The Movement for Reform Judaism

The original method of disposing a dead body in Jewish tradition was that of burial. However, there was nothing distinctively Jewish about this, and it merely reflected a contemporary practice. Thus the patriarchs were buried above ground, as was the custom then, in the family tomb of Machpelah (Genesis 23. 1-20). This tradition later changed to burial below ground, whilst another, much later development, was that instead of the body just being wrapped in a shroud, it was put in a coffin so as to conform with civil law. Cremation has been the normal practice in certain parts of the world for several thousand years. It did occur in the land of Israel in biblical times, although only in special circumstances, as in the disposal of the remains of King Saul, and in times of plague (I Samuel 31. 12-13; Amos 6. 10).

Today in Britain, cremation accounts for 70% of all funerals, and is also often chosen by Jews. Some people prefer it because it means they need not worry about the future upkeep of their grave; or because it does not use up land; or because it is less expensive; or because they personally feel more comfortable with it. Orthodox Judaism opposes it for numerous reasons: partly because it is not traditional and is seen as imitation of a gentile custom; partly because it is considered akin to mutilating a corpse, which is forbidden in Jewish Law; and partly because it involves the destruction of one’s body and would therefore prevent the physical resurrection of the dead with the coming of the Messiah. Reform considers that all of these objections are insufficient arguments to deny cremation for those who so wish.

The fact that cremation in the West is a modern development is not necessarily grounds for automatic disqualification, otherwise many other aspects of life today would be forbidden to Jews, from the car to the aspirin. Instead, it has to be judged on its own merits. Mutilation does not occur in the sense of maliciously destroying a body; on the contrary, cremations are conducted with the utmost solemnity and reverence. The opposition of Jewish tradition to the burning of a body was based on the assumption that it was a disgrace. It did not envisage a situation where it was the specific wishes of the deceased. Few Jews today believe in the physical resurrection of the dead, with most subscribing instead to a belief in an afterlife for the soul. Even if one does accept resurrection literally, it would be only logical that in miraculous times new life could be given to ashes as much as to old bones, many of which would have crumbled to dust themselves. There is no reason, therefore, not to opt for cremation. At the same time, honouring the last wishes of the person concerned is an important obligation in itself. Moreover, the actual service at a cremation is exactly the same as that at a funeral: all that differs is the location. Full mourning rites can occur too, be it reciting the kaddish or holding a shivah. Of course, there are many Jews who still prefer the idea of a burial - it is entirely a matter of personal preference.

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