Okay, so I need someone who is familiar with Zionist beliefs and their death rituals to feed my brain because I hunger for knowledge.

So this past Wednesday, one of my professors explained what happens to the dead who are of Zionist beliefs. According to her, bodies are neither buried in the ground (because the ground is sacred and burying a dead body in the ground would foul it) nor are the bodies burned (because fight and light are sacred and represent life) so instead, bodies are put on top of buildings where they are left to nature (such as the vultures and other animals) to pick apart and eat. I guess as a circle of life or something to that effect.

Now, I fully admit my prof could be wrong, so I was wondering if anyone on here could explain the process to me (if she is wrong) or provide me with more details (if she's right) if you know anything about it.

I find this truly fascinating (in a good way) and I want to know more. :)

I'll admit I know very little about the subject, but what I've read is that burial, or whatever, must occur as soon after death as is practical, preferably within 24 hours. It is also important to bury ALL of the victims remains, so much so, that when one of these suicide bombs blows someone into fragments there is a group of volunteers, called ZAKA, who try and recover the little pieces and even will use sponges to soak up the victims blood so that it can be buried with them.

I seem to remember that in ancient times they would leave the person out in the open until they were reduced to a skeleton and then collect the bones and put them in an ossuary.

Other info can be found here:
http://www.jewish-funerals.org/

first of all: Zi·on·ism n.
A Jewish movement that arose in the late 19th century in response to growing anti-Semitism and sought to reestablish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Modern Zionism is concerned with the support and development of the state of Israel.

zionisn is not judaism, although most jews are zionists, and it's forwned upon by most jews not to be one.

on burial practices: jews take very careful care of dead bodies. we are supposed to have the funeral as soon as possible, within 24 hours ideally, of the death. the body is not supposed to be left alone from the time the person dies until it is buried, most synagogues have volunteers who take turns sitting with the body overnight. the body ais also supposed to be cleaned and dressed in white cotton garments before burial. most communities also have volunteers who do this. jews aren't supposed to be cremated, but buried in a wood coffin, so that the body can become part of the ground eventually. there are many jews who want to be buried in Israel, and have their bodies flown there for burial.there are also jewish synagogues, and you can't be buried there if you have tattoos.

do the jewish synagouges not let you be buried in their cemeteries if you have pierced ears, or do they not follow that one?

nobody follows that anymore, becasue a lot of observant jewish women peirce their ears. all the rich jews do it, and synagogues can't survive without them, so they don't follow that anymore, although I'm sure some orthodox people do. I think it sucks that if I wnat to get a tattoo I can't be buried in the family cemetary, and it really bothers me, becasue I might want one when I'm older. just another thing that alienates me from my religion.

Originally posted by WhammyBar
nobody follows that anymore, becasue a lot of observant jewish women peirce their ears. all the rich jews do it, and synagogues can't survive without them, so they don't follow that anymore,

Funny - no matter what the religion, if you've got enough cash, they'll overlook anything.

Hey, it's my anniversary of joining All Forums!

Happy anniversary Lionel!

Originally posted by WhammyBar
first of all: Zi·on·ism n.
A Jewish movement that arose in the late 19th century in response to growing anti-Semitism and sought to reestablish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Modern Zionism is concerned with the support and development of the state of Israel.

zionisn is not judaism, although most jews are zionists, and it's forwned upon by most jews not to be one.

Thank you for making that clarification and thank you for outlining the burial practices for me. As I said before, my prof introduced this whole concept to me. On many occasions she's been wrong, so I'm glad you've cleared everything up for me. :)

your welcome embyr.


lionel- religon and politics are really the same thing. they go hand in hand, and until very recently, relgion has always been politics. therefore, money runs everything. and jews really like our money ;)

Religious people are crazy... It's a dead body... there's nothing left in it, it's a shell, all life processes have ceased... Throw it off a damn bridge, don't waste money on it.

blib, if you have any connection to someone, that's not what you would do. if you've ever had someone close to you die you know that there is greiving that goes on, and burial rituals are a way of dealing with that. I totally appreciate them becasue they make it easy to deal with emotions. by knowing exactly what to do in the situation, you don't have to think about logistics, and can spend it on your own emotional well being.

Death is death, everybody dies. When you die, you're nonexistant. It's all something that's past, and I don't brood on what has happened since I can't change it.
Could be I'm just apathetic and don't get close to people, especially not annoying family members, not like they deserve anything special just because they share a bloodline...

that is so heartless. my god. don't you greive when someone close to you dies? doesn't it effect you emorionally at all? seriously blib, do you have a heart?

I'm sure he does, but just won't admit it. It'd ruin his reputation.