Participation in a voluntary burial society (ḥevra kadisha), for men and for women, was considered a great honor and an act of ultimate generosity. The 1780 image on the left from the Prague burial society shows the creation of the simple burial shroud traditionally used to dress the body of the deceased. Women participated fully in this ritual. They had their own burial societies and were just as attentive to the female dead as men would be toward the male dead. Yet, we can see that there is a clear gendered distinction in their specific roles in creating the burial shroud along with a depiction of an older woman guiding a younger one in the task of sewing.
What can we learn about the importance of preparing bodies for burial in historical Jewish communities from these images?
How might the male and female roles depicted in the sewing the shrouds image reinforce distinct gender roles within communities of Jewish practice?
If your community had a ḥevra kadisha, would you be inclined to volunteer for the role?
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