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petitors, Hebrew Memorial Chapel and
Alan H. Dorfman Funeral Direction,
has a computer presence yet, but both
are exploring the possibility.
"I have on my desk a proposal from
a company we're working with, and
we have feelers out to see if it's a need
in the community," says Rabbi
Boruch Levin, executive director of
the Hebrew Memorial Chapel. "I
think at a time of need, no one's going
to turn on the computer to find out
what to do, but at the same time, this
could be helpful to teach people what
the Jewish traditions are."
Jonathan Dorfman of Alan H.
Dorfman Funeral Direction says, "We
looked into it but we're not sure if
we're going to do it right away. We
found that most people who want
information will just call, and most of
the older people we serve are not
Internet-friendly users. In the future,
we'll have to see, as more people start
to utilize computers." •
Although the website may bring
international visibility for Ira
Kaufman Chapel, it — along with its
local competitors — retains a local
focus that is unusual in a contempo-
rary funeral industry now dominated
by national conglomerates.
"Within the Jewish funeral home
sector, probably half or more are owned
by two companies: Service Corporation
International and the Loewen Group,"
says Techner. "They would love to own
Ira Kaufman Chapel, but we've always
felt we're independent and want to
remain independent and that's proba-
bly how we'll proceed."
The Dorfmans also have been
approached by national chains, but
want to keep their 8-year-old business
in the family. "Most independents are
getting bought out now," says Jonathan
Dorfman. "We've been approached but
we won't sell. This way we can give
more personal attention."
Techner, whose wife and colleague
Ilene is the granddaughter of founder
Ira Kaufman, is hoping his children
will continue the legacy.
"One of the things I said to one of
the consolidators was I don't own the
business — my kids do," he says. ,
"When Ira started the business in
1941, there was no such thing as a fax,
mobile phone, or computer, and I can
only imagine the huge grin that would
be on his face if he were here today
watching my son pull up e-mails from
the chapel's website."

Ira Kaufman Chapel's website is at
www.irakaufman.com

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Deathsites

Jewish funeral services
on the Internet:
A :guide for the
morbidly curious.

JULIE WIENER

Staff Miter

quick Internet search
using keywords
Jewish," "funeral," an
services calls up a
plethora of sites, some more useful
than others.
A few highlights

c

• A Jewish funeral service in
Chicago (http://www.piser.com )
that among other things, helps
calculate yahrtzeits (death
anniversaries) by converting
Hebrew calendar dates to
Gregorian calendar clates and vice
versa.

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• With the Sherna Yisrael Torah
Network International Burial
Society
(http://194.90.124.37/ burial/inde
x.htm) site, all you ever wanted to
know about Jewish funerals (but
were afraid to ask) is just a mouse
click away — click where it says,
"Now! Ask your questions about
Jewish burial!" But before sending
your own e-mail, you may want
to peruse the extensive menu of
information, which includes
"Traditional Jewish Autopsy
Procedures," "Guidelines On The
Receiving and Shipping of
Human Remains" and
"Frequently Asked Questions."

• The New York-based . Jewish
Communications Network has
posted an article
(w-ww. jcn18.com/Newstandiroun
dup/shiva.html) on new software
called Cybermourn that utilizes
video cameras and Internet tech-
nology to enable mourners to par-
ticipate in funerals via their per-
sonal computers. Passwords
ensure that only invited guests
"attend." According to the article,
the trend has not yet caught on in
the Jewish community.

Robert Stewart Photography

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12/5
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