Natural Burials in the British Jewish Community: A Response from Mike Frankel of the Jewish Joint Burial Society

The Jewish Joint Burial Society is interested in providing natural or woodlands burials for those people who would like to enjoy this facility.  We have a few of our member synagogues who have expressed particular interest in this subject, however at the moment we don’t have a location where we can offer this.  The Society is actively exploring new and alternative sites and we hope that within the medium term, say 5 years, we shall be able to offer people this form of burial.  We do not anticipate any particular problems halachically with this concept.  The ritual requirements of Tahara would still be carried out and we would be burying in a way that is respectful and caring of the individual.

Mike Frankl is Chair of the Jewish Joint Burial Society, which serves Reform, Masorti, Liberal and Independent congregations in the UK.

August 2007