Different Funeral Customs

We are a rainbow nation, and the customs that we practice are extremely diverse. Therefore it should come as no surprise that different funeral customs vary from one nationality, culture and religion to one another.

The Christian Funeral:

When organising a Christian funeral, the first point of contact will usually be the burial society or Funeral Insurance service provider, as this will enable you to pay for the costs incurred and have professional assistance with the arrangements.

Jewish Funeral:

A Jewish funeral is very simple, with the burial taking place as soon as possible. The burial is referred to as an interment, and cremation is forbidden.

Burial is considered to allow the body to decompose in a natural way and embalming is not permitted; flowers are not usually found at a traditional Jewish funeral.

Jewish people sit Shiva which is a week-long time of mourning for blood relatives.Shiva, meaning seven, depicts the seven-day mourning period in which mourners set aside all normal activities and sit “low” to the ground.

Islamic Funeral:

Sharia law dictates that the body has to be buried as soon as possible from the time of death which means arrangements for the funeral will take place right away.

In Islamic as well as Jewish funerals, local community organisations will be able to assist and help to ensure the funeral arrangements are carried out flawlessly.

Everyone is different – that is why Funeral Insurance offers a wide range of packages and options to cater for different cultures.