The Jewish way of dealing with death is one part of a larger philosophy of life in which all people are viewed with dignity and respect. Jewish law forbids one Jew profiting financially from the death of another. This has compelled members of the religion to develop an alternative to profit-oriented funeral parlors for disposing of their dead. Hence, the “Chevrah Kadisha” (pronounced Hevra Kadeesha), or burial society, is responsible for the physical and spiritual preparation of the corpses. These mysterious and cabalistic groups, which date back over 2000 years, are usually affiliated with local synagogues, and can still be found in most every major city in the world – from New York and Los Angeles to Berlin and Budapest. Among the duties of the members is sitting with the bodies, around the clock, until they are interred. For this reason, a men’s Chevrah Kadisha is usually populated by older Jewish men with too much time on their hands. Funerary customs are traditionally supervised in Jewish communities by a Chevra Kadisha, a holy society, comprised of volunteers who aid the bereaved and ensure that appropriate practices are followed. Assisting in funeral and burial preparations is a highly-valued mitzvah. It is a chesed shel emet, a true act of kindness performed without ulterior motive, as the dead cannot repay this service. When a member of a community dies, it is the community's responsibility to lovingly assist the deceased's family in this final act of respect.