Misaskin
VOLUNTEERS ANSWER SOS TO ENSURE JEWISH BURIAL
misaskin.co.uk
A voluntary organisation helped organise a funeral and burial of a Jewish man who had died in Rochdale.
Misaskim is an emergency recovery and crisis relief organisation which was set up 10 years ago.
After Shabbat, volunteers received a late-night call from a special unit at Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale, to report the death of one its Jewish patients — a man who had no family members to take care of a funeral.
In such cases, burial can often be delayed, but Misaskim works hard to ensure it takes place in line with Jewish requirements.
Spokesman Dan Smith said: “The carers on the unit had no experience dealing with a Jewish death, although fortunately a Jewish chaplain had visited a few days earlier and advised them to call us when required.
“After we received the call shortly before midnight, a team of our volunteers went to the hospital.
“With the aid of the carers, they arranged for a GP to...