Cremation in Israel and Taking the Ashes to Ukraine

The short version, in 30 seconds.

• Cremation is permitted in Israel. The law does not regulate it, and courts recognize the wishes of a deceased person who asked to be cremated.
• There are no state crematoriums. The service is provided by a private organization, which sets the price.
• The National Insurance Institute (ביטוח לאומי, Bituach Leumi) does not pay for cremation. Its burial grant covers burial only.
• To take an urn out of the country, you need a death certificate and a cremation certificate. Israeli documents are apostilled.
• Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from €800. No prepayment required.

Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about an urn

Who gives consent for cremation in Israel

The main factor here is the wish of the person themselves. Israeli courts have heard disputes where the family opposed cremation, and ordered that the deceased's wishes be carried out. In one such case, the Supreme Court upheld this decision. Therefore, if there is a will or another written record requesting cremation, keep it safe.

If no wishes were recorded, the decision is made by the next of kin: spouse, adult children, or parents. We advise collecting written consent from all closest relatives. This reduces the chance that someone will challenge the decision.

Keep the religious aspect in mind. Jewish tradition does not approve of cremation, and for many families in Israel this is a sensitive issue. If the deceased or their relatives are religious, discuss the decision within the family calmly and in advance.

If the family is in Ukraine

You do not have to travel to Israel. You sign a power of attorney, and we pass it on to our partners. Documents for Israeli authorities are translated into Hebrew. We verify before submission whether notarization of the translation is required.

Cremation of a Ukrainian citizen in Israel

We found no separate rules for foreigners. Citizenship does not prevent cremation. However, if the person was a tourist, insurance will help: the insurance company often appoints the funeral service itself.

How long does cremation take

There are no official timeframes. The timing depends on whether there was an autopsy, how quickly the death certificate was issued, and when there is an opening in the crematorium's schedule. There are no state queues here because there are no state crematoriums. We provide the actual timeframe after speaking with our partners.

Urn for transport

The urn must be sturdy and tightly sealed. For air travel, an urn made of metal, wood, or durable plastic that can be scanned by X-ray is best. Ceramics and stone are heavy and can break.

Flying with ashes in carry-on luggage is usually done by prior arrangement with the airline. Inform the carrier about the urn in advance. At security control, the urn is X-rayed. We check the rules of each airline separately.

Can you transport the urn yourself

Yes. Many families do just that. What you need to have with you: original death certificate and cremation certificate with an apostille, translation, and passport. Notify the airline before buying a ticket.

Where problems happen: the carrier did not approve the urn, there is no cremation certificate, the urn cannot be scanned by X-ray, or there are different rules at the transfer airport. If no one in the family can fly or time is short, entrust this to us. Read more about our urn transport service.

Burial of an urn in Ukraine

An urn can be buried in a new grave, placed in an existing family grave, or placed in a columbarium. A cemetery in Ukraine processes this according to its own rules, so start by speaking with them. We explained how this works in the article burial of an urn.