12 | JANUARY 20 • 2022 

T

raditionally, families 
who have lost a loved 
one conduct daily 
services and receive visitors 
at the family home for a week 
after the funeral. They gather 
with friends for comfort and 
often share memories of the 
deceased individual. Family 
members often eat together 
during the shivah period.
But times have changed. 
According to Kim Raznik, 
executive director of Clover 
Hill Park Cemetery in 
Birmingham, today many 
shivahs have been reduced 
to one to three days. This is 
due in part to distance —
Detroiters have spread out 
geographically and more fam-
ily members live out of town. 

Sometimes there is no family 
member left in Detroit who 
has a home for a shivah. 
Clover Hill Park Cemetery, 
which was established by 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek 

in 1918, is trying to meet fam-
ilies’ changing needs. Raznik 
explains that “just prior to 
COVID, we renovated the 
Berman Administration 
building (located at the cem-
etery), creating an indoor 
area to accommodate families 
who wanted to gather after a 
funeral service or an unveil-
ing to hold shivah or gather 
with family and friends. It was 
well received as many people 
travel from out of town and 
have no space to gather other 
than a restaurant.” 
A few events were held in 
the Berman Remembrance 

Center before COVID spread. 
As COVID progressed, it 
became more challenging to 
hold funerals and shivahs 
safely. Families were reluctant 
to welcome guests into their 
homes and risk virus trans-
mission. The Michigan Board 
of Rabbis recommended its 
members refrain from visit-
ing private homes for safety 
reasons. Some temples and 
synagogues began offering 
outdoor or indoor space for 
shivahs.
“Ideally and traditionally, 
shivah belongs at home. But 
people are becoming more 

A Place
 to Mourn

OUR COMMUNITY
An outdoor 
terrace in front 
of the Davidson/ 
Hermelin Chapel 
is planned to be 
built in the spring 
of 2022.

Clover Hill Park Cemetery plans
on-site shivah center expansion.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A rendering of the new Barnett Family 
Reflection Room, which features 
capacity for 75 people.

