Explore Jewish Rituals through Stories

Accented by artistic black and white photography, this book is an introduction to an inter-world space, the boundary where death and life meet: the “space between worlds” that we encounter when we deal with the dead.  We enter into it through a series of extraordinary processes in which the physical actions, the prayers, and the kavanah involved in Jewish death rituals (like taharah) open a window to give us a glimpse of this unique boundary. We can feel the experience of helping souls move from this world to the next through personal accounts, as this book explores the practices and sacred rituals of the Jewish tradition in preparing the dead for burial.  It is an invitation to touch the fine line separating realms of existence.

Sogyal Rimpoche calls Death, “a mirror in which the entire meaning of Life is reflected.” Jewish Rites of Death is a beautiful and inspiring reflection, offering Jewish wisdom that illuminates the greatest mystery that we all must face. With unflinching courage and openhearted tenderness, Rick Light faces Death, revealing its power to open us to the preciousness of Life. Jewish Rites of Death achieves the rare integration of practicality and poetry.  

• Rabbi Shefa Gold, author of The Magic of Hebrew Chant:  Healing the Spirit, Transforming the Mind, Deepening Love

I don’t usually say this about any book, but I believe that the vitality and the authenticity and the future of Jewish life in America can be measured by how many people read this literally awesome book and learn to see both life and death in a whole new perspective as a result. ​  

• From the Foreword by Rabbi Jack Riemer, Editor of Jewish  Reflections on Death and Jewish Insights on Death and Mourning.

Profoundly insightful, inspired and inspiring, impressively well written, organized and presented, Jewish Rites of Death is a unique and very highly recommended addition to personal, synagogue, community, and academic Judaic Studies collections.  

• Midwest Book Review March 2016

Reading Jewish Rites of Death was not just an intellectual experience for me—it was an emotional and spiritual one. Rick Light has given the world a rare gift: a book that speaks both to the mind and the heart.

What struck me most was the tenderness and reverence in the way Jewish tradition approaches death. Far from being something to fear or to hide away, the rituals described here honor the deceased with profound dignity while also comforting the living. Light doesn’t present these practices as distant or mechanical obligations, but as sacred opportunities to be fully present with another soul during its final transition.

The combination of practical detail and deeply personal reflection makes this book stand apart. The stories from volunteers who serve in the chevra kadisha (the burial society) moved me deeply—ordinary people describing extraordinary moments of compassion, humility, and connection. Their words reminded me that holy work does not always happen in grand temples or public ceremonies; sometimes it happens quietly, behind closed doors, with hands that wash and prepare, and hearts that whisper prayers no one else will hear.

I found myself reflecting not only on death, but on life. On what it means to be human, to care for others, to walk gently at the threshold between worlds. This book reminded me that death is not an end, but part of a cycle—and that the way we honor the dead says so much about how we value the living.

Jewish Rites of Death is more than a guide; it is a meditation on love, respect, and the mystery of being. It left me with tears in my eyes, gratitude in my heart, and a deeper sense of reverence for the traditions that help us navigate life’s most sacred passages.

• Sarah Lopez, Literary Consultant, September 2025