Blog – Page 6 – Fox Memorials

How are Jewish Monuments Created?

Posted on September 10, 2018 - 7:08 pm by n2wnyx

In the Jewish burial tradition, monuments play an important role in the grieving process. While they remain veiled until one year after the passing of your loved one, the Jewish monument is a place that friends and family can go to appreciate precious memories. Modern monument creation techniques allow for many features and a substantial amount of detail. This modern process helps to create a strong and fitting memorial for the deceased, and loved ones to appreciate it during visitation. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how we create Jewish monuments with the sandblasting technique.

The Sandblasting Technique Has Not Always Been Around

As previously mentioned, the Jewish unveiling ceremony is central to the memorial customs. It originated because, in ancient times, Jewish people would independently create memorials. This entire process was completed with only hand tools, requiring plenty of time and energy. So, after finishing this arduous process, they would proudly display the completed headstone to family during the ceremony.

The modern custom stems from that origin, and still allows families to appreciate the Jewish monument, and loved ones.

What is Sandblasting?

Sandblasting is a method through which people who work with stone can smooth it. This quick-yet-accurate process has changed the game for Jewish monument creators. There are four primary steps to the sandblasting process.

4 Steps to Sandblasting

1. Concept and Image Rendering Process

Before the stone sandblasting machine can do its job, the Jewish monument artist must have an idea in mind. To create a Jewish headstone, there are several choices that a family member or friend must make for the inscription. People must select how the name will appear, whether or not there will be an epitaph, and a picture, if they choose.

After choosing these important details, the Jewish monument artist then begins rendering the image with CAD software. This means formatting the various aspects of the headstone the same way that they will appear on the final headstone.

2. Creating the Template for Sandblasting

Once the final design has been rendered through CAD software, and accepted by the family of the deceased, the next step is building a template. For the headstone to have the maximum level of detail (and quality), the template must be highly accurate.

In order to create such a template, Jewish monument creators use a very specific printer. This printer will create a rough template, with the details of the design outlined. Then, the monument design artists cut out these outlined sections, which are weaker than the rest of the material. The Jewish monument artist generally uses a stencil in order to accomplish this. This ensures that the letters, headstone symbols, and all other features are clearly separated from the stencil. With the quality of the completed Jewish headstone in mind, we always create the headstone with the highest level of care.

3. Sandblasting

Now that the stencil has been created, it’s time for the Jewish monument artist to begin shaping the headstone. The first phase of this process is affixing the template to the headstone, generally using glue.

Next, the headstone is placed inside of a sandblasting booth. The Jewish monument artist stands outside of the booth, and directs heat to the specific areas of the headstone. In doing so, he or she can expose the unpolished layer of stone, creating the detailed sections of the headstone. And, the rest of the headstone will remain polished, creating a beautiful monument. The Jewish monument artist will sandblast some sections more than others, creating contrast. This process allows us to shape your ideal monument, and produce a beautiful final product.

4. Final Embellishments By Hand

After the bulk of the monument is created, the Jewish monument artist will refine these designs with hand tools. Using highly specific hand tools, the monument artist will add detail to certain parts of the design.

The Sandblasting Technique Won’t Work for All Designs

Unfortunately, there are some monument designs that are too complicated for the sandblasting technique. Some more complex images require an attention to detail that this machine simply can’t accommodate. Graphics that depict a person, or highly detailed images must be inscribed by the Jewish monument artist by hand.

Jewish Monument Design and Inscription

At Fox Monuments, we excel in helping you to remember your loved ones. Our monument artists are committed to creating headstones with an unparalleled level of detail. With your family in mind, we will create a monument that will last for years to come, and help others recall positive memories.

How is the Body Cleaned Before Burial With A Jewish Monument?

Posted on August 31, 2018 - 1:47 pm by n2wnyx

Burying the body as soon as possible after death is central to Jewish burial traditions. Doing so allows the family and friends of the deceased to begin their progression along the Jewish mourning process. But, before the body can be buried, it must be cleaned. This practice, called Taharah, is an important element of preparing for burial. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the spiritual significance of Taharah, and why the body should be cleaned before being buried with the Jewish monument.

What is Tahrah?

Taharah is the ancient practice of cleaning the body of a deceased Jewish person before burial. This cleaning process is performed by a trained individual.

