Editing Cremation (section)

=== Judaism ===

The first reference to cremation in the [[Hebrew Bible]] is found in 1 Samuel 31. In this passage, the dead bodies of [[Saul]] and his sons are burned, and their bones are buried.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cremationsocietyofphiladelphia.com/bible-and-cremation/#:~:text=The%20first%20reference%20to%20cremation,and%20their%20bones%20are%20buried. | title=Cremation & Christianity: What the Bible Says About Cremation | date=29 August 2022 }}</ref>

[[Judaism]] has traditionally disapproved of cremation in the past, as a rejection of the respect due to humans who are created in the image of God. Judaism has also disapproved of preservation of the dead by means of embalming and mummifying, as this involves mutilation of the corpse.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.vbs.org/religious/shailos.htm| title = SHAILOS & TSUVAS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS| first = Harold M.| last = Schulweis| quote = Judaism is a tradition which affirms life. It has struggled from its inception against concentration on death and instead focuses on the celebration of God's gift of life.| access-date = 21 February 2007| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070223131128/http://www.vbs.org/religious/shailos.htm| archive-date = 23 February 2007| df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>
{{cite book| last = Bleich| first = J. David| title = Judaism and Healing: Halakhic Perspectives| year = 2002| publisher = KTAV Publishing House| isbn = 0-88125-741-9| pages = 219 }}</ref> Mummification was a practice of the ancient Egyptians, among whom the Israelites are said in the [[Torah]] to have lived as slaves.

Through history and up to the philosophical movements of the current era [[Modern Orthodox Judaism|Modern Orthodox]], [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]], [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]], and [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] movements in Judaism have maintained the historical practice and strict Biblical line against cremation and disapprove of it, as [[Halakha]] (Jewish law) forbids it. This halakhic concern is grounded in the literal interpretation of Scripture, viewing the body as created in the image of God and upholding a bodily [[resurrection]] as core beliefs of traditional Judaism. This interpretation was occasionally opposed by some Jewish groups such as the [[Sadducees]], who denied resurrection. The [[Tanakh]] emphasizes burial as the normal practice, for instance Devarim (Deuteronomy) 21:23 (specifically commanding the burial of executed criminals), with both a positive command derived from this verse to command one to bury a dead body and a negative command forbidding neglecting to bury a dead body.<ref>Devarim (Deuteronomy) 21:23</ref> Some from the generally liberal [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative Jewish]] also oppose cremation, some very strongly, seeing it as a rejection of God's design.<ref>
{{cite web| url = http://www.uscj.org/Cremation_in_the_Jew7234.html| title = Cremation in the Jewish Tradition| year = 1986| last = Shapiro |first=Rabbi Morris M. |editor=Binder, Rabbi Robert | quote = The subsequent weight of opinion is against cremation and there is no convincing reason why we should deviate from the sacred established method of burial.| work = The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070528043355/http://www.uscj.org/Cremation_in_the_Jew7234.html| archive-date = 28 May 2007| df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>
{{cite book| title = A Guide to Jewish Mourning and Condolence| last = Rabow| first = Jerome A.| access-date = 3 February 2006| url = http://www.vbs.org/religious/mourning.htm#The%20Roles| publisher = Valley Beth Shalom| quote = ... cremation is un-questionably unacceptable to Conservative Judaism. The process of cremation would substitute an artificial and "instant" destruction for the natural process of decay and would have the disposition of the remains subject to manipulation by the survivors rather than submit to the universal processes of nature.| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060422002219/http://www.vbs.org/religious/mourning.htm#The%20Roles| archive-date = 22 April 2006| df = dmy-all}}</ref>

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, as the Jewish cemeteries in many European towns had become crowded and were running out of space, in a few cases cremation for the first time became an approved means of corpse disposal among emerging liberal and Reform Jewish movements in line with their general rejection of literal scripture interpretation and traditional Torah ritual laws. Current liberal movements like [[Reform Judaism]] still permit cremation, although burial remains the preferred option.<ref name="aiken" /><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/faqs/life-cycle-events/cremation.html| title = Cremation| last = Rothschild| first = Rabbi Walter| quote = [W]e have no ideological conflict with the custom which is now popularly accepted by many as clean and appropriate to modern conditions.| access-date = 3 February 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061010034033/http://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/faqs/life-cycle-events/cremation.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 10 October 2006}}</ref> The [[Central Conference of American Rabbis]] has issued a responsa stating that families are permitted to choose cremation, but Reform rabbis are allowed to discourage the practice. However, Reform rabbis are instructed not to refuse to officiate at cremations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ccarnet.org/ccar-responsa/arr-341-348/ |title=100. Cremation from the Jewish Standpoint |publisher=[[Central Conference of American Rabbis]] |accessdate=2023-09-16}}</ref>

In Israel religious ritual events including free burial and funeral services for all who die in Israel and all citizens including the majority Jewish population including for the secular or non-observant are almost universally facilitated through the Rabbinate of Israel. This is an Orthodox organization following historical and traditional Jewish law. In Israel  there were no formal crematories until 2004 when B&L Cremation Systems Inc. became the first [[crematory]] manufacturer to sell a retort to Israel. In August 2007, an orthodox youth group in Israel was accused of burning down the country's sole crematorium, which they see as an affront to God.<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">
{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6959892.stm| title = 'Arson' at Tel Aviv crematorium| work = BBC.co.uk| access-date = 23 August 2007| date=23 August 2007}}</ref> The crematorium was rebuilt by its owner and the retort replaced.