Getting started…

Purchasing a monument is an emotional experience. You are making decisions that will memorialize your loved one for generations to come. At Jewish Monuments Northwest we recognize the significance and sensitivity of this decision. We can help guide you through the important decisions involved in creating a memorial of everlasting beauty.

Step One:
Determine when you want the monument installed. There is no Jewish law dictating when the monument must be installed. Most families choose a date that is convenient for them to attend approximately 11-12 months from date of death. The entire process of ordering, inscription and installation takes from 30-120 days depending on whether we have the granite in stock or it must be ordered from the quarry.

Step Two:
Select the style, size and color of the granite. We can help you with your choice by discussing cemetery policies and showing you many examples including pictures of monuments nearby your loved one’s plot. You may also visit one of our three inventory locations in the Puget Sound area to choose from our inventory. Memorial price depends on the size (volume) and choice of granite. Gray is usually the least expensive, red is the most expensive.

Step Three:
After the monument has been ordered the next step is to create the monument’s design. We work closely with you to accomplish this important step. We can tell you what your cemetery’s policies are for design. We work with the Rabbis and Cemetery Committee of each cemetery to ensure your design and the Hebrew are approved by them.
The following are factors to consider when designing the monument:
   – If not a requirement at your cemetery, would you like to include Hebrew name and Hebrew date of death?
   – What would you like to include in an epitaph? We can inscribe many words including Hebrew. The simplest epitaph is “Beloved husband/wife, father/mother, brother/sister, friend.”
   – Are there any family design elements you would like? We have a large library of Jewish and secular images. We can also copy from your photographs, sketches and drawings. We carefully review the monument design with you to ensure it meets your satisfaction. We make as many revisions as necessary before you give your approval.

Step Four:
In almost all cases the design is computer generated onto a thick rubber template that is affixed to the granite and subsequently sand blasted. We schedule with the cemetery to install and veil the monument a few days prior to your unveiling date.