Ryan Linkletter Dying to Know How Can Interfaith

Ryan Linkletter Dying to Know: How Can Interfaith Funeral Homes Better Connect with Jewish Traditions?

MY RESEARCH QUESTION How can interfaith funeral homes meet the funeral needs of Jewish community members?

ORIGINAL PROJECT VS. ACTUAL PROJECT Original Project • Physical ethnography • Visit funeral homes • Interview funeral directors face-to -face • Visit multiple cemeteries (Jewish and Interfaith) • More physical sources Actual Project • Digital ethnography • Visited funeral home websites and funeral blog posts • Conducted remote interviews • Visited one interfaith cemetery with Jewish section • Involved myself with social media groups surrounding grief and mourning in Judaism. • A lot more online sources

WHAT IS MY PERSONAL CONNECTION TO MY TOPIC? • Have always been interested in different cultures' traditions. • Grandmother died which got me interested in mortuary science. • Funeral director as a career. • Always wanted to do an ethnography of some sort.

SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO COMPLETING MY PROJECT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Created a 'Significant Events' chart to help map out my thinking. Did initial research and wrote capstone proposal. Researched Jewish funeral practices through books, blogs, chat rooms and websites. Joined Facebook group called "Jewish Discussions About Grief and Mourning" as an observer to gain insight to Jewish funeral practices from direct sources. Given permission to ask questions in the Facebook group. Interviewed Diane Shamas, Representative of the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community (BAJC). Visited Morningside Cemetery Researched blog posts from website called Orderofthegooddeath. com and used it as a model for my final artifact. Organized my material. Wrote my blog posts.

EXTENDED LEARNING Anthropology • • Anthropology 101 Methods of Cultural Field Study Communication • • Intercultural Communication Introduction to Communication Mortuary Science • • Work field Personal interest Learned: • Created my own ethnography • How to remain objective and nonbiased Learned: • How to use culturally accurate terms • In Judaism there are many technical terms for many processes Learned: • Services funeral homes provide • Jewish funeral practices

SOURCES Jewish Traditions SCHOLARLY Death Rituals Ethnography "how-to"

SOURCES Participatory Research Methods ETHNOGRAPHIC • Interviewing Diana S. • Visiting cemeteries. • Asking questions on the Facebook page. Non. Participatory Research Fieldnotes • Observing Facebook group as an outside entity. • Exploring different blog post formats. • Interview protocols • Recorded interview sessions • Notes mainly consisted of information about funeral progression.

MY FINAL ARTIFACT • Three sample blog posts • Body Preparation • Viewing/Memorialization • Cemeteries/Burials • Blog platform is: • Informal • "Quick read" • Holds attention with pictures • Artifact will help interfaith funeral homes be more inclusive to Jews

MY FINAL ARTIFACT (1 of 3)

BLOG STRUCTURE • Blog Post Structure: 2 pages not including pictures • Title • Introduction: • What kind of blog will it be (i. e. informational, persuasive, etc. ) • Topic (Body preparation, Viewing/Memorialization, Burial/Cemeteries) • Body Paragraphs: • • Reintroduce topic (more drawn out) Why topic is important Topic steps/phases of initiation Incorporate interview excerpt • Conclusion: • Wrap up • Writer Bio Blog Post Model

• Research Question: how can interfaith funeral homes meet the funeral needs of Jewish community members? MAJOR CONCLUSIONS TO MY RESEARCH QUESTION • Recommendations for Funeral Homes: • Funeral homes should familiarize themselves with Jewish traditions and customs. • Have a contact in the Jewish community who is familiar with Jewish practices. • Have a plan readily available to provide services that could be used within 24 hours. • Have a separate space in the funeral home where Jewish community members can conduct body preparations rituals privately.

PERSONAL TAKEAWAYS FROM MY PROJECT