The High Cost of Dying

The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles recently published an interesting article about the high cost of dying. The following excerpt is relevant to Chesed Shel Emes.

For the indigent, the Jewish Community Burial Program, offered through Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, provides a traditional Jewish burial at no cost... (The toll-free contact number is (887) 275-4537.)

"No one should have to make an un-Jewish and undignified choice because of cost," Funeral Practices Committee chair Hyman said.

Additionally, some cemeteries, including Hillside and Mount Sinai, do not charge for the burial of a child. "The family has enough tzuris (trouble). They don't need any more," Mount Sinai's Lawrence said.

My question is, does anyone know of any New York area cemeteries that don't charge for the burial of a child?

Once You Pop You Can't Stop Redux

I just watched a short online video by Rabbi Yaakov Salomon about the designer of the Pringles Can being cremated and having his ashes placed in an empty can (click here to watch). I wrote about this last month (see here) and was happy to see Rabbi Salomon discuss this as well. (Full disclosure - Rabbi Salomon is my wife's uncle).

Rabbi Salomon argues that while someone's last wishes are important, they shouldn't always be followed. He tells the story of a league of bowlers, who on their graves it is written, "they lived to bowl." This isn't a fitting way to be remembered.

So I ask you, what would your last request be? Would your last wish be something profound, like Randy Pausch's, who wanted to insure his children would remember him, and learn from him, while he is gone. That sounds a lot better than a pringles can or a bowling bowl.