Order of Mourning in Cochin Jewish Tradition

In small and isolated Jewish diaspora societies like the Jews of Cochin, a death in any family was a massive loss to the entire community. The emotional response to the bereavement had deep implications on the physical and spiritual well-being of the family and the behavioural, social and hierarchical aspects of the relatives of the deceased and the community at large. Mourning thus became a collective affair and the Cochin Jews codified the rituals to be followed by the family and others to lighten the psychological impact of the loss. Shlomo Mordechai has in this book listed the funeral rites, dress conventions, the sequence of prayers and the responsibilities of relatives, neighbours and friends, as practised by the Jews of Cochin for about 2000 years. Most of the Cochin Jews are now settled in Israel, but still follow the same mourning rituals. "Order of Mourning in Cochin Jewish Tradition" - in Hebrew, with a small section in English - is a valuable addition to the bibliography related to this ancient community.