To Life: Cemeteries & Sacred Care

To Life: Cemeteries & Sacred Care

“That sounds kinda sad,” My coworker’s mouth twisted. I had just told her that I was going to be participating in a cemetery field school. I get her reaction- death is a lot. But sadness wasn’t at the forefront of my mind that Thursday.  We started off the morning...
Our final class: A time of reflection

Our final class: A time of reflection

Guest post by Ryana Our final class in ANTH 367 provides a chance to reflect on teamwork, lessons learned from the Jewish community, and giving thanks. Our last day To me, it feels like just yesterday that we had all gathered at UVic to meet for the first time. Yet,...
Kavod v’Nichum: Honour & Comfort in End-of-Life Practices

Kavod v’Nichum: Honour & Comfort in End-of-Life Practices

Yiskor for Herzl, Bas-Relief by Prof. Boris Schatz of Bezalel. Early 20th century. Coming into this project, I had (and admittedly still have) a very beginner-level knowledge of Jewish end-of-life practices. But hey, what better time to learn than now? If we’re being...