Cleveland Jewish News, April 19, 2007, Thursday

Cleveland Jewish News.com

Wednesday, April 19, 2007

http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2007/04/19/news/local/mourning0420.txt

Mourning a loved one ... online

BY: JENNIFER DADDARIO Staff Reporter

Unique website designed by 20-year-old

Alex Kantrowitz, a freshman at Cornell University, believes many things in life are simpler with the help of the Internet n making travel plans, paying bills, keeping in contact with friends. When it comes to the death and mourning of a loved one, Kantrowitz, 20, was “amazed the Internet hasn’t been used to smooth out the process.” So he spent nearly a year creating a website designed to help mourners during their time of need.

Nichum.com (nichum means comfort in Hebrew) was launched nearly two weeks ago. When a loved one passes away, members can post pertinent details such as funeral and shiva date, time and location, on the completely free site. Photos can be posted and there can also be a link to a map to provide directions for out-of-towners.

The site will be funded, explains Kantrowitz, by service-related advertisers such as koshergiftbaskets.com. The ads will give users an opportunity to send items to mourning families such as gift baskets, food trays and flowers.

The most important feature of the site, in Kantrowitz’s opinion, is the “stories of a life” section, a forum that allows users to post personal stories. “People are at their computers all the time these days. To post a story takes a few minutes and creates a living memorial that wouldn’t be possible without the site.”

Kantrowitz, whose home is in New York, created the site not based on personal loss but because he thought it will be a useful tool at some time or other for everyone. The loss of a loved one is “one of the most difficult times in a person’s life, and it can definitely be the most confusing,” he says. Instead of being inundated with phone calls, mourners can direct family and friends to the site, where they will find all the information they need.

New technology, especially dealing with a sensitive issue, can take a while to get used to, Kantrowitz admits, but “as time goes on, this will be an essential tool in the hands of Jewish mourners.” Although the site is in its early stages, there has already been good response in posting. “I wasn’t sure what type of reaction to expect, but I’m pleasantly surprised at the extremely positive reaction the site has received.”

Rabbi Yehuda Pearl at Congregation Anshei Shalom in West Hempstead, N.Y., viewed the new site. “He was extremely positive, and he thought using the Internet would really help people during a trying time,” says Kantrowitz.

The next step is getting funeral homes and synagogues involved and aware of the site, Kantrowitz says. He is designing a brochure about the site that he hopes funeral homes can give to mourners when discussing arrangements. Instead of having synagogue “phone trees,” Kantrowitz is hoping an announcement directing members to the site will be used.

Creating the new site while still being a student “isn’t easy,” Kantrowitz admits, but he believes it is worth the extra effort. “If it’s something I really believe in and am passionate about, I feel it’s necessary to put (work) into.”

The student, who is majoring in labor relations, says he is unsure of his career path, but said it probably won’t be running the site, because the hard work of creating and getting the site running is done. “The issues that will come up will be minor,” he says. “It should run itself.”

jdaddario@cjn.org