While there are certainly hygienic benefits to washing the body before burial, Taharah is not a purely hygienic process. Rather, the primary goal is to prepare the body (and consequently, the spirit) for burial, and progression to the afterlife. So, when buried with the Jewish monument, the body has been fully prepared.

Who is Tasked with Cleaning the Body?

Cleaning the body in the Jewish funeral tradition is considered a high honor. And, it is not bestowed upon family members, or even close friends. Rather, individuals who are part of chevra kadisha societies are charged with cleaning the body of deceased individuals.

These societies do maintain and follow their own strict guiding procedures as well. First, people are only allowed to wash bodies of the same gender. Men may only wash men, and women may only wash women. This custom exists to maintain a level of modesty, even in death. To prevent additional grief during a time of extreme sadness, family members are not asked to participate in this tradition. Like the process of the rabbi leading the Kaddish prayer alongside the Jewish headstone, the chevra kadisha perform this prayer in a practiced manner.

The members of the chevra kadisha who are performing the ritual also recite prayers and psalms, with the goal of sending the spirit into the afterlife in a fully cleansed state. Once the body has been fully cleaned, the chevra kadisha place a prayer shawl or other religious garment over the body. While being buried beneath the Jewish headstone, the individual traditionally wears this garment.

In order to find members of the chevra kadisha in your area, you should consult your rabbi.

Who Watches the Body Before it is Cleaned?

From the time of death until the time of burial alongside the Jewish monument, the body of a deceased individual is never left alone. This custom, called Shemira, began as a way to prevent thieves and animals from tampering with the body. Now, it lives on as a way to show respect to and comfort the deceased, while also comforting the family.

The individual who guards the body is called a shomer. Shomers are either selected from a chevra kadisha, or from the congregation. While guarding the body of the deceased, shomers are restricted from eating, drinking, and other recreational activities, as a sign of respect.

So, before the body is washed by the chevra kadisha, it is watched over by one or several shomers. While this practice is not as common in modern times as it once was, Orthodox Jews generally still follow this tradition, along with the Jewish headstone unveiling tradition.

What is the Spiritual Significance of Washing the Body?

Taharah is also an expression of the cyclicality of life. Following birth, newborn children are washed, to attain a level of spiritual purity. Taharah enables deceased individuals to depart from this world with that same level of purity.

The process of the taharah reflects its spiritual importance. The individual performing the cleaning also recites prayers, asking God to forgive any sins committed by the deceased. These prayers also ask God to watch over the deceased.

Decorating the Casket

At one point in time, it was considered a common and respectful practice to place flowers next to the body. The scent of the flowers would offset the scent of the body, and create a more pleasant environment. However, this tradition is no longer associated with Judaism, and has become entirely a Christian custom. Rather than funding floral arrangements, many Jewish families request that donations be made in the name of the deceased.

During grave visitations, many Jews also refrain from bringing flowers to the Jewish monument. Instead, they generally decorate the headstone with rocks.

Understanding Jewish Monument Traditions

At Fox Monuments, we are prepared to help you through this process at every step of the way. Our experienced team will guide you through the memorial purchasing process, and give you the information you need to make informed decisions. Contact us to begin ordering a monument, or check out our selection.

History of Memorial Day

Posted on May 22, 2015 - 7:48 pm by n2wnyx

At Fox Monuments, we have great respect for everyone who has made it their purpose to serve our country. We have created countless memorials for veterans who, at some point in their lives, served our country. We have also built headstones to honor soldiers who have lost their lives in service of the military. Finally, we have created Jewish family monuments with specific symbols for families with an individual who served in the military. So, Memorial Day carries great importance to us. Read on to learn about the origins of Memorial Day, and how it is still significant to us today.

Civil War

The Civil War carries the unfortunate accolade of being the war that resulted in the most American deaths in history. As the only formal military conflict where Americans fought other Americans, it remains unmatched in death count even to this day. Following this conflict, families across the nation mourned for a long time. To honor their fallen soldiers, people in many towns held memorial services in the spring, saying commemorative prayers and decorating headstones.

One of these towns was Waterloo, NY. During the May of each year, there was a community-wide event in which businesses closed to join in commemorating soldiers who lost their lives during the Civil War. This tradition started in 1866.

In 1868, General John A. Logan, the leader of a veteran organization from the North, spread the idea of this day of remembrance across the nation. He referred to this day as “Decoration Day”, in which the community would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. By 1890, each state recognized Decoration Day as a state holiday.

