WHEN YOU COME TO THE CHAPEL TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS

It is helpful to bring with you the deceased's social insurance number and for a man, bring his tallit (prayer shawl) if possible. If it is not available, the Chapel can provide one.

Let us know if the deceased has pre-arranged his or her funeral with Benjamin's so that we are able to access the information before you arrive.

A funeral director will meet with you in one of our arrangement rooms. He or she will help you with anything that needs to be done – such as arranging for a funeral plot or a rabbi, and helping complete all government forms. The funeral director will help you complete a Statement of Death form. If you would like to see what one looks like, to ensure you bring the correct information with you, you can download one click here.

We can help organize many other death-related details. Beyond the funeral, Benjamin's funeral directors can help with many of the details you will have to deal with in the wake of your loss – such as organizing the shiva and applying for CPP death benefits.

We will check to see how you are feeling. The funeral director taking care of your arrangements will give a call during the shiva period. If you would like, they'll call back after the month of mourning. If you would like, we can make a referral to bereavement counselling at that time.

Thanking your friends and family. It may not seem possible now, but you will get through the next few emotionally difficult days. Benjamin's will do all we can to help create the framework for your mourning, while your friends and family will fill that framework with their comfort and support. We find families often place an order for Acknowledgement cards right after a death, so they are printed and ready shortly after the shiva. Click to order acknowledgement cards.

Lives Remembered. At the time of a death, you have to focus on your obligations; there isn't either the time or emotional energy to reflect thoroughly on the impact of the life you have lost. We find, however, that with the passage of time, many people want to write down their memories of the person they have lost, reflecting on the accomplishments of the individual and the impact he or she had on the lives around them. The internet makes it possible to “publish” these memorials in a way that makes them easily accessible. We are pleased to offer a “Lives Remembered” feature on the Benjamin's Landmark Monuments website. Click here.

BENJAMIN'S STANDARD OF OBSERVANCE

Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel upholds the highest standard of care.

Our shomers (guardians of the dead) constantly attend a body, even in transport from a hospital. Your loved one will always be accompanied, and surrounded by the poetry and protection of psalms.

Our Chevra Kadisha, the Holy Society under the leadership of Rabbi Yuri Gelman that operates out of our chapel, has been tending to Toronto's Jewish deceased since 1922. It is the longest continuous Chevra in Toronto and includes members from most of the nations whose immigrants comprise Toronto's Jewish community – recent members have joined us from Morocco, Israel and Russia.


Once a year, on the yahrzeit (the anniversary of the death) of Moshe Rabbenu (the Biblical Moses) on Zion Adar, (the seventh day of the month of Adar), Chevra Kadishas all over the world honour their members at a special meal. Every year since 1922, the Benjamin family has commissioned a commemorative plate for the Zion Adar gathering of our Chevra Kadisha. Each member is given a keepsake plate, and one is proudly displayed in a display case in the foyer of the Chapel. This is tangible evidence of a tradition that has been built plate by plate, year by year, since our very beginnings.

The principle of kavod ha-met, respect for the dead, is strictly honoured – in the presence of the body there is no radio, no eating. For more information on the principle of kavod, visit the Benjamin Institute click here.

Jewish pluralism
Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel operates on the principal of Jewish Pluralism. We recognize that the Toronto community is diverse in its beliefs and we are dedicated to providing the service appropriate to everyone.

CHAPEL FACILITIES

Funeral chapels

Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, we can accommodate funerals as intimate as 10 – 15 people and as large as 1100. We have comfortable family rooms where the family can wait in private until the service starts.

Wheelchair accessibility
Our facilities are fully accessible.


Cohanim room
We offer a private room for Cohanim, built as an independent structure. Windows look into the chapel and there is a speaker system, so you can feel part of the service, while respecting your obligations. The Cohanim room is reached through an entrance at the west side of the parking lot.

FINANCIAL NEEDS

In keeping with the traditions of kavod ha-met and chesed shel emet, Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel offers funeral services at no charge to those in our community who are in financial need. Explain your situation to the funeral director working with you.

GUIDELINES FOR SITTING SHIVA

In Jewish tradition, there is no concept of a “private shiva” for the immediate family alone. Shiva, as understood throughout centuries of Jewish life, has always been a communal activity. It is the time for family, friends and community to gather together to mourn, console the bereaved, and to remember the life of the deceased. It is not, however, intended to be a party, filled with loud talking, eating and drinking, laughter and frivolity. To avoid that sort of disrespectful excess, we suggest the following guidelines:

1. Remember: This time is for YOU!
The week of shiva is a time for the mourners to attend to their own emotional reactions to the death of a significant family member. You are a mourner, not a social host or hostess. Ask friends and family for their help in taking care of the many little things which have to be done: serving the meal of consolation ("seudat havra'ah"); covering the mirrors; et cetera.

2. It's okay to grieve:
During the shiva you will experience a wide range of emotions. Do not feel that you have to hide your feelings, nor apologize to others when you are upset. Know that the week of shiva is the time for expressing feelings - both sad and joyous.

3. Tell your visitors how to behave:
If you find that some visitors are too boisterous or their comments are distracting you from your grieving, it is appropriate to inform them that you would prefer to remain with your thoughts, feelings, and memories of the deceased. It is also proper to share some moments of quiet time with your immediate family, and even to have time apart with a close friend or by yourself.

4. Remember the life of the deceased:
The shiva is the ideal time for reminiscing and reflecting on the life of the person who has recently died. When you speak with old friends and with family members, ask them to share with you their memories of the deceased, and as you feel so inclined, share your own stories and recollections. It is also a good time to bring out old family photograph albums that bring to mind many pleasant memories of the past. The shiva also provides the opportunity for talking about family history and genealogy, and in some cases, it may be a very good time for beginning to create family trees.

5. Explain to children what the shiva is about:
It is important that young children be told what will be taking place during shiva. Even though sitting shiva is not an obligation for children under 13, some children may want to be part of the shiva, for at least part of the time. This will allow them the opportunity to deal with their own feeling of grief and loss. Give your children options for their participation and involve them to the extent that it is comfortable for you and for them.