Module I.       Overview

Learning about natural burial basics; the goals and benefits of natural burial; the nature of cemeteries; what constitutes a Jewish cemetery and why we study them; what the natural burial experience looks like compared to conventional Jewish burial tradition.

 Module II.      History of Jewish Burial

Exploring Jewish burial history; ancient burials in pictures, source texts, and responsa; why Jews historically bury; the Deborah Society; Chevrah Kadisha; cemetery tours.

 Module III.     More Jewish Historical Context 

Discovering texts that pertain to burial; Meit Mitzvah, Matsevah, Genizah, Shemos, Egla Arufah, Kever Avot; source texts and responsa; cemetery weddings; what was left out of cemeteries; making soul candles, feldmesterins.

 Module IV.     Going Green

Ascertaining the congruence and differences between Jewish and green burial from an environmental perspective; kosher caskets and shroud use; cemetery standards and best practices; types of cemeteries; converting from conventional to hybrid/green cemetery practices; greenwashing; how Jewish cemeteries stopped being green and motivations for returning to natural burial practices; vaults and liners—why and why not; green standards above and below the soil horizon; memorialization tradition and modern times; are dead bodies really hazardous; the science of natural burial.

 Module V.      Ownership and Structure

Describing who owns the dead and the right of sepulchre; cemetery management best practices; perpetual care; cemetery law; public use; who does what in the cemetery; social and environmental justice in the cemetery; organizational ownership; boards; bylaws.

 Module VI.     Policy and Responsa

Dedicating the cemetery reasons and examples; halachah, minhag, and cemetery policies (the wisdom to know the difference); developing policy around who is eligible to be buried in a Jewish cemetery; texts and responsa to opinions on the rights to burial; burial in Israel; the basis for caskets; extenuating circumstances; disinterment; grave desecration; policies, rules, regulations.

 Module VII.   On the Ground

Looking in depth at Jewish funeral customs; levaya and the team; why we have cemeteries; bringing together tradition and best practices for body disposition; Chevrah Kadish and tahara; the comforter’s role; handling sensitive issues such as amputations, miscarriages, stillbirths, providing plots for indigent burial.

 Module VIII.  Alternative Forms of Disposition

Ascertaining acceptability of non-burial forms of disposition on religious, traditional, and environmental grounds; cremation, human composting, alkaline hydrolysis and body donation from a Jewish perspective.

 Module IX.     Gravedigger’s Handbook

Opening, closing, and maintaining a grave; lowering devices; monumentation and unveiling ceremonies; rituals around grave use; self-care and community health and safety; soil depth and restorative practices; maintenance options for green cemeteries.

 Module X.      Health and Safety

Preparing for extraordinary challenges in the cemetery; pandemic and infectious disease risks; cemetery worker safety issues in and out of the grave; grave surrounds; hand lowering skills and lowering devices; what happens when disasters occur and how cemeterians prepare to respond; disaster planning and education.

 Module XI.     Recordkeeping

Knowing how to find and implement recordkeeping programs; selecting the right record-keeping platform for the scale of your cemetery; best business practices; utilizing volunteers and confirming State laws concerning volunteer workers; GPS/GIS and digital mapping; opportunities for community engagement; plot ownership’ online resources.

 Module XII.   Historic and Neglected Cemeteries

Care and feeding of historic and neglected cemeteries; best practices for restoration of historic monumentation; programs for adopting orphan graves; kids’ programs; dealing with hate crimes and cemetery destruction and vandalism; rectifying past burials; Jewish cemetery preservation groups, resources, and practices.

 Tachrich: The Wrap Up

Gathering resources; research questions; list of associations; raising community awareness; building a strong defense; more resources and libraries.