Meit Mitzvah: Our Communal Responsibility To Ensure The Burial For Those With No One To Bury Them
Description
Without someone to arrange and pay for a Jewish burial, an alarming number of people in the Jewish community are cremated, and do not receive any kind of funeral. Jewish burial traditions originate with our biblical ancestors. Together we will learn about meit mitzvah (duty to the dead) and chesed shel emet (the ultimate act of kindness), the little known and deep holy work of caring for those at the margins after they leave this world. Each participant will leave this class with knowledge and practical tools to bring awareness of meit mitzvah to their communities.
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Amy Koplow is the recently retired Executive Director of Hebrew Free Burial Association [HFBA] in New York. For 25 years, Amy worked to ensure that every Jew, regardless of financial means or religious affiliation, receives a dignified, traditional Jewish funeral and burial.Since its inception in the 1880’s, HFBA has buried over 65,000 indigent Jews. They have ranged in age from newborn to the elderly, and they may meet their ends in a hospital, nursing home, lonely apartment or even on the street. Amy now works as a consultant to HFBA and other Jewish communities who need guidance on how to operationalize the work of meit mitzvah. Rabbi Rachel Tali Kaplan works as the Director of Student Life at Hebrew College and previously worked as the rabbi and chaplain at Hebrew SeniorLife Hospice. She and her partner, who she met through her hospice work, are writing a book to help spread the word about the helpful and important resources that hospice has to offer. Amy and Rachel have been friends for over twenty years and love collaborating to bring more chesed and mitzvot into the world.
FAQs
- Who are these classes for?
Our classes are for everyone—whether you’re brand new to the topic or have been engaging with it for years, we encourage participation from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experience levels. Unless otherwise noted, no prior knowledge or experience is needed. Not sure if a class is for you? Email us at Learning@Lehr.haus!
- Why are there tickets at different prices?
Our tickets utilize a Pay-What-You-Can model so attendees can pay a range of prices based on what they are able to pay to allow for greater accessibility. Please select the price point that feels right for you.
- Can I eat during class?
While we do not serve food in the study, you are welcome to order and enjoy drinks during class and join us for a meal before or after class. We highly recommend making a reservation if you know you'll be dining with us. Visit www.lehr.haus/reservation to check availability and book a table.
- Getting to Lehrhaus?
Street parking is readily available on Washington Street or Beacon Street (Map). The meters all take quarters or can be paid through the ParkBoston or ParkMobile apps. The closest T stops are Union Square (Green Line D & E, 0.8 mile walk, or #109 bus) and Harvard Square (Red Line, 0.8 mile walk, or the #109 bus). There is a bus stop just out front, on Washington (#83 and #109).
Learn More with Lehrhaus
We've now introduced a new way to learn at Lehrhaus, our Learning+ membership. It's designed to make learning a regular part of your routine.
Lehrhaus Learning+ members join a community built around big ideas, great conversations, and delicious meals. For $36/month, you get:
Two free class tickets every month
Unlimited 1:1 learning sessions with our educators
Member-only social events
Pre-sale access to special events
$25 Tavern gift card
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
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