by Harold Lipton and Susan Dvorkin
(Calgary) – Our Calgary Jewish community is facing a potential crisis in the near future. On the other hand, this could be seen as an opportunity, albeit a challenging one.
Most organizations are facing a similar problem of attracting new volunteers. We do not know how long our current volunteers will be able to continue, even though we genuinely hope they will be with us for many more years. As today’s volunteers gradually retire, or, sadly, pass on, organizations must contend with the ongoing challenge of finding younger replacements.
All of the agencies and organizations in our community perform valuable services. Some of these services must be considered “essential” to sustaining our Jewish identity. Without these essential services, the risk of the Jewish community faltering is too great.
One of these essential services is the Chevra Kadisha. It has long been known that one of the first functions a Jewish community establishes is the provision of burial services that conform to Jewish law1,2,3. Indeed, the Chevra Kadisha of Calgary is the second oldest Jewish organization in Calgary and has been providing services for over 120 years.
It is common for many volunteers in the Chevra to work on its behalf for numerous years; several are the second or third generation in their family to do so. But as time stands still for no one, it is inevitable that these volunteers will eventually leave the service. Many of our volunteers are currently in their 70’s and 80’s, and though we pray for their continuing vitality, the work is becoming increasingly demanding on them. The Chevra has been actively seeking a new and younger generation of volunteers for several years with some success, and we are grateful for those who have stepped forward. However, the numbers have not been large enough to ensure that the service will be sustained in the years to come.
We have heard many reasons for declining an invitation to volunteer:
“I am still working and I can’t spare the time.”
“I have other commitments, to my family or elsewhere.”
“I am retired but I go away for much of the year.”
“I don’t think I could manage performing these services.”
“Someone else will have to do it.”
Leaders of the National Association of Chevra Kadishas maintain that this is an ongoing problem for many Chevra Kadishas, not just ours. But it is more acutely experienced in smaller communities such as Calgary.
Before putting this article down, readers are encouraged to stop for a moment and consider this. The Chevra provides services for deceased members of our community from all levels of observance. That includes individuals who have not identified with the Jewish community or have not practiced any Jewish observance at all, yet still desire when the time comes to leave this world in accordance with Jewish practice. Imagine your reaction should the time come to provide end of life service for your loved one. You contact the Chevra to arrange a funeral, and you receive the following response:
“We cannot help you as we don’t have enough volunteers left to provide the service.”
“We can bring your loved one into our care, but we will not be able to perform the ritual Tahara as we don’t have enough volunteers.”
“We can bury your loved one, but we cannot guarantee there will be a minyan present, so you may not be able to say Kaddish.”
What are you going to do then?
The Chevra’s Board of Directors has debated many times on what options there are to sustain the service. Should those who provide end of life service be paid for their efforts, adding to the already expensive cost of a funeral? Should non-Jewish volunteers be recruited, which would surely end the centuries old tradition? We keep coming back to the same alternative. We must find more members of the Jewish community to step forward and help maintain the obligation to provide a genuinely Jewish service to the community.
As the generations who came before us made sure that Jewish end of life care was available, now is the time that the current younger generation begin to take on this responsibility. Please consider what time you could devote and contact us (403-244-4717 or email to info@chevraofcalgary.org). We are very willing to discuss various volunteer opportunities and how we can properly prepare you to ease into a volunteer role with us. No assistance is considered too small a measure as it will take the entire community to sustain the Chevra.
In the same light as the late John F. Kennedy once said, ask not what the Chevra Kadisha can do for you, but what you can do for the Chevra.
We wish you all a long and healthy life. May you not need our services for many years, but knowing that you will, please help us ensure that those services will be available.
1 Jewish Association for Death Education
2 Association for Jewish Studies
3 American Jewish Desk Reference
Harold Lipton and Susan Dvorkin are co-presidents of Calgary Chevra Kadisha.
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