Marker Unveiling -- Further Details

Greetings to the FoMmie Nation,

When we last met, Your Faithful Correspondent promised that he'd provide you with additional details as they come to light. Well, it's light out now baby, so here's the skinny...as you already know, the marker unveiling will be Sunday, July 5th at Westlawn Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. After the marker unveiling, we'll be heading to B to the Erba's crib (that's be Aunt Roberta's house) for a little nosh to celebrate Mom's life (and really, what says "you lived a remarkable life on earth" better than a deli tray anyway?).

For those of you who have never been to a maker unveiling before, here's the 4-1-1: the immediate family should be at the site of the grave before the others arrive (of course, in our family 15 minutes late seems about the norm). Family and friends gather around the grave. The cantor will begin with the recitations from the book of psalms (Tillem) and then she follows with the eulogy. After this she will recite further psalms and ends with the Kaddish prayer. The veil covering the marker is removed immediately before recitation of the Kaddish.

Some of you neophytes may notice people leaving stones on the marker and will wonder what's going on. According to Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz (who sounds like such a nice boychik, no?):

The leaving of a pebble is in a way the erection of a small, new monument-a tomb-stone to honour the memory of the dead. Indeed, the custom may have evolved from an ancient method of marking graves. So in one sense, it is simply a way of saying: here lie the remains of a person worth remembering. And the pebble also lets others know that someone did come and remember. Symbolically, it suggests the continuing presence of love and memory which are as strong and enduring as a rock. And we know that one name for God is "The Rock of Israel." So the rock is a reminder of the presence of the Rock, Whose love truly is stronger than death.

So now you know.

Clip and save:

Marker Unveiling:
Date: July 5, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Westlawn Cemetery
7801 W Montrose Ave
Norridge, IL 60706

Click me if you need directions to Westlawn

Post-Marker Unveiling:
Date: July 5, 2009
Time: Immediately after we leave the cememtery
Location: Berba's house
4460 West Hutchinson
Chicago, IL 60641

Click me for directions from Westlawn to Berba's house

YFC and 2 will see you soon.

Faithfully,
Corey