FAQs

Please call us immediately at 323-469-600. We are available day and night to bring your loved one into our care.

If possible, have the following:

• Your loved one’s full name

• The location where the death occurred (home, hospital, nursing facility, etc.)

• The name and phone number of the attending physician or hospice provider, if known

If you don’t have all of this information, don’t worry—call us anyway. We will guide you through each step.

We will work with you to set a time to meet with one of our Memorial Counselors so you can begin making arrangements. This meeting can take place at Mount Sinai or over the phone—whichever is most convenient for you and your family.

During this conversation, your counselor will:

• Complete the necessary paperwork – including the death certificate, permits, and required authorizations.

• Discuss religious and cultural preferences – making sure traditions important to your family, such as tahara, shmira, or timing of burial, are honored.

• Review service details – helping you choose a location, casket, and schedule that align with your needs.

• Coordinate with clergy or officiants – reaching out to your rabbi or helping you connect with a rabbi or officiant if needed.

Our Counselors take the time to explain each step, answer your questions, and ensure you never feel rushed or unprepared.

Families may choose to bring clothing that reflects their loved one’s life, or follow Jewish tradition with a tachrichim (simple white burial shroud). Our counselors will explain both options so you can decide what feels right for your family.

To ensure comfort and dignity:

• Choose long sleeves and long pants or skirts whenever possible.

• Avoid tight or complicated outfits that may not fit comfortably.

• Shoes may be included.

• Undergarments may be provided if you wish.

Some families choose to include small, meaningful items such as a wedding ring or prayer book. Others follow tradition by keeping the burial simple, without adornments. Please let your counselor know your preference—we will honor your wishes and advise on what is possible.

Clothing should be delivered to Mount Sinai at least 24 hours before the scheduled service. Please bring items neatly folded in a labeled bag. Our staff will review the clothing with you upon drop-off to ensure everything is complete.

Most services last about one hour. This allows time for prayers and words of comfort from the rabbi or officiant, remarks from family and friends, and a slideshow if you choose. Graveside services may be shorter, depending on your preferences and traditions.

You can click here for a more in-depth overview of key service aspects.

Yes. While rooted in Jewish tradition, services can be tailored to reflect your loved one’s life. This may include family speakers, music, photos, or a video tribute. Your Memorial Counselor will help you plan these elements and coordinate logistics.

Most families choose their rabbi or synagogue clergy. If you do not have a rabbi, Mount Sinai can connect you with one of our trusted officiants.

When selecting a chapel service, we offer the ability to play music for your guests as the enter and exit.

Families often choose 2–5 meaningful songs (about 15-20 minutes total) to play as guests enter or after the service. If you provide us with the exact artist, track, and version, we will create the playlist for you. Please deliver your selections at least 24 hours in advance.

Yes. However, it is important to note that Mount Sinai does not create or edit slideshows. The must be provided to us as a fully finished file.

When you create your slideshow, we recommend 60–80 photos set to one or two songs, which makes for a 7–10 minute tribute.

Again, slideshows must be submitted as a finished file  We are unable to assemble or edit loose photos. Please deliver your completed slideshow at least 24 hours before the service to ensure it can be tested and displayed properly.

To ensure your slideshow plays smoothly on our audiovisual systems, please review our full Media Guidelines.

If you would like to designate casketbearers, please provide their names (up to six) to your Counselor in advance. Our staff will assist and guide them on the day of the service.

Families may choose to designate a service as either public or private.

• For a public service, the details (date, time, and location) are posted directly on your loved one’s memorial page. If a webcast is requested, it will also be made publicly accessible on that page.

• For a private service,service details are not posted online, and webcasts, if chosen, are available only to the family and those they designate.

Please note that if you choose for your service to remain private, we are unable to selectively share details with individual callers or attendees. This approach ensures that your family’s wishes are honored consistently, and that your privacy is fully respected.

Every family we serve receives a free online memorial page through Keeper. This page is a dedicated space where family and friends can view service details, post memories, share photos, and light virtual candles in honor of your loved one.

Once it is created, your family will receive a link to the memorial page. This link is also added to the service event on our website, making it easy for guests to find.

