ShivhaSupport through the days of mourning
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Kaddish & prayers by traditionShiva managerLive gatekeeper – shiva house statusWhat to do during shiva – the full guideIn-depth guidesShiva equipment – what the house needsGemachim for the shiva houseSitting shiva – quiet screenDeath notice to print and sharePersonal siddur to printPsalms for the soulWhat to do nowEulogy builderMemory collection from visitorsShiva status imageTalking with childrenYahrzeit calculatorShloshim & memorial invitationThank-you notice after shivaMemorial candle & dedicationMourning customsDay eightGuided breathingBack to here and nowWhen you can't sleepDaily anchorsVisiting – and afterMeals, refreshments & equipment boardGuide for visitors
All support tools In memory of Ofek Donate

Free loan

Gemachim for the shiva house

37 gemachim across Israel that lend low mourners' chairs, siddurim and chumashim for the shiva, free of charge. Filter by town or region, and call.

Mourning tent, portable air conditioner, fridge

These are paid commercial services, not a gemach, and so they are not on the list. The portal does not recommend any particular supplier. Before ordering: the synagogue, the neighbours or the community centre solve the chairs-and-space problem in most cases. What is free and what costs money.

Know a gemach that is not on the list?

The suggestion is checked by phone before publication. We do not publish private names – only the town, the organisation and a phone number.

What they lend

Questions about gemachim for the shiva house

What is a gemach for the shiva house?

Gemach is short for gemilut chasadim – acts of kindness: the free loan of equipment for the seven days of mourning – low chairs for the mourners, chairs for visitors, siddurim and chumashim for the minyan, and sometimes an urn and tables. You call, arrange collection or delivery, and return the items after getting up from shiva.

There is no gemach in my town – what do I do?

Call the nearest branch on the list; many of them serve the whole region. Also ask the gabbai at the synagogue, the religious council or the Chevra Kadisha – many of them have chairs and siddurim to lend that are not advertised online.

How do I add a gemach to the list?

Through the form at the bottom of the page. The suggestion is checked by phone before publication, and appears only after approval. An entry that has not been re-verified for a year is removed from the list automatically.

Does the portal recommend paid tent suppliers?

No. The list includes only gemachim that charge nothing. A mourning tent, a portable air conditioner or an extra fridge are commercial services – ask several suppliers for quotes, and first check whether the synagogue or the neighbours can help.

More tools

Shiva equipment – what the house needs

A full list with quantities: what you already have, what to borrow from a gemach and what to buy. Most of it costs nothing.

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Shiva manager

18 ready tasks, mincha and arvit times by city and a door sign – for whoever runs the shiva for the family.

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Personal siddur to print

A booklet for the shiva house: Kaddish, El Malei Rachamim or Hashkava and psalms – in your tradition, with the name, ready to print for the minyan.

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The list was collected from public sources and from suggestions by the public, and is re-verified once a year. The portal is not responsible for the availability of the equipment or the terms of the loan – arrange directly with the gemach.

Memorial candles

Light a candle →

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