PITTSBURGH, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Pittsburgh rabbi called a settlement with state officials over Jewish burial rites a victory for the religious freedom for all faiths.
Rabbi Daniel Wasserman of Shaare Torah Congregation said he had twice been investigated following complaints from funeral home directors in his community for performing burial rites without a licensed funeral home director present.
Commonwealth law states a licensed funeral director should be included in all funerals that include embalming and other cosmetic work on the deceased's remains, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Monday. But Wasserman said none of the funerals he's performed included embalming and he doesn't charge for his services.
Wasserman said the funeral home directors complained to the Pennsylvania Department of State's Board of Funeral Directors because they viewed him as competition.
Funeral regulators agreed with the rabbi in a legal settlement of Wasserman's federal suit, saying as long as religious leaders of any faith don't perform embalming or other services they have the right to administer burial rites in accordance with their religion without participation from an outside funeral home. Financial terms of the suit were not disclosed, the Tribune-Review said.
He was never charged with a crime, but Wasserman said threats of fines or possible charges led to religious leaders balking at administering burial rites just the same.
"I said all along that what we are doing is right and legal," Wasserman said. "The only ones who couldn't see it were the funeral directors blinded by their desire to protect their revenue stream."