If you don’t see the Keeper email, try these steps:

1. Search your inbox for “mykeeper” or “noreply@mykeeper.com.”

2. Check your Spam, Junk, or Promotions folders—it may have been filtered there.

3. If you still can’t find it, contact your Memorial Counselor and we’ll resend the link to you.

4. You can also click here for more information on requesting Administrator access to a loved one’s Memorial page.

Tip: Adding noreply@mykeeper.com to your contacts can help future Keeper emails go straight to your inbox.

We partner with LiveControl to offer the ability to livestream your service so family and friends who cannot attend in person may still participate. Webcasts are not edited, produced, or enhanced videos—they are a direct, real-time stream of the service as it happens.

Emails will be sent by our partners at LiveControl from no-reply@livecontrol.io. Please look for messages from this address.

If you choose to make the webcast public, the link will also be posted on your loved one’s Keeper memorial page so guests can access it easily. For privacy, we do not distribute the link to individual attendees.

If your family chooses to make the service webcast public, the webcast link will be added directly to the Keeper page. Guests can watch from there. For privacy, we do not send webcast links individually.

Receptions and shiva gatherings are often hosted at a family home, synagogue, or community space. While Mount Sinai does not provide reception facilities, your counselor can guide you with resources and planning tips.

Yes. Mount Sinai notifies the Social Security Administration on your behalf after a death occurs. Families do not need to make this initial notification themselves.

Yes. While we provide the official notification, families must contact Social Security directly to apply for any benefits, such as survivor benefits or the one-time death benefit. You can reach Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit www.ssa.gov.

Most families order 6–12 certified copies, but the exact number depends on your circumstances. Death certificates are typically required for matters such as:

• Life insurance claims

• Banking and financial accounts

• Property transfers or titles

• Pension or retirement benefits

• Social Security and government benefits

Your Memorial Counselor can help you estimate how many you will likely need.

Mount Sinai can order certified copies for you through the Department of Public Health Vital Records Office. Processing time is usually 6–9 weeks.

You may request copies directly from the Department of Public Health Vital Records Office in the county where the death occurred. This is often the fastest option if you need them urgently.

When a person dies, one of the first steps is for the family or executor to notify the bank(s) where the deceased held accounts. This is typically done by submitting a certified death certificate, the decedent’s legal name and account information. Banks may also receive notification through the Social Security Administration, obituary services, or other financial-industry channels.

After a bank is notified, it may place a hold or freeze on the account. This is a protective step to ensure legal transfers of funds and prevent unauthorized transactions. The freeze doesn’t mean the funds are locked indefinitely — rather, the bank must determine who has the right to access them: a surviving joint owner, a named beneficiary, or the estate.

If the account is jointly held (for example, a joint husband-wife account with “right of survivorship”), the surviving owner typically becomes the sole owner after completing the bank’s required documentation (death certificate, ID). But there may still be a short interruption while the bank processes the change. If the account was solely in the name of the deceased, and no beneficiary was named, then the account may become part of the decedent’s estate and may require probate before funds can be accessed.

To give your loved ones peace of mind, it’s wise to speak with your bank now:

• Add a trusted person (spouse or other) as a joint owner or name a “payable on death” beneficiary.
• Make sure you know the bank’s policies for account-holder death notification and access.
• Keep certified copies of important documents. In the Orthodox community, arranging affairs in advance is a meaningful act of responsibility and honor for one’s family and community — ensuring that, when the time comes, the loved ones can focus on the values of remembrance and respect, not on financial surprises.

Generally no — if you are a joint owner with right of survivorship it means that legally you become sole owner when the other owner dies. However, banks often require submission of the deceased’s death certificate and your identification before releasing full access. There may be a brief hold while the bank verifies everything. In some cases, if the account was not properly set up for survivorship (or if it was simply convenience account), you might face delays.

According to Jewish tradition, a casket must be made of wood and free of any metal hardware. While a plain pine box is common among traditional families, caskets made from various woods like poplar, oak, cherry, maple, or mahogany are also available. The casket can be left natural or stained, polished or unpolished, and can come in different shapes.

If you’d like to explore additional materials for your casket, our Memorial Counselor would be happy to discuss the options with you.

