In Jewish tradition, an individual’s death is the community’s loss and, as such, is communally mourned. The Chevra Kadisha burial society prepares the deceased; Kaddish is recited with a quorum; shiva brings everyone together. The coronavirus has changed so much of this.
Yet the loss remains the same. Every soul, the Torah teaches, is an entire world. It is the duty of the living to remember the deceased and all the good they did.
Most importantly, we must take to heart lessons from the way they led their lives during the time allotted them by G‑d.
Chabad.org is working on an ambitious project to assiduously to record and recall every member of the Jewish community who has perished during the pandemic.
By publishing their obituaries in our special obituary section, And The Living Shall Take Heart/Jewish Lives Lost to Coronavirus, Chabad.org hopes to give them the honor and dignity they deserve, allowing readers to leave well-wishes and condolences.
If you have lost someone dear to you, or know someone who has, we invite you to share their story on this form.
May the memory of those who have passed be a blessing for the Jewish people and all humankind, and their stories a living legacy for all.
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