Sew What? Tachrichim!
Threads of Tradition is group of Jewish women in Santa Clara County (California) who have taken on a community project sewing tachrichim, traditional burial garments, for our community members. We call the group "Sew What?" for short.
Why do we do this? It provides us a discrete project that is rich in Jewish content and spiritually meaningful, taking values that are often preached-about and putting them into loving actions with local, direct impact. It is a way of fulfilling the mitzvah of chesed shel emet "the greatest kindness" which cannot be repaid. It's about affirming people's humanity and caring for each other. It confirms the value of participation by lay members of the community rather than delegating duties to trained professionals.
The sewing of tachrichim requires more kavanah than seamstress skill. The intent of the one doing the task, the attention to the importance and meaning of the mitzvah, is most important. We are inviting women interested in this mitzvah to join us. If you would like help setting up your tachrichim group please read through the information on the Sewing Groups page.
You may view our garment-making instructions on the "Tachrichim" page.
More information on Jewish funeral practices is available at http://www.jewish-funerals.org.