Jewish tradition upholds the idea that all people are equal, and this is reflected in the practice of using Tachrichim, or simple white burial garments, as a burial custom. Over time, this tradition has evolved to allow families to bury their loved ones in clothing of their choice, while still maintaining the sense of equality and dignity. This flexibility allows for a personal and meaningful funeral experience while honoring the Jewish tradition of equal treatment for all.

We welcome interfaith families. If you have a Jewish partner or are part of an interfaith couple, we will make sure that your loved ones are taken care of. It’s important to us that you feel comfortable and respected.  Please note, however, that non-Jewish symbols cannot be displayed anywhere on our property.

A  Jewish funeral service is typically brief and simple, providing comfort by creating time and space for the mourners and the community to recall memories of the deceased and to express their sorrow. The service may be held in a chapel at the memorial park, in the synagogue, or at the gravesite.

The basic elements of a traditional service include the chanting of psalms and of El Malei Rachamim, followed by recitation of a hesped, a eulogy honoring the deceased. Many times, family members or close friends give a short speech about departed. Selected family members and friends may act as pallbearers to carry the casket, with others following. At the end of the service, all mourners recite the Kaddish prayer together.

Mount Sinai respects the wishes of every family in regard to completion of the burial. Historically, the mourners and family members have participated in shoveling earth over the casket, if they chose to do so.

One tradition is to use the back of the shovel, to show our unwillingness to perform this final act of separation. Another tradition is for each mourner to plant the shovel back in the mound of earth rather than hand the shovel to the next person. Other families request that the Mount Sinai staff complete this act. Regardless of what you choose, we are here to support you in whatever way makes you most comfortable.

Upon leaving the gravesite, the immediate family commences the seven day shiva period; they “sit shiva”.  During this period meals are usually brought in for the family to allow them to focus on mourning.  Family and friends typically pay what is called a “shiva call” to visit the family to bring food, company, comfort and a sympathetic ear.

There is often a brief religious service each morning and/or evening.  Each family chooses whether, how, and for how long, they will observe shiva.  Again, it is the presence of friends and family at this time that is the most crucial to healing.

Planning a Jewish funeral ahead of time is truly a gift that you provide to your family which spares them from having to make difficult decisions during an extremely emotional time. Our Advance Planning representatives are always available to answer any questions you may have.

There is nothing in Jewish law which prohibits a person who has a tattoo from being buried at Mount Sinai or any Jewish cemetery. We hear this question often due to today’s popularity of tattoos as well as how this subject is often mentioned in pop culture. In fact, we refer to it as the “Jewish Cemetery Tattoo Myth” and in 2002, Rabbi Ben Zion Bergman eloquently answered this question for us.

Here is an interesting excerpt from Rabbi Ben Zion Bergman’s letter which provides an overview of the Jewish Tattoo Myth…

“Although the Torah does indeed forbid inscribing a tattoo on one’s body (Leviticus 19:28) this in no way impinges upon one’s eligibility, right or privilege to be buried with fellow Jews in sanctified ground. The Torah also forbids eating pork and other forbidden foods, but I am sure that there are many buried in Mt. Sinai and other Jewish cemeteries who did not adhere strictly to the Jewish dietary laws. The prohibition against tattoos is no more stringent or severe than the dietary prohibitions.”

The answer is yes. In earlier times, this ancient prohibition against doing so was based upon the conception of suicide as the conscious and willful taking of one’s life. Today, however, we recognize that many people who struggle with mental health issues may feel as if they have no other option, and may not be acting with full control or clarity and that it is virtually by definition, an irrational, non-willful act.

Therefore, even if all evidence points to suicide and even if that evidence satisfies the authorities as to the cause of death, our custom is to bury these individuals with compassion and dignity, and engage in mourning rituals as appropriate.

Yes, we welcome all members of the LGBTQIA community.

Yahrzeit is a Yiddish word meaning anniversary of a death. It is the yearly acknowledgement of a loved one’s passing traditionally observed on the Hebrew date, not the Gregorian date. Jews observe yahrzeit each year by reciting kaddish at synagogue and by lighting a special candle that burns for 24 hours.  The candle/lamp is lit at sundown the evening before the civil date.  To compute a yahrzeit date there are many online tools available including Digital Yahrzeit where you can register to receive annual email notifications of the upcoming Yahrzeit observances.

