Unveiling Death: Eternity in About 24 Minutes

Burial of the deceased is a mitzvah, a religious commandment, in Judaism. But increasing numbers of Jews are opting for cremation. Besides its religious implications, cremation presents significant environmental implications.    Doron Kornbluth is a bestselling author. His books – including Why Be Jewish?, Raising Kids to LOVE Being Jewish, The Jewish Holiday Handbook, and Cremation or Burial? A J...

Dr. Lianna Titcombe, founder of Claire Place Veterinary Hospice, is an author, speaker, educator, and mentor in the field of animal hospice and palliative care. She is past president of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. Dr. Lianna participates in volunteer missions to provide veterinary care to underserved communities worldwide. She has also been director of the...

Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff served Temple Emanu-El in Westfield, New Jersey, for 36 years. He is the past president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the largest rabbinic organization in the world, and has served as vice president for Special Projects of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Rabbi Kroloff has authored several books, including Open Up Our Eyes: Moments that Sh...

Rabbi Adam Chalom is Dean of the North American chapter of the  International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism , serves on the Executive Committee of the  Association of Humanistic Rabbis , and is on the editorial board of Humanistic Judaism magazine. Rabbi Chalom is also co-editor of Contemporary Humanistic Judaism: Beliefs, Values, Practices. He has served Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregat...

Jack Lauwasser, a lifelong Chicagoan, began volunteering for JourneyCare Hospice after the death of his son-in-law, Josh, who spent his final days there. Jack is recently retired from the paint business. He  serves as chair of the Religious Services Committee of Ezra-Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation, the synagogue where he and his wife Jackie married in 2019. Special Note: Sammy Wei...

Steven Stoehr has served as cantor of Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois, since 1988. He is past president of the Cantors Assembly. Cantor Stoehr is primary author of A Minyan of Comfort, a guidebook for conducting services at shiva houses. He has also established a chevra kaddisha, which prepares bodies for Jewish burial. Cantor Stoehr has established a choir for adults with special...

Eric Fusfield has served as Deputy Director of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy since 2007 and as Director of Legislative Affairs since 2003.  Eric, an attorney and rabbi, has represented the agency before Congress, the Executive branch, and foreign governments. He also serves on the Virginia Commission to Combat Anti-Semitism.  Eric and I were students toge...

I offered the following sermon during services for Shavuot, the holiday that celebrates the giving of Torah at Mt Sinai. Shavuot is one of four times during the year that Jews recite Yizkor, prayers of remembrance for loved ones who have died. This sermon considers the complicated lives of ancient Israel's second and third kings, David and Solomon. Both sinned, both struggled, both were close to G...

Emily B. Miller is a licensed funeral director, embalmer and founder of Colorado’s first environmental cemetery, the Colorado Burial Preserve. Emily was working as a funeral home manager when she perceived a need for a different type of cemetery, one with a native habitat mission. Emily also advocates for a greener funeral industry through education and outreach. As a board member of the Green Bur...

Elline Eliasoff is a gerontologist and clinical exercise physiologist with decades of experience in aging care. Elline began her career in the Veterans Administration and then launched Elite Rehabilitation and Care Management, her own sub-acute care practice. She has a masters in gerontology and a certificate in patient advocacy. Elline is a certified care manager. Check out her website: ellineeli...

Elissa Felder’s book, “From One Life to the Next Life: The Sacred Passage After Death,” published by Mosaica Press, draws upon her experience in Chevra Kaddisha, sacred Jewish burial societies, and upon her experience as a mother whose baby son, Sam, of blessed memory, died at four and a half months. Elissa is a board member of JADE, the Jewish Association for Death Education. She is also Founder...

Her Memory for Blessing? Peace Be Upon Him? Blessed is the True Judge? In this joint episode of Unveiling Death and Weird Being Jewish, Rabbi Matt Reimer, Rabbi Josh Rose and I explore what these phrases mean and whether we should use them at all. 

