Oh! I Can't Do That!

That is the response the Chevra often gets when new people are approached to volunteer. After all, the Chevra does deal, literally, with death.

The Chevra Kavod Hamet, Adath Jeshurun's society to give honor to the deceased, provides traditional Jewish funerals to Adath members, upon request and at modest cost. Perhaps even more importantly, the Chevra provides support to bereaved families and a variety of educational services to the entire congregation. Staffed by hundreds of congregant volunteers, it offers a special sense of spiritual connectedness and comfort. The Chevra exists and has existed for over 30 years because of congregants aiding congregants.

The Chevra also has very emotionally satisfying volunteer opportunities for people who are not comfortable being on the "front lines" and dealing directly with death. If the Chevra has helped you, you don't have to be told of the comfort it offers to families at that time of intense need. So, even if you "can't do that" there are many areas of great help that you can offer to the Chevra and the Adath community with a very modest time investment.

The Chevra is looking for people to help in these areas:

- Selecting from the past library of Chevra articles available on disk and ensuring that articles regularly get submitted to the Clarion.

- Working with Chevra leaders to formalize and revise responsibility lists.

- Keeping track of who is available or "on call" for Chevra responsibilities so the rabbis know whom to call on.

- Receiving volunteers’ telephone calls (in a rotation of three or more people) and arranging the schedule of shomrim, those who stay with the deceased.

- Helping with the sewing of the simple garment used for burial.

- Coordinating with Adath youth group leaders to see if the youth groups can become active in the Chevra as part of their community education.

- Assistance with organizing Chevra educational programs and outreach to Adath groups.

- Updating information as necessary for the Chevra dialer, e-mail and other lists.

- Updating other Chevra materials.

- Creating new Chevra educational materials.

If you can help with any of these, please call co-chairs Cindy Dubansky at 612.866.2297 or Bruce Nemer at 612.701.7089. Share the time you have in what you will find is a very meaningful way.