Recommendations - How to Dress for a Funeral

How to Dress for a Funeral

Worrying about what to wear may not seem appropriate for a funeral – what do clothes matter at a time like this? Nevertheless, you should know that if the closest family of the deceased (parents, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and husband or wife) want the ceremony to be conducted according to tradition, they will undergo the kriah (rending of clothing) ceremony, in which a tear is made in the shirt that they are wearing, during the burial. In addition, according to the traditional custom, the mourners will continue wearing what they wore at the funeral for seven mourning days, and will sit in these clothes on the floor, or on a low cushion. At the end of shiva, these clothes are thrown away and never used again in some communities. It is therefore worthwhile spending a little thought in advance about which clothes will be suitable for the requirements of this difficult week. The prevalent custom in Western countries of wearing black clothes as a sign of mourning is not practiced by Jewish communities.