Board urges caution as figures show burial rate more than doubled in spring
March, April and May saw more than 800 Jewish burials, representing a stark increase when compared to the same period last year
The Board of Deputies urged the community to remain cautious as it released new analysis showing the rate of Jewish burials has more than doubled this spring, compared to last year.
Data released by the Board of Deputies on Tuesday shows the months of March, April and May this year saw a total of 811 Jewish burials.
The numbers represent a stark 127 percent increase when compared to the same period last year, which logged 358 Jewish burials.
The Jewish umbrella group recorded a total of 501 Jewish funerals where Covid-19 appeared on the death certificate as of last Friday, up from 500 the previous week.
The analysis suggests the Jewish community has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, read a statement from the Board of Deputies.
“The reopening of some synagogues this Shabbat will come as a relief to many of us, as some aspects of our Jewish way of life return to normal,” said its president Marie van der Zyl.
“But as these figures show, we have disproportionately lost loved ones, friends and family as a community. It is critical we follow Government guidance and caution going forward to save lives,” she warned.
The Board of Deputies gathers weekly data from the Adath Yisroel Burial Society, the Federation of Synagogues Burial Society, the Joint Jewish Burial Board, Liberal Judaism, the Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Community and the United Synagogue Burial Society.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
