Book Burial

Sept 2, 2008

Synagogues and Jewish schools collect old prayer books (sidurim) and bibles (chumashim) as well as other books and papers that contain the name of God. According to Jewish law, these books and papers are deemed holy and, therefore, cannot be destroyed or thrown away. They are stored in a chamber called a genizah. When sufficient numbers have been collected, they are to be buried with the same care and respect that Jews bury their dead.

What:
Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is proud to serve our Jewish community by providing a genizah for book burials. Throughout the year many synagogues bring their students to particpate in this ritual after having studied about the practice. Hillside has a number of different ceremonies to share with participating groups, whether traditional or non-traditional.

When:
By appointment only. If you are interested in organizing a book burial education session for your school, group or organization please contact Jill Glasband directly by phone at 800-576-1994 or by email at jglasband@hillsidememorial.org