World War I

While the death count did not match the Civil War, World War I was another especially bloody conflict for the U.S. So, people sought to honor veterans of this conflict in a similar way. Instead of honoring only veterans of the Civil War, Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day, honored veterans of all military conflicts.

In 1968, Congress passed a law making Memorial Day a federal holiday.

Some Southern states have a separate day of remembrance intended solely for soldiers who gave their lives for the Confederacy. Confederate Memorial Day is most prominent in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Georgia.

Modern Traditions

Even after time has passed, Memorial Day still remains a cornerstone of American culture. The solemn tradition of placing wreaths and flags on soldiers’ graves is still widely practiced. In Arlington National Cemetery, a cemetery located in Virginia, the president or vice president delivers a speech about the importance of respecting service men and women’s contributions, and places a wreath over a soldier’s grave. The playing of taps generally follows this.

Americans celebrate the contributions of soldiers in other ways, too. Many people hold Memorial Day barbeques, both as a way to give thanks to soldiers who have passed, and to start the summer.

Jewish Family Monuments

At Fox Monuments, we are dedicated to providing veterans with a respectful and fitting testament to their lives. We create Jewish family monuments and single memorials to pay tribute to their contributions. Contact us for more information about how we can create a monument suitable for you or your loved one.

Bronze: Best Choice for a Durable Jewish Monument

Posted on February 27, 2015 - 8:00 pm by n2wnyx

At Fox Monuments, we consider it our responsibility to help all customers select the headstone that will best commemorate their loved ones. To achieve this, we work tirelessly to fulfill design requests, material selection, and Jewish monument personalization choices. Whether this is an epitaph, or a symbol, we work to make all of these choices a reality. When selecting a Jewish headstone with the best durability, bronze is the best choice. Read on to learn why a bronze Jewish monument will last longer than headstones made of other materials.

What Materials Can I Select From for a Monument?

When designing a monument, this is one of the major decisions that a friend/family member must make. There are three main materials that one can choose from for this headstone.

Bronze Headstones

Bronze is the highest quality headstone material, and tends to have a more elegant appearance.

Granite Headstones

While less durable than bronze headstones, granite headstones are still fairly durable. Thanks to advancements in headstone cutting technology, granite has become more popular than marble.

Marble Headstones

Marble is another common choice for headstone material. Throughout the evolution of memorials, marble has remained a consistent choice. Unfortunately, however, marble headstones require more maintenance than bronze headstones. They are easily eroded, which can have a major impact on the appearance and the lettering.

Why is Bronze The Best Choice?

Raised Lettering

In a conventional headstone, the lettering is typically etched into the stone. This inscription style is appealing, but may lead to erosion. Because bronze is a metal, it’s impossible to etch the lettering in the same style. So, the lettering is raised, rather than inscribed, meaning that it will be legible forever.

Removable Plates

To allow for alterations to the inscriptions, bronze Jewish headstones utilize removable plates. Headstone inscribers can easily use tools to add new details on marble or granite headstones. The removable plates on bronze headstones make this a possibility. This is important when a headstone is initially created for one person, but must later be altered for a deceased spouse.

Remains Clean

Cleaning a marble or granite headstone is difficult, and rarely possible for family members. To return the headstone to its original condition, it’s best to use a professional cleaning service.

For bronze headstones, though, this is not an issue. Bronze Jewish headstones do not become as dirty as granite and marble, and require less frequent cleaning. Additionally, they are much easier to clean. Either water and a non-ionic detergent or just water are sufficient cleaners.

Composition

In terms of its make-up, bronze is predisposed to greater longevity than other materials. It is composed of copper, tin, zinc and lead. So, beyond the advantage of raised lettering, its composition aids in its durability.

Bronze: A More Beautiful Monument

In terms of aesthetic appeal, bronze is unmatched. Because of its metallic sheen, bronze Jewish headstones stand out, especially when surrounded by granite/marble headstones. So, locating a bronze headstone amidst others will be easy.

Finally, the more advanced inscription method allows for more design and style choices.

Long Island Jewish Memorials

At Fox Monuments, we are committed to helping everyone select the ideal monument. From the beginning of the monument selection process to the end, we make ourselves available to support all families. Contact us for more information about Jewish monuments.