Question: Is it customary in Judaism to serve food after an unveiling ceremony?
Answer: The custom of ritually unveiling a headstone approximately one year after a death is of relatively recent origin. The custom has no basis in traditional Jewish law, so no one can say that there is a "right way" to do it. Jewish law requires only that a monument be erected.
However, the practice of an "unveiling" can be quite meaningful. It provides an opportunity for the family to come back to the grave site and remember the deceased together at a time somewhat removed from the initial shock of death. The ritual itself need not be long. The sharing of a meal following the unveiling is an appropriate way for members of the family to support each other, share their stories, and reaffirm the meaning of the deceased's life. Such meals have become a common custom.
L'shalom,
Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser
