Misaskin

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 attend and a death certificate was issued at 5am.

“We arranged for an out-of-hours registrar to be available to ensure the required paperwork would be issued, allowing the funeral to proceed that day and the body was taken to the Jewish mortuary.”

The team contacted the undertakers and North Manchester Jewish Cemetery Trust at 9am to arrange the burial.

However, the initial response was not favourable as two other funerals in Failsworth and Rainsough cemeteries were booked in.

It appeared impossible to dig another grave by hand and complete the burial that day.

But after much discussion, it was decided that the funeral could go ahead in the early evening, although there were concerns about managing the burial in the dark.

“We have equipment available, including battery-powered floodlights, to ensure the safety of those attending a funeral where there would otherwise be significant health and safety concerns,” Mr Smith explained.

Misaskim volunteers set up floodlights and safety tape and the burial took place that day —  just 18 hours after the man had died.

“It shows the efforts our volunteers expend to ensure an individual can receive a burial adhering to all Jewish requirements in a timely manner,” Mr Smith said.

“Our whole remit is to reach people who otherwise would not have been reached.

“We cross all religious boundaries and we are not polarised to any one community.”

* Misaskim has launched a new switchboard number for all of its services. Whether to report a Jewish death, request a shiva house be set up or for general inquiries and advice, phone 0161-660 4446.

Misaskim will attend 24 hours a day to help any hospital, care home or family with all the arrangements when a loved one passes away.

Visit: misaskim.co.uk