When Sharon Rosen’s mother passed away, she was exhausted and overwhelmed by the stress of making final arrangements, fielding endless phone calls from family and friends, and figuring out what to do with the mountains of food that just kept coming.

When all was said and done, she thought, “There must be a better way.” And so, Rosen conceived the idea of a comprehensive online resource to conveniently provide information, assistance and coordination for the bereavement period.

“There is no time more difficult for a family than when they lose a loved one. We can’t ease their pain, but ShivaConnect can help provide information and coordination for sitting shiva,” says Rosen.

ShivaConnect.com is a free resource that features educational articles, lists of Jewish funeral homes, a personal ‘Shiva Registry’ to share funeral and shiva details, including a calendar to coordinate food for each day, links for charitable donations and many other services that are helpful at a time of loss.

A mourner, relative, synagogue representative or funeral director can quickly enter pertinent information on a private Shiva Registry page. Much more than an online Jewish obituary, it includes funeral and shiva dates, times, places, interactive directions, mourners’ contact information, food notes, synagogue affiliations, family charitable requests, eulogies and who to call if you have a question.  A direct link to the Shiva Registry page is then emailed, texted, tweeted, posted on Facebook or found through a search on ShivaConnect’s home page.

“Mourning families appreciate fewer phone calls, less stress, confusion and wasted food. More people offer their support and make donations in memory of the deceased,” says Rosen.

ShivaConnect also posts articles that are of interest to Jews and non-Jews about customs and traditions regarding sitting shiva, visiting the shiva house, Jewish prayers, poems, kaddish, etc. Other features include a zip code search to find delicatessens and restaurants throughout the U.S. that deliver shiva platters and meals, and a yahrzeit reminder, which is emailed each year a week before the anniversary date, noting when to light a memorial candle.
Many charities are also linked for direct memorial donation.

For more information on Shiva Connect call Sharon Rosen at (561) 289-1028 or email srosen@shivaconnect.com.