We know that visiting loved ones in our cemetery is a meaningful experience and important part of honoring the legacy of our loved ones. However, in order to keep the park safe, clean, and beautiful for all visitors, we ask that everyone follow a few guidelines.

We welcome fresh cut flowers, Jerusalem Stones, and a flag or windmill under 18″ in height.

We do not allow:

• Potted plants of any size
• Artificial flowers
• Large rocks, shells, and other material on or around tablets
• The placement of any décor items on or around tablets
• Wind chimes or any hanging decorations placed in trees
• Glass

Your presence is the most important gift you can give to the mourners. It is customary for all males entering the chapel to wear a traditional head covering, called a kippah or yarmulke, which we provide at both the chapel and at graveside. After the burial, you may be asked to be part of two rows of people forming a pathway of comfort for the mourners.

While it is customary to dress in dark-colored, conservative suits and dresses at a Jewish funeral, we encourage mourners to wear what is comfortable for them, as long as it is respectful to the deceased and other mourners. It is also customary for men to cover their head as a sign of respect. We always have yarmulkes available for those who do not own them.

While you may see flowers at Jewish funerals, it is a Jewish funeral custom that families more often request that charitable contributions be made in memory of the deceased to either a specific charity or to one of your choice. This is in keeping with the Jewish tradition of Tzedakah, or charity.

Placing small stones or pebbles on the grave is the traditional means of marking a visit. Mount Sinai offers bags of soft pebbles imported from Jerusalem to park visitors so that they can leave them behind at graveside. Additionally, many people have adopted the practice of leaving flowers as a sign of love and respect.

This ritual, known as k’riah, is the traditional rending of one’s garments to represent loss and mourning.

Often, k’riah is performed symbolically, with the cutting of a ribbon worn by the mourners closest in family connection to the deceased. According to Jewish law, there are seven immediate family members who should rend garments: the spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister.

This is a Sephardic tradition observed by many Jewish families who come from Iran and Turkey. The rosewater is typically poured over the grave or memorial tablet to represent masking the smell of death. If requested, Mount Sinai offers complimentary rose water to all park visitors.

It is an ancient custom for everyone to wash their hands when leaving a Jewish cemetery as a symbol of spiritual cleansing.

A Yahrzeit candle is a special 24-hour candle which is burned on certain occasions to commemorate the anniversary of someone’s death, usually a family member or someone who was very close to you. Yahrzeit candles are lighted at sundown on the day preceding the anniversary of the person’s death, according to the Hebrew calendar. The candle is lighted at sundown and should remain lighted until it goes out. To learn more about Yahrzeit and to access our Yahrzeit calendar to determine the Hebrew date, click here.

Additionally, Mount Sinai now offers a new service, called Digital Yahrzeit, where one can register to receive annual notifications of upcoming Yahrzeit anniversaries via email (on either the Hebrew or English calendar) so one knows exactly when to light the Yahrzeit candle.  Digital Yahrzeit is a free service which we have made available to the public regardless of where loved ones are buried. To register for Digital Yahrzeit, please click here.

Upon leaving the gravesite, the immediate family commences the seven day shiva period; they “sit shiva.”  During this period meals are usually brought in for the family to allow them to focus on mourning. Family and friends typically pay what is called a “shiva call” to visit the family to bring food, company, comfort and a sympathetic ear. There is often a brief religious service each morning and/or evening. Each family chooses whether, how, and for how long, they will observe shiva. Again, it is the presence of friends and family at this time that is the most crucial to healing.

If you are Jewish or are married to someone of the Jewish faith and you want to be buried together, we will take good care of you and your family.

Placing stones on a grave is an ancient Jewish tradition which signifies that someone has recently visited the grave. Stones symbolize permanence of memory and enable visitors to partake in the mitzvah of commemorating the deceased.

Mount Sinai offers all visitors packets of pebbles, imported from Jerusalem, to leave on the grave as a sign of their visit.

You are welcome to contact us through our online contact form or by calling 800-600-0076.

Yes we do. Please click here for more information.