Michael Chorost is a book author and public speaker. His first book, Rebuilt: How Becoming Part Computer Made Me More Human, is a memoir of going deaf and receiving a cochlear implant. Rebuilt won the Pen-USA Award for Creative Non-Fiction. His second book, World Wide Mind, is about brain-scanning and the prospect of direct communication from one brain to another. Michael has also written for Wire...

Lauren Herrmann is a multifaceted creative and certified death midwife. Jeremy Pane is a Brick Specialist at Lego and editor at Baha’i Publishing. Both Lauren and Jeremy were born and raised in the Baha’I faith and live in and around Chicago. Contact me at  rabbiw14@gmail.com  and please follow and share Unveiling Death.

Jennifer Rose Goldman is a motivational speaker on wellness and self-care. She created and taught the six-week course, “Lead Your Life.” Jenn was CEO of the aromatherapy beauty brand Essential Rose, which she founded in her college dorm room. Jenn is passionate about all things spiritual. She suffered a major stroke in 2021, days before her thirty-first birthday. Caryn Meg Hirshleifer, Jenn’s mom,...

David Zinner is co-founder of JADE, the Jewish Association for Death Education. He also founded and was director of the advocacy and education organization, Kavod v’Nichum, Honor and Comfort. One of David’s recent projects is PRINCE: the Preservation and Restoration Initiative for Neglected Cemetery Entities, which matches neglected cemeteries with prisoners eligible for work release. David is a c...

Marguerite O'Connor, M.Ed., is co-author of Griefstruck: When a Death Changes Your Life. She is currently “Goodwill Ambassador” for Chicago Jewish Funerals. She previously served as a funeral director, funeral celebrant, and mortuary college instructor. Marguerite is a member of American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters & Toastmasters International. Marguerite is passion...

Some have been incredulous, some downright disgusted: Why would anyone launch a podcast about death? In this episode of Unveiling Death, Betsy poses this question. Luckily, like me, she doesn’t find the topic of mortality to be morbid. Chip off the old block. Enjoy our conversation, and please share this and other Unveiling Death episodes with family, friends, and enemies, and follow us.  

One important Jewish ritual of remembrance is the Yizkor service, which occurs four times annually within certain holiday services. Yizkor is Hebrew for “He will remember” or “May He remember,” meaning may God remember and protect the souls of our deceased loved ones. But Yizkor really provides us the opportunity to recite prayers for our loved ones who have died -- to recite prayers for them and...

Alan Farkas is a software architect with more than 40 years of IT experience as a consultant and application developer. He works for a leading global services firm. Alan also serves on the Board of Ezra-Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation, in Skokie, Illinois. Alan lives in Des Plaines, Illinois, with his 14-year-old Shih-Tzu, Peekie, and Morty, his 4-year-old Siamese cat.

Dr. Tara Coles is a double-board certified physician in emergency medicine and palliative care medicine. She currently exclusively practices in-patient palliative care for hospitalized patients and families. She is passionate about medical education and promoting well-being in medicine. She is also a spouse and a mother to four children, plus two dogs.

Lee Feinberg has been the Telescope Manager and lead optical engineer for the James Webb Space Telescope for more than two decades. He previously worked on the Hubble Space Telescope. Feinberg plays far-out keyboards with the bands Honeyfunk and The Allman Others.

David Jacobson founded Chicago Jewish Funerals in 1997 to provide a service to the community that was as attentive to the needs of the bereaved as it was to the traditions of the Jewish people. David is a leading expert on Kavod Hamet, the Jewish commandment to honor the dead. He speaks frequently to community groups, schools, and synagogues. David lives in Evanston, Illinois. Also check out the p...

Rabbi Matt Reimer is associate director of Congregational Consulting and Transition Services for the Union of Reform Judaism. He has served congregations of all sizes. His goal is to help synagogues find relevance and meaning in Jewish tradition. He lives in New York City. Rabbi Josh Rose is the founding director of Co/Lab: Reimagine Jewish, which opens doors to Jewish connection through arts, ide...