ISRAEL NEWS U.S. Burials in Israel Delayed By COVID-19 By Chana Shapiro In the Book of Genesis, Joseph had the leaders of Israel swear that his bones ultimately would be buried in the Holy Land, although he would die and be buried in Egypt. In the Book of Exodus, 210 years later, Moses and the generation that left Egypt located Joseph’s tomb and his remains were carried through the desert, ultimately fulfilling the obligation. Under normal circumstances, the process of Jews anywhere in the world being buried in Israel was accomplished smoothly. This was achieved through efficient coordination between local and New York funeral homes, where taharah, preparation of the deceased, takes place before transportation to Israel. But this arrangement was halted when travel and health restrictions necessitated by COVID-19 made it impossible for families in the United States to carry out the wishes of their loved ones. Therefore, to fulfill the obligation of immediate burial, Jewish law necessitated the implementation of a rare procedure. The deceased were buried in the city where
they died, al t’nai, a legal concept stating on condition that final permanent interment be in Israel. Jewish reburial is a serious matter, essentially because it is held to be a sacred duty to respect and not disturb the condition of the deceased. Yet, according to the Shulchan Aruch, the 16th century code of Jewish law, there are specific conditions under which it is permitted to disinter a body, including flooding of the grave, destruction of the grave, or other events that could compromise the dignity of the person buried there. In recent years, Atlantans, with and without families in Israel, have purchased plots in Beit Shemesh at Eretz HaChaim Cemetery. Many of them are members of Congregation Beth Jacob, whose Rabbi Ilan Feldman shared prevailing thoughts on the matter of re-burial. “Under present circumstances, in which a second burial would have to take place long after the first one, and considering the Jewish reluctance to disturb a grave, re-interment is not an optimal recommendation,” Feldman said. Unless there is an established traditional family plot in Israel,
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by COVID-19, and arrangements were completed for transport on the last plane from New York before all flights were canceled. To avoid possible conflicts or problems, funeral director Dressler received clear instructions from the Israeli Consulate. Any transportation on El Al of a deceased person, whenever that might again take place, must be accompanied by an official letter from a doctor stating that there was no evidence of a contagious disease on In the Book of Genesis, Joseph had the leaders of Israel swear that his bones the corpse. would be buried in the Holy Land. He “I was told that, because anyone who died and was buried in Egypt, but his died from COVID-19 would not be flown bones were later moved to Israel. to Israel, we must make all arrangements it may be advisable to permanently bury a for immediate local burial here,” Dressler loved one here. A second burial in Israel noted. Currently, Atlanta has no known COcould be carried out, but it would depend VID-19-related deaths of persons with cemon an individual circumstance. In all such etery plots in Israel. However, I spoke to cases, mourners will go through all the two local residents, who cemetery rituals a seceach lost relatives from ond time, including sayCOVID-19. The first had ing Kaddish, and they a parent who died in a will sit shiva again for metropolitan New York one day,” he concluded. nursing home and was I remember my buried there. The famfirst trip to Israel, when ily requested anonymmy parents asked me ity because of pending to bring home one parissues. ticular item. They didn’t A second, Dr. Zvi want gifts of jewelry Aviner, who lives in Ator art or ritual objects. Eddie Dressler of Dressler’s lanta part-time, lost his Jewish Funeral Care in Atlanta My parents wanted soil has dealt with only one death brother, Avraham, who from the Land of Israel. that involved burial in Israel. contracted the virus “I pray we won’t need it for a long time,” my mother ex- in New Jersey and is buried there. “We all plained, “but when we die, put some of the understand the restrictions, and we agree soil in our casket. It’s the closest we can get with them,” Dr. Aviner stated. “When the to being buried there.” I fulfilled their re- time comes, and no one knows when that quest in the mystical city of Safed, where I may be, our family will fulfill my brother’s will and bring him to obtained two small cona family plot in Israel tainers of earth. where his first wife is Jews often observe buried.” this custom by includTo carry out the ing a small bag of Israeli desire of the deceased soil as part of the burial today, some families are preparation. willing to disregard IsIt is a traditional raeli law. Several mainbelief that the ultimate redemption of man- Rabbi Ilan Feldman of Congregation stream publications, including The Wall Street Beth Jacob said that “considering kind, an age of eternal the Jewish reluctance to disturb Journal and The Times peace, will take place in a grave, re-interment is not an of Israel, report that, to Israel. For that reason, optimal recommendation.” avoid the El Al restricJews of every generations and two-week quarantine order, prition yearned to be laid to rest in Eretz Yisvate planes have been chartered to bring rael, the Land of Israel. If their dream could deceased persons for immediate burial in not be fulfilled, a bit of Israeli soil, if it could Israel, resulting in legal conflicts and at be acquired, would have to suffice as a subleast one police investigation. stitute. Most bereaved families’ loved ones During the pandemic, Eddie Dressler are now buried conditionally, al t’nai, until of Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care in Atlanta, they can finally be laid to rest in the Holy has dealt with only one death that involved Land. ì burial in Israel. The death was not caused
