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Margaret Suran[_1_]

wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
>
>>Jewish funerals are the best... no food except maybe plain sponge cake,
>>but everyone gets plastered to the gills on Fleishman's rye whiskey and
>>Slivavitz.
>
>
> What, no real food? Really? I've been to all sorts of religious
> funerals before, but I guess never Jewish. It's all about the food (OK
> and the booze, too).
>
> Sandy
>

The Jewish Funeral meal is not served at the synagogue, since most
services are held at a funeral home and there are no provisions made
for meals there. If it is held at the synagogue, the sponge cake and
booze and perhaps some herring and challah, too are quickly served and
eaten, so that the funeral itself can take place. I have never
attended services with such a meal.

However, shortly before the end of the services, the rabbi announces
that the mourners will be expected at the home of one of the relatives
or friends of the deceased, after the interment at the cemetery,
usually two or three hours hence.

In the past, that meal was prepared by friends of the family of the
dead person while the burial took place. Now, the family orders the
food or has it at home and all that has to be done is to arrange it on
a table, either by hired help or a friend or two. It consists of
"dairy dishes", dairy meaning that no meat is on the table, even
though fish is prominently displayed, smoked salmon, white fish,
several kinds of herring, as well as salads and cheeses, bagels,
rolls, breads and lots of desserts. There will be coffee and tea and
wine as well as hard liquor. There is usually so much food, the
sweets and drinks take up a separate table. Visitors come and go, so
that the apartment or house does not get too full of guests and it is
not unusual, that more than a hundred come to be with the bereaved.
The rabbi may come at sundown and conduct services at that home.

Many Jews observe a one week period of mourning, during which
condolence visits are made and during which food is always present.