The Conference That Was Dead On

Yesterday, Tuesday February 24^th, 2015, the 13^th Annual Kavod v’Nichum Chevrah Kadisha conference concluded in Austin, Tx. A group of about 75 people from all over North America came together and studied, learned, shared, talked, socialized, cried, and kvelled with and for each other as the conference program unfolded, old friendships were renewed, new friendships were forged, and this disparate group of Jews who are called to provide the holy mitzvot around the concepts of Kavod (honor) and Nichum (comfort) spent time with each other, offering support, understanding, care, and comraderie.

If you walked into the conference, on the surface you would not see anything different from any other group. This group included rabbis, cantors, congregational officers, funeral directors, chaplains, attorneys, CPAs and accountants, historians, nurses, physicians, authors, members of Chevrei Kadisha, and many more. But several commented that they could sense that this group was different. Perhaps it was because they seemed to have more joy overall, and took more satisfaction in what they were doing than many others. They appeared to be very much alive and engaged, energized and invigorated, even though the focus of the conference was on death, the dying, and the dead. They had a sense of purpose and meaning, and knew that what they did, in this regard at least, mattered in a very deep way.

Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, about to enter the Holy of Holies on the Holiest day of the year. These people are the ones who do the holy work of providing kindness to the body and comfort to the soul of the deceased. They take this work with the utmost seriousness, and engage in it with all their heart and soul.

It would be easy to imagine that one would grow jaded or unfeeling after a time in this type of activity. After all, it is just another dead person….  Yet, that is not at all how the conversations go. They speak of each of the dead as someone they care about, they talk of the honor of doing this work, and how touched and privileged they feel to be able to do it. They evince a sense of wonder and joy, even when they speak of the saddest and most difficult tasks they have ever faced.

It is a privilege and an inspiration to be associated with these people, and I (along with others) draw strength and hope from knowing them.

All I can do is strongly urge you to consider attending the next conference of Kavod v’Nichum, which will be June 26-28, 2016, in Boston, MA.

P.S. Tomorrow, Thursday, February 26^th, is the 7^th of Adar this year. The 7^th of Adar, also known as Zayin Adar, is a date of particular significance to those in the world of theChevrei Kadisha have the custom of celebrating their holy work on this day.

Rabbi Joe Blair holds two part-time pulpits, administers , volunteers with , serves as an instructor and Dean of Administration for and coordinates . He can be contacted at j.blair@jewish-funerals.org.  

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You can “>jewish-funerals.org/gamreg. Contact us for more information about scholarships or any other questions. info@jewish-funerals.org or call 410-733-3700.  

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