09/21/2020
A Guide Through the Rituals and Procedures for Death and Mourning During the COVID Crisis
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A Community Resource Guide
Presented by the Supporting Mourners Task Force* of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.
A. DYING:
Contact the hospital or nursing facility to determine their current protocols for visitors.
For a list of Jewish Nursing Homes in Cleveland please visit Access Jewish Cleveland or call 216-292-INFO (4636).
B. DEATH:
Contact clergy and synagogues – Click here for a listing.
Call Funeral Homes – Click here for a listing.
A clergy person or funeral home director can walk your through the process and help you determine what is right for your family.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE MAY BE AVAILABLE FROM FEMA TO COVER EXPENSES OF A FUNERAL FOR SOMEONE LOST TO COVID-19. LEARN MORE.
C. MOURNING & SHIVA:
If you need help setting up a virtual Shiva, either Zoom or live-stream, please reach out to Susan Hyman, director of the Jewish Volunteer Network, at shyman@jcfcleve.org or 216-593-2887.
D. BEREAVEMENT:
Click here for a listing of bereavement support groups or reach out directly to Miriam Katz, facilitator, Vinney Hospice Bereavement Support Group at Montefiore/Menorah Park, at 216-387-5608.
IMPORTANT: WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU DURING YOUR TIME OF NEED.
IF you cannot find what you need, please contact Ellen Miller, director of community services at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, at emiller@jcfcleve.org or 216-292-4636.
*The Supporting Mourners Task Force, chaired by Jeanne Tobin and Peter Waxman, met four times between June and August 2020 to research and determine ways in which the Jewish Federation of Cleveland could best support those who have experienced the loss of a loved one during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The members of the task force, representing clergy of different denominations, chaplains, social workers, doctors, funeral home directors, and those who have lost loved ones during the last several months, were: Rabbi Binyamin Blau, Bart Bookatz, Rabbi Akiva Feinstein, Anita Gray, Barry Guttman, Rabbi Rosie Haim, Jane Joseph, Miriam Katz, Rabbi Melinda Mersack, Dr. David Rosenberg, Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria, and Cantor Sarah Sager.
