Cremation vs ground burial - liners and activists
David Zinner
Thanks
to Rabbi Regina for her Forward
article on ground burial vs cremation.
In
one of the comments that was posted below the article, the issue
of liners was raised. Here's my comment to that comment.
It is a common misunderstanding that state laws require concrete vaults. State laws do NOT require concrete vaults (often called liners). Mandatory liners are requirements of some cemeteries. They are intended to address the issue of ground sinking as the casket and body decompose.
There are numerous reasons why liners are not desirable. Liners use energy and resources and make burial in the earth more difficult. Use of liners causes an interruption in a burial. The money used to pay for liners would be better used employing groundskeepers to re-sod and re-seed.
However, it is not enough to convince one family at a time that there are benefits to ground burial. Jewish leaders need to offer concrete (pun intended) strategies to those who are willing to put energy into confronting and changing the cremation tsunami.
Here are a few ideas for Jewish activists and organizers. Help families choose an older Jewish cemetery that does not require liners. Change the rules and practices of a cemetery by joining its board of directors. Help create a section in a cemetery that does not require liners.
Who will take the lead in the cremation discussion? Who will speak out to the entire Jewish community? Who will call cremation by its real name - the biggest threat to Jewish cemeteries?
-- David Zinner, Executive Director Kavod v’Nichum and the Gamliel Institute 8112 Sea Water Path Columbia, MD 21045 410-733-3700 in...@jewish-funerals.org www.Jewish-funerals.org The 10th North American Chevra Kadisha and Jewish Cemetery Conference will be held at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles on June 10-12, 2012
Sam Salkin
not a winning combination. I would urge those concerned about either
or both to decouple them in discussion. The issue of liners is one of
land use planning, safety, and local regulations. I believe that there
are honorable people on both sides of this conversation. The case for
in-ground burial is a Jewish issue. It requires persistent,
articulate, educated voices in every Jewish community.
On May 22, 4:42 am, David Zinner <i...@jewish-funerals.org> wrote:
> Thanks to Rabbi Regina for her Forward article