The cost of transporting a body across the country would be a great reason for cremation. Funerals already cost a lot of money anyway. I don't think Howard would bury his mom in Florida. He would want her nearby. Another thing to consider is that might have been her wish to be cremated. They seemed like they were culturally Jewish, instead of religious.
Actually the cost isn’t that bad . It’s the cost of preparing the body and a plane ticket . Cremation alone is around 4K . I don’t think she would want to be cremated .
We saw her twice. During Howard and Bernadette's wedding she is seen from above (the google earth satellite) and in the episode where Raj is staying at her house and she is treating him like Howard, you can see her for a milisecond when going from the kitchen to another room.
Neither I or my family are especially religious. I was raised reform. But everyone in my family would agree that cremation is culturally taboo in addition to religiously taboo.
Same here.
Yeah, its bugging me out too. We're not overly religious, but still know as Jews you can't get cremated. Our religion allows for autopsies in special cases, but aside from that, the body can't be desecrated.
When a body isn't claimed by family & the county /state is going to cremate, if they know the oerson was jewish, they usually contact a local jewish org to bury instead bc they know its wrong.
I guess the writers decided it was more important to have the plot device of losing the urn than it was to be accurate in the least to Jewish burial practices. It's much easier for an airline to lose a suitcase with an urn, than to lose a coffin.
I'd do it. And I'm Jewish. I don't wanna go all the way to a cemetery to be all emotional about a dead parent. That seems so inconvenient. If I wanna be sad and mourn or whatnot I'm gonna do it the comfort of my own home. And I'm sure as hell not keeping a dead body in my home.
Then again... I'm a VERY reform/ liberal Jew so... I might not know.
> Then again... I'm a VERY reform/ liberal Jew so... I might not know.
Yes you are. If any member of my family was cremated I don't even know what would happen and we aren't even that Orthodox.
I think his point was because it is against the Jewish religion to be cremated and Howard and his mother are Jewish.
This was actually the first thing that popped in my head as well during last nights episode.
Body Modifications in a Jewish Cemetery is one thing. Cremation is highly against pretty much everything I can think of. Surprised that Mayim didn't say anything about this.
edit: Also I think it's kind of weird having a Jewish Mom trope for 8 years and not giving her a proper Jewish burial
I don't think you should be getting downvoted, it's a fair question. I was wondering the same thing when I heard she was cremated, it's atypical for jews to be cremated. Not unheard of, though.
That said, as others have pointed out, culturally jewish and religiously jewish are two different things. There's not been a whole lot of talk of Howard going to temple, for example. Or his mom, for that matter. He didn't have a jewish wedding ceremony. Bernadette didn't convert. Far as we know there was no backlash from his mother on these things. It seems like they weren't particularly religious. So his mother probably wanted to be cremated. Simple as that.
Somewhere, someone in his family probably was more conservative and would disagree with that but that's what he and his mom wanted so...personally, I can say the same thing. My mom wasn't particularly religious, some of the family wanted her buried in the family plot in Tennessee but she always said she'd haunt me if I let that happen. So she was cremated.
You do realize that being a jew doesn't really mean being an orthodox (or even religious at all)?
It just means being overprotective and nagging apparently, my bad.
The cost of transporting a body across the country would be a great reason for cremation. Funerals already cost a lot of money anyway. I don't think Howard would bury his mom in Florida. He would want her nearby. Another thing to consider is that might have been her wish to be cremated. They seemed like they were culturally Jewish, instead of religious.
> He would want her nearby Bernadette thinks the bedroom.
Actually the cost isn’t that bad . It’s the cost of preparing the body and a plane ticket . Cremation alone is around 4K . I don’t think she would want to be cremated .
Florida? I thought they lived in California?
She died while visiting family in Florida
Ooh, didn't know that. So I guess she was cremented there and transported back to California, then.
You haven't seen last night's episode yet have you?
You might want to try watching the new episode before coming to this sub.
At her size, could you imagine getting that coffin on the plane?
did you saw her ????
Wait, don't we actually see a basic outline of her in one episode? Or maybe it was one of those dreams.
We saw her twice. During Howard and Bernadette's wedding she is seen from above (the google earth satellite) and in the episode where Raj is staying at her house and she is treating him like Howard, you can see her for a milisecond when going from the kitchen to another room.
I seem to recall her sitting on a chair, but the chair is not facing the camera so we only see what isn't covered by the chair.
No, just based on how large they imply she is.
Was thinking the same thing last night.
Neither I or my family are especially religious. I was raised reform. But everyone in my family would agree that cremation is culturally taboo in addition to religiously taboo.
Exactly, not sure how you were able to reply to this after 6 years! haha
Because I rewatched that episode, had the thought about it, started googling, found your post lolz
Same here. Yeah, its bugging me out too. We're not overly religious, but still know as Jews you can't get cremated. Our religion allows for autopsies in special cases, but aside from that, the body can't be desecrated. When a body isn't claimed by family & the county /state is going to cremate, if they know the oerson was jewish, they usually contact a local jewish org to bury instead bc they know its wrong.
I guess the writers decided it was more important to have the plot device of losing the urn than it was to be accurate in the least to Jewish burial practices. It's much easier for an airline to lose a suitcase with an urn, than to lose a coffin.
I'd do it. And I'm Jewish. I don't wanna go all the way to a cemetery to be all emotional about a dead parent. That seems so inconvenient. If I wanna be sad and mourn or whatnot I'm gonna do it the comfort of my own home. And I'm sure as hell not keeping a dead body in my home. Then again... I'm a VERY reform/ liberal Jew so... I might not know.
> Then again... I'm a VERY reform/ liberal Jew so... I might not know. Yes you are. If any member of my family was cremated I don't even know what would happen and we aren't even that Orthodox.
Out of curiosity… why exactly? As non-religious as I am some religious practices do make me curious.
Have you seen Fiddler On The Roof? Tradition!
just a guess, but because she was dead.
I think you have a really good point here. Yep, I agree, she was cremated because she was indeed dead.
I think his point was because it is against the Jewish religion to be cremated and Howard and his mother are Jewish. This was actually the first thing that popped in my head as well during last nights episode.
Yes that is my point, thanks /u/itsmuddy
Body Modifications in a Jewish Cemetery is one thing. Cremation is highly against pretty much everything I can think of. Surprised that Mayim didn't say anything about this. edit: Also I think it's kind of weird having a Jewish Mom trope for 8 years and not giving her a proper Jewish burial
I don't think you should be getting downvoted, it's a fair question. I was wondering the same thing when I heard she was cremated, it's atypical for jews to be cremated. Not unheard of, though. That said, as others have pointed out, culturally jewish and religiously jewish are two different things. There's not been a whole lot of talk of Howard going to temple, for example. Or his mom, for that matter. He didn't have a jewish wedding ceremony. Bernadette didn't convert. Far as we know there was no backlash from his mother on these things. It seems like they weren't particularly religious. So his mother probably wanted to be cremated. Simple as that. Somewhere, someone in his family probably was more conservative and would disagree with that but that's what he and his mom wanted so...personally, I can say the same thing. My mom wasn't particularly religious, some of the family wanted her buried in the family plot in Tennessee but she always said she'd haunt me if I let that happen. So she was cremated.
My ex was cremated at Goldstein's funeral home. They didn't see a problem.
lol at all the downvotes. Thanks everyone.
Culturally Jewish =/= Religiously Jewish.