Free Hebrew Burial

This past Sunday, our own Shira Silverman was recognized for her community service by the Hebrew Free Burial Association. 

The Hebrew Free Burial Association (HFBA) is an unsung hero in the Jewish community, providing for those who can no longer say thank you.

 The association was founded in 1888 and has always been supported by the Jewish community in small ways and large. In 1910, the organization’s twelfth annual report lists 1,500 donors. Most individual donations were for very small amounts, ranging from 10 to 87 cents, reflecting the poverty of the Jewish community. Nonetheless it was clear from records of fundraising efforts in synagogues that the Jewish community embraced HFBA’s cause.

 Today, because the poor among us are often unseen, we are less likely to know about the work that HFBA does. The HFBA devotes its resources to performing chesed shel emet (the ultimate act of lovingkindness for the deceased who are unable to repay the kindness). It is the only agency in the greater New York metropolitan area dedicated to assuring that every Jew, regardless of financial means or religious affiliation, receives a dignified, traditional Jewish funeral and burial.

Even small donations make a difference. Let us all do our part in this all important mitzvah.
DONATE HERE