BJ’s Hevra Kadisha program offers one way in which BJ members can act upon their covenant. The Tahara group is a subset of the Hevra Kadisha whose volunteers prepare bodies of Jewish people for burial, ensuring that community members are honored in both life and death.

For Ben and many others, the physical shepherding of the body and soul from life to death through the Hevra Kadisha is a way to express honor and dignity.

Learn more: https://staging.bj.org/death-and-mourning/#mourning

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When Dani Levi volunteered for BJ’s Shabbat Connections program, she found deep friendship with fellow members Miriam and Carl. 

And Miriam and Carl cherished their relationship with Dani, especially as Carl’s health suffered and she supported them throughout his illness. When Carl passed away, Dani continued to be a source of comfort for Miriam as she adjusted to the hardships of death and a change in lifestyle.

Shabbat Connections connects BJ members who are in need of community, and Dani has taken that purpose to heart. “No matter what kind of day I’m having, I pick up the phone and I call Miriam and I feel better…because I’m available to someone else.”

Learn more: staging.bj.org/hesed

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At Judaism’s core is the belief that we are linked as a people in a covenantal relationship with God, and as members in a covenantal relationship with one another.

Our BJ Community Covenant also offers us the opportunity to build and sustain our community and its shared values by declaring them, and by entering into a covenant that reflects who we are and aspire to be.

BJ’s Hesed program offers one way in which BJ members can act upon their covenant. It is how we take care of each other: the safety net that catches us when we fall. It is phone calls before Shabbat, holiday visits to the homebound, and cooking for a shiva or a new baby.

Hesed is our best Jewish selves caring for our community.

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