Memorial Tablets and Unveilings

Why Creating a Memorial Tablet Is a Mitzvah and a Blessing

In Jewish tradition, creating a memorial tablet is considered a mitzvah, a sacred commandment, reflecting both religious duty and heartfelt devotion. It fulfills the responsibility of honoring the dead (kavod ha-met) and providing comfort to the living.

Creating your tablet also has spiritual significance by ensuring that your loved one is remembered through meaningful words across the generations. You also have an opportunity to create thoughtful inscriptions that anchor personal stories within your family’s shared history.

The Healing Power of Crafting an Epitaph

Writing an epitaph is not just a commermorative act-it can be a profoundly healing process. We can see its power in that our religion tells us that we should wait one year before unveling the memorial tablet to the world. This year gives us time to pause and reflect on cherished memories, express emotions, and find meaning in loss. The act of shaping a legacy through words allows families to celebrate a life, fostering a sense of closure and continuing connection.

Tips on Creating an Authentic Epitaph

• Reflect on Your Loved One’s Life: Consider key qualities, achievements, and values.
• Choose a Tone: Formal, poetic, spiritual, or heartfelt.
• Be Concise by Meaningful: Use powerful, evocative words.
• Involve Family: Input from family ensures authenticity.
• Consider Their Wishes: If possible, discuss epitaph wishes in advance.

What is an Unveiling?

Many families choose to dedicate their memorial tablet during an unveiling ceremony, a meaningful tradition that typically takes place within the first year after a loved one’s passing. This gathering allows family and friends to come together in reflection, prayer, and remembrance as the matzevah is revealed.

The yahrzeit, observed annually on the anniversary of a loved one’s passing, offers another opportunity to honor their memory. Lighting a yahrzeit candle, reciting the Kaddish, and visiting the gravesite are time-honored customs that help keep their legacy alive in the hearts of those who loved them.

How do I Schedule an Unveiling?

Unveilings are generally scheduled on or around the first anniversary of your loved one’s passing. Your dedicated Advisor will reach out to you about three months after the date of your loved one’s passing and inquire as to whether or not you would like to begin the process of crafting your loved one’s memorial tablet. We understand the well of grief and know that you may not always be ready at that time and want to give you the space you need. However, we do recommend that you begin the creation of your tablet at least three to six months before your desired unveiling date. This gives you the space to thoughtfully create your epitaph and allows us the neccessary time to hand craft your tablet.

Steps to Creating a Memorial Tablet

1. Work with your Mount Sinai representative to decide which size and style memorial tablet will suit your needs.
2. Determine the material and style of the tablet
   a. BRONZE – Traditional and classic, our Bronze Memorial Tablets convey a message of timeless elegance and have been used to mark graves at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries since we opened in 1955. Every bronze Memorial Tablet is hand-poured using a sand-casting method to shape the metal.

   b. GRANITE – Sophisticated and refined, Granite Memorial Tablets are quickly gaining popularity because they enable families to create a deeply personal work of art to honor the memory of their loved ones.
3. Customize the inscription and layout of the tablet. The inscription can include Hebrew, English, Russian, Farsi, or any other language of your choice.