Who Oversees Burial

Chevra kadishas operate in every locality alongside cemeteries. Each chevra kadisha is responsible for burial plots, funeral halls, biers, vehicles for moving the dead, and areas for storing, purifying, and immersing the dead. In certain localities only one chevra kadisha operates. In large cities (particularly Jerusalem), there are several chevra kadishas, which serve the needs of different communities and follow a range of customs.

Most chevra kadishas are operated by local religious councils and supervised by local rabbis (except in big cities where they operate independently of the religious councils). These burial societies are composed of religious Jews, some paid employees and others volunteers. In many cases, the deceased has family members and friends who are involved in organizing the funeral and burial, and the chevra kadisha cooperates fully with them. In cases of loners, unidentified bodies, miscarried fetuses, or body parts, the chevra kadisha oversees the burial in coordination with the police, ministry of health, and local emergency services.

According to the 1995 National Insurance Law and the enactments passed in accordance with it, National Insurance covers the cost of burial in the State of Israel. Therefore, when a person is buried in the place he died (even if he was a tourist) or in his official place of residence, the state pays all burial expenses as long as his family does not request any special burial arrangements. This is true also for the alternative cemeteries that operate according to law. A person who chooses to be buried in a private cemetery owned by a kibbutz or moshav will pay (if he isn’t a member) between 5,000 and 20,000 shekel (as of June 2002). If the deceased is not insured by National Insurance (e.g. a person without Israeli citizenship who lived and died outside of Israel), burial privileges in Israel will cost his family between 15,000 and 40,000 shekel, the precise amount depending on the specific cemetery.

National Insurance covers only standard burial arrangements: regular shrouds, travel between the funeral home and cemetery, and no coffin. Special burial arrangements (e.g. flaxen shrouds, a long funeral procession that makes stops in different locations) cost more, according to rates established by National Insurance. All expenses which are not directly connected to the burial itself, such as death notices, a gravestone, transportation to the cemetery, and the like are paid by the deceased’s family. Private businesses provide these services at market rates. If your relative died in his home or on the street, or was taken to a coroner to verify the circumstances of his death, the chevra kadisha will generally transport the body free of charge during its regular working hours and even after hours, if the burial is on the same day as death. In certain cases, especially if the burial is postponed, you may have to pay for a private ambulance to transport the body to the cemetery.

Pre-purchasing a burial plot can cost between 3,000 and 11,000 shekel. A law passed in August 2001 established a maximum price for pre-purchasing. If one seeks a plot near a deceased spouse or in an area designated for multi-level or couple burial, the cost is between 75 and 80% of the regular rate. If one reserves a plot outside of his residential area, the cost rises up to 120% of the regular rate and in Jerusalem up to 130%. Discounts (up to 30%) may be available upon contacting the discounts committee at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Likewise, the Ministry can set different prices for specific cemeteries.