Misaskim
Misaskim is an American Orthodox Jewish not-for-profit organization that provides services for the care of the dead and the needs and conveniences of mourners in accordance to Jewish law and custom. Misaskim provides moral support and bereavement assistance to individuals or families, while safeguarding the dignity of the deceased. They assist the bereaved by providing free shiva-related social links and lending religious articles. Their door signs at houses of mourning inform the public of the hours during which the mourner wishes to be visited. Misaskim also assists in providing burial plots and arranging funerals for those who are indigent or who do not have families, and in preventing cremations and autopsies, which are contrary to Jewish law.
Misaskim's Canadian affiliate, Misaskim Canada, is a registered charity.
History
Misaskim was founded in Brooklyn in 2004 by a group of Hatzalah members and other community activists who perceived the need to help families during the painful time when a loved one dies. The small group decided to set up an organization with a 24-hour hotline. They named it Misaskim, which is the Ashkenazi pronunciation of a Hebrew word which means 'attendants', a term used for members of a Chevra Kadisha. Over time, additional programs and projects were added to Misaskim's original services of helping the bereaved.Misaskim was directed by Yankie Meyer, one of the organization's founders, and Meir Weill.
Services
During major catastrophes or accidents with Jewish casualties, Misaskim dispatches a team of volunteers to any location in the United States on a moment’s notice.Misaskim’s mourners' services provide aveilim with necessities, such as low chairs and Torah scrolls, during the week of shiva.