PROFESSOR DAN MARKEL'S TOMBSTONE : Dan's Tribute Timeline

Timeline

PROFESSOR DAN MARKEL'S TOMBSTONE

2014 July - 2016 October

Created by SALLY RAMAGE 7 years ago

AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH IN THIS MEMORIAL, PROFESSOR DANIEL MARKEL'S DIGNIFIED CANADIAN MOTHER, FATHER AND ATTORNEY SISTER SHELLY, HAVE HONOURED HIM BY PROVIDING A VERY DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTABLE TOMBSTONE.

IT IS AN ANCIENT CUSTOM AMONG JEWS -EXTENDING BACK TO THE PATRIARCHS- TO SET UP A TOMBSTONE AT THE HEAD OF A GRAVE AS AN ACT OF REVERENCE AND RESPECT FOR THE DECEASED, SO THAT THEY MAY NOT BE FORGOTTEN AND THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE NOT BE DESECRETED.
IT IS THE CUSTOM IN SOME COMMUNITIES NOT TO PUT UP A TOMBSTONE UNTIL A YEAR AFTER BURIAL. ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS DELAY IS THAT DURING THE FIRST YEAR THE DEAD ARE REMEMBERED DAILY BY THE MOURNERS AND THE TOMBSTONE IS THEREFORE NOT REQUIRED- HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO SET RULES FOR THIS AND IT IS RELIGIOUSLY CORRECT TO SET UP THE TOMBSTONE AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
IN ISRAEL, THE PRACTICE IS WIDESPREAD FOR THE TOMBSTONE TO BE SET SOON AFTER THE THIRTY -DAY PERIOD OF MOURNING (SHLOSHIM).
PROFESSOR DANIEL ERIC MARKEL WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY OF HIS DEATH- 19TH JULY EVEN AFTER HIS PARENTS, HIS SISTER WILL REMEMBER HIM ON THE DAY OF HIS DEATH AND ON THE DAY OF HIS BURIAL.
DAN'S SONS- BENJAMIN AND LINCOLN- IF THEY ARE NOT FORCED TO TAKE UP ANOTHER RELIGION BY THEIR EVIL MATERNAL RELATIVES, MUST RECITE THE 'KADDISH' ON THE 'YAHRZEIT' DAY, LEAD THE SERVICES, AND ARRANGE TO BE CALLED TO THE 'TORAH' FOR THE 'ALIYAH'. USUALLY A LIGHT IS KEPT LIT FOR THE WHOLE 24 HOURS- THIS PRACTICE IS BASED ON THE THOUGHT EXPRESSED IN THE HOLY BIBLE IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS 20:27:

"THE SPIRIT OF MAN IS THE LAMP OF THE LORD".

References
Cantor, A. (1995) Jewish women/Jewish men, New York: Harper Collins.
Lamm, M. (1969) The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning, New York: Jonathan David Publishers.
Donin, H.H. (1972) To be a Jew, New York: Basic Books.