Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Worship, Conversion, Intermarriage (5/12) Previous Document: Question 11.6.1: Death and Burial: Is it true that someone with tattoos cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery? Next Document: Question 11.6.3: Death and Burial: Is "stone setting" at the cemetery within a year after death is a Jewish tradition? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge originated? Answer: Originally, there were no engraved tombstones like we have today. Originally, tombs were marked with a simple cairn, a simple pile of stones. This meant that wind and rain would cause the tomb marker to wear down. Each visitor would therefore add to the pile again, to show respect, that the deceased was remembered. Over the years, a mound of stones would accumulate, memorializing the deceased through the hands of his/her loved ones. The tombstone we have today serves as another form of cairn. Originally, names were not put on a tombstone; this is a more modern custom. Although Jews now follow this practice, many people still continue the earlier custom of leaving stones. User Contributions:Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Worship, Conversion, Intermarriage (5/12) Previous Document: Question 11.6.1: Death and Burial: Is it true that someone with tattoos cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery? Next Document: Question 11.6.3: Death and Burial: Is "stone setting" at the cemetery within a year after death is a Jewish tradition? Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: SCJ FAQ Maintainer <maintainer@scjfaq.org>
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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