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Black pouches have recently been appearing for the transporting of bodies from the place of death to the funeral home, for interstate shipping, etc. These are not the heavy rubber disaster pouches that are generally used in cases of trauma, rather lightweight pouches used for the typical transport of human remains and that until now have usually been white.
There is a significant problem with the use of these in funeral homes servicing the Jewish community. Since Jewish tradition requires that blood flowing from the body after death be saved, and most Chevros Kadisha maintain this practice, it becomes almost impossible to notice, clean and save any blood that may be on the pouch. Saving the entire pouch in all circumstances is not a practical or respectful solution. This is especially so when the pouch may also contain body waste, which is also not discernable in the black pouches and should not be buried with the body.
For this reason the National association of Chevra Kadisha encourages Chevros Kadisha everywhere to bring this to the attention of the funeral directors you work with. It is best to be proactive on this issue before funeral homes invest in the purchase of these pouches. In general, the use of white pouches should be encouraged in all funeral homes serving the Jewish community. |
The National Association of Chevra Kadisha - NASCK, Wishes all Chevra Kadisha members a meaningful and inspirational Zayin Adar.
For those that are fasting, have an easy fast. If you are planning a special Minyan for your Chevra Kadisha, please click on the following link for Tefilos for Zayin Adar. http://www.nasck.org/education_information.php
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