"One a Day": When the Cemeteries Run Out of Space
In the next two decades, Israel is expected to face a large wave of mortality, leading to a severe shortage of burial spaces. The state has yet to find a solution, and this episode examines the burial crisis, proposed solutions, and the moment when cemeteries will run out of room.
In the next two decades, Israel is expected to experience a significant wave of mortality, much larger than what it has experienced so far, due to the age characteristics of its population. This means not only an increase in the number of deceased, but also an urgent need for many more burial spaces, at a time when land in Israeli cemeteries is running out. The state has been trying for years to prepare for this reality, but no solution seems on the horizon. The episode hosts attorney Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz, director of the Center for Shared Society and head of the Religion and State program at the Israel Democracy Institute, to discuss the burial space crisis in Israel, the solutions being promoted, and the moment when we will have to decide how and where we bury our dead.