciting, for convicted criminal CARR 184-185
standing during recital of ARR 380-383
three steps backward for RRR 217-219
When A Parent Instructs a Child Not To Say Kaddish NYP 5766.1
when praying alone RRR 14-18
Q’ri’ah ribbon
The “Kerriah” Ribbon RRT 279-281
Reinterment
prayers at CARR 173-174
 
Shroud
extra, for kohein CORR 276-278
Takhrihim (linen shrouds)
or a garment NARR 278-279
 
Tallit
for the dead and cremation MRR 269-274
Tombstone
Argument Over a Tombstone NYP 5756.7
colored NARR 297
exchanging of a CORR 236-239 ARR 365-367
fallen CARR 176-177
in absence of body (cenotaph) CURR 141-144 ARR 362-365
inscription of widow’s name on first husband’s NARR 300-301
insignia on a ARR 360-361
Isaiah verse on a NARR 299-300
lapse of time before setting ARR 358-359
location of RRR 141-143 NARR 294-295
mandatory or not NRR 147-151
metal NARR 298
mother’s name on son’s RRT 116-123  ARR 367-371
name missing on RRR 107-109
name of deceased on two CARR 181-182
names on a CARR 177-178
pebble on RRT 291-293
quick response codes embedded in NYP 5773.4
setting of a CARR 175-176 ARR 359-360
Sh’ma as inscription on CARR 178
uniformity of RR 154-157
unmarked NARR 298-299
when to set TRR 117-119
with Christian markings JRJ, Winter 1988, 67-68 CARR 179-180
wooden NARR 296
Undertaker
non-Jewish, competing NRR 164-167
 
Undertaking business
The Undertaking Business NRR 158-163
Acronyms
ARR – American Reform Responsa, Walter Jacob, ed, 1983. A compendium of the responsa of the CCAR Responsa Committee as printed in the yearbooks of the CCAR, 1890-1982, including several “private” responsa written by Rabbi Jacob.
CARR – Contemporary American Reform Responsa, Walter Jacob, ed., 1987. A follow-up to ARR.
CCARJ –CCAR Journal (publication of the CCAR since 1953. Was titled Journal of Reform Judaism [or JRJ] from Spring 1978 to Spring 1991.)
CoRR – Contemporary Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1974.
CuRR – Current Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1969.
HAL – Halakhah, Solomon B. Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah
JRJ – Journal of Reform Judaism (see CCARJ)
MRR – Modern Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1971.
NARR – New American Reform Responsa, Walter Jacob, 1992.
NRR – New Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1980.
NYP – Not Yet Printed, responsa published by the Responsa Committee, but not yet in bound collections.
RR – Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1960.
RR21 – Reform Responsa for the 21st Century.
RRR – Recent Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1963.
RRT – Reform Responsa for our Time, Solomon Freehof, 1977.
TFN – Teshuvot for the 1990’s, W. Gunther Plaut and Mark Washofsky, 1997.
TRR – Today’s Reform Responsa, Solomon Freehof, 1990.