In her book “As a Jew,” Sarah Hurwitz speaks of “thin spaces”—places where life and death feel close, like hospitals, hospices, and funerals—uncomfortable for many, yet for Jews, we are commanded to enter these spaces. Through visiting the sick, sitting shiva, and participating in a Chevra Kadisha, we fulfill a sacred commandment, guided by ancient traditions.
As Debi Buckland shares, “I had known of the Chevra Kadisha for years, but it wasn’t until my mother-in-law passed, and these angels performed the ritual for her, that I truly grasped the gift we received. Now, with your help, we can offer this sacred service to the Jewish community here in Lake Chapala.”
Have you longed to do sacred work but never found your calling? The Chevra Kadisha is a volunteer group, a “sacred society,” that performs the final rites for Jewish people.
Offering a proper Jewish burial is a profound mitzvah—chesed shel emet-A pure kindness, because it is done selflessly—no thanks are ever expected or received from the deceased.
The LCJC Chevra Kadisha partners with San Francisco Funeraria in Chapala, local hospitals, and families, ensuring that our loved ones receive the utmost dignity. Our team performs taharah—the ritual washing—in a sacred, structured ceremony, with at least five participants: four to wash, one to recite prayers. Women wash women, men wash men, in accordance with tradition.
We have a trained core group, but since our community is so mobile, we need more volunteers. You do not need to belong to any synagogue to volunteer.
If you feel called to this sacred work, please contact Susana Greenberg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call her at 332-815-4973.