firstfunerals
0.4 miles45 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5JG
Jewish funeral directors & services in London
We don’t yet list a specialist Jewish funeral director near London, but most local funeral directors can arrange a Jewish funeral. There are 24 synagogues within 5 miles (the 8 nearest are listed below). A Jewish funeral is traditionally a simple burial held as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours, but never on Shabbat or major festivals.
Funeral directors near London
We haven’t identified a specialist Jewish funeral director close to London yet. The funeral directors below can arrange Jewish funerals — ask about their experience and facilities. Offer Jewish funerals? Tell us.
J.H. Kenyon
1.0 mile74 Rochester Row, London, SW1P 1JU
A. France & Son
1.1 miles45 Lamb's Conduit Street, London, WC1N 3NH
£3,310 attended funeral £1,550 direct cremation from their price list
Chelsea Funeral Directors
1.1 miles91 Rochester Row, London, SW1P 1LJ
Alfred Smith Funeral Directors
1.4 miles103 Great Suffolk St, London, SE1 1PQ
£3,545 attended funeral £2,045 direct cremation from their price list
Ashton Maxwell Funeral Services
1.8 miles218 Kennington Park Road, London, SE11 4DA
£3,595 attended funeral £1,745 direct cremation from their price list
Dignity
Synagogues near London
A synagogue can often help with prayers, a faith leader and the burial society (Chevra Kadisha).
- Central Synagogue London · 1.1 miles — 36-38 Hallam Street, W1W 6NW · website
- Western Marble Arch Synagogue · 1.4 miles — 32 Great Cumberland Place, London, W1H 7TN
- West London Synagogue of British Jews · 1.6 miles — 33 Seymour Place, London, W1H 5AU
- Westminster Synagogue · 1.7 miles — Kent House, London, SW7 1BX
- The Chelsea Synagogue · 2.0 miles — Smith Terrace, London, SW3 4EW · website
- Bevis Marks Synagogue · 2.2 miles — 7 Bevis Marks, London, EC3A 7LH · website
- Sandy's Row Synagogue · 2.3 miles — 4 Sandy's Row, London, E1 7HW
- The Liberal Jewish Synagogue · 2.4 miles · website
Jewish cemeteries & burial sections nearby
- Western Synagogue Cemetery · 2.4 miles
- Brady Street Cemetery · 3.1 miles
- Jewish Burial Ground · 3.5 miles
- Alderney Road Cemetery · 3.7 miles
- Velho Cemetery · 3.8 miles
- Bancroft Road Cemetery · 3.8 miles
- Novo Cemetery · 4.0 miles
- Lauriston Road Cemetery · 4.2 miles
- Liberal Jewish Cemetery · 5.3 miles
- Willesden Jewish Cemetery · 5.5 miles
Jewish funerals: what to expect
| Burial or cremation | Burial in Orthodox practice; cremation accepted by many Reform and Liberal communities |
|---|---|
| How soon | As soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours — not on Shabbat or major festivals |
| Who arranges it | Usually the synagogue’s burial society (Chevra Kadisha) rather than a high-street funeral director |
| Preparation | Tahara (ritual purification) and plain white shrouds (tachrichim); no embalming or viewing |
| Mourning | Shiva for seven days at home, then shloshim to day 30; stone setting within about a year |
Etiquette for guests
- What to wear: Dark, modest clothing. Men (and in some communities women) cover their heads — kippot are usually provided.
- What to say: “I wish you long life”, or the traditional “HaMakom yenachem etchem…” (“May God comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem”).
- Flowers: Flowers are not customary. A donation to charity in the person’s memory is the usual gesture.
Practical steps in London
- The doctor records the cause of death and the medical examiner reviews it. Say straight away that you need an urgent release for a religious burial.
- Register the death with Westminster register office within 5 days of the medical examiner’s office confirming the death can be registered. How to register.
- Contact a funeral director and your synagogue — they can help arrange the key rites (Tahara, keriah and the Mourner’s Kaddish).
- Book the cemetery — see local options.
Repatriating someone abroad for burial · Help paying for a funeral
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a Jewish burial happen in London?
Families aim to bury as soon as possible. In England, the death must first be reviewed by the medical examiner and registered (or a coroner must release the body). Tell the hospital, medical examiner or coroner’s office straight away that you need an urgent release for religious reasons — many areas have out-of-hours arrangements.
Where can I find a synagogue near London?
The nearest synagogues to London include Central Synagogue London (1.1 miles), Western Marble Arch Synagogue (1.4 miles), West London Synagogue of British Jews (1.6 miles).
Can Jewish people be cremated?
Orthodox Judaism requires burial and does not permit cremation. Many Reform and Liberal communities accept cremation, and will still help with the funeral.
Why are Jewish funerals held so quickly?
Jewish law values burial as soon as possible as a mark of respect for the person who died. Funerals are not held on Shabbat or major festivals, so timing may move by a day or two.
What is sitting shiva?
Shiva is the seven-day period of mourning after the funeral, when close family stay at home, prayers are said and friends visit to offer comfort.
Jewish funeral services in nearby towns
- Hampstead4 mi
- Greenwich6 mi
- Chiswick6 mi
- Wood Green6 mi
- Sydenham6 mi
- Walthamstow7 mi
- Wembley8 mi
- Eltham9 mi
- Ilford9 mi
- Croydon9 mi