Arranging a Burial
The United Synagogue Burial Society is very sorry for your loss and our team is here to support you every step of the way. Please read the following information carefully.
1. Please notify the United Synagogue burial office on 020 8950 7767 IMMEDIATELY. If the office is closed, leave your name, the name of the deceased and a contact phone number and your call will be returned when the office reopens..
If the burial office is closed and you need to speak to someone for urgent advice, please call 07957 119 119 (this service is not available on Shabbat or Jewish Festivals, however your call will be returned after nightfall).
If your loved one has passed away in a hospital, their Health and Safety protocols will require the deceased to be taken to the safety of their mortuary within a designated time period in order to afford the deceased greater dignity than being left on the ward. It is essential that the hospital authorities take your loved one away from the ward, to be kept in the safety of the hospital mortuary until such a time that the United Synagogue Burial Society are permitted to collect. Whilst traditionally the deceased should not be left alone and be accompanied by a loved one or someone from the Jewish community, this is accepted as not being possible within a hospital environment.
If your loved one has passed away on a Shabbat/Jewish Festival or out of office hours at home or in a private nursing home without mortuary facilities, you may wish or be requested to have them removed from there before the Burial Society are able to collect them. There are various independent companies we would recommend who can help facilitate this request
- Within M25 area, Kavod Funeral Services, 020 3191 9100. This is a Jewish organisation which has the ability to assist on Shabbat and Jewish Festivals
- North West or Central London, Macleans Funeral Services, 01923 894 116
- Essex or East London, T Cribb and Sons, 020 7476 1855
- Carmel Funeral Services, based in Stamford Hill, 020 8880 1655 and 07860 395 420. Carmel Funeral Services are not available to assist on Shabbat or Jewish Festivals.
All the above will charge a fee for removal, please note that the Funeral Expenses Scheme will not cover these costs.
If you wished to keep your loved one at home until the Burial Society can collect them, please cover the deceased lightly with a sheet and ensure that you turn the heating off and open the windows.
2. Notify the Rabbi. This is optional as the Burial Office will do this.
3. Obtain a medical cause of death certificate from the doctor or hospital, stating the cause of death. This will be issued electronically and emailed directly to the registrar, please ask that this also if possible be emailed to bbo@usburial.org.uk. The burial office will need to know the cause of death recorded.
4. Call the Registrar for Births and Deaths in the vicinity where the death occurred, who will make an appointment with you to register the death. Please advise them that you are Jewish and require a quick funeral, if the appointment is to be delayed, request that the green certificate permitting a burial be issued in advance of the appointment and emailed to bbo@usburial.org.uk.
5. Advise the burial office once you have been issued with the relevant documentation.
6. Once funeral arrangements have been made the burial office will contact the Synagogue Administrator and liaise with the Rabbi about the funeral.
You may find the following helpful:
We wish you and your families, chayim aruchim, long life, and that your will be spared any further sorrow.
The United Synagogue Burial Society
