Rabbi Jen Feldman, "Journey of Mourning"
Journey of Mourning ---Rabbi Jen Feldman As clergy we are called to be with people at moments of rejoicing and also at times of great vulnerability and pain. Of the many situations we are faced with, supporting a family when a loved one dies from suicide may be among the most challenging and heartbreaking. I am not, by any means, a specialist on helping families through that dark time. However, I can provide some insights from the Jewish tradition -- ways of viewing suicide that may be new to colleagues coming from other faith perspectives. I offer, as well, insights from my own pastoral experiences in supporting families through the aftermath of a suicide. Preservation of life is of the highest value in Judaism. Traditionally, suicide was seen as counter to this central tenant of our faith and it is prohibited by Jewish law. Members of the Jewish community who were deemed to have died by suicide were denied burial in a Jewish cemetery, and their families c