This three-part documentary examines the Jewish view of death and the afterlife.(Part I) Honoring the Body: Taharah
Jewish burial rituals and beliefs place great importance on treating the deceased with the utmost honor and respect. This is especially important during the taharah, a ritual involving the physical cleansing of the dead body. Three people who have taken part in taharah share their experiences. In addition to taking us through the steps of this intricate ceremony, they offer their personal views and insights on how taharah encouraged them to confront their own mortality and grapple with the existential questions of life and death.
(Part II) Talk About It: The Jewish Mourning Process
We're never actually prepared to lose a loved one. In the face of death, how easy is it to be overcome by sadness, anger, maybe some fear, maybe even a little guilt? But when it comes to death, Judaism offers a structure, an ancient series of stages of mourning, all designed with two purposes in mind: to show respect for the dead and to comfort the living, those left behind - those who will miss the deceased the most.
(Part III) What Comes Next?: Jews and the Afterlife
Little material exists on "the world to come", or Olam Ha-Ba as it's known in Hebrew, in the Torah. In this sound-rich third part, personal essay meets radio documentary meets audio experimentation, as we explore how various Jewish traditions examine, explain, and argue about life and life everlasting.
This series was produced as an MFA thesis within the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program. Part II received the Directors' Choice Award at the 2006 Third Coast International Audio Festival.
