3 min readA Shiva Gift When You Cannot Be There, or It Is Too Late to Ship
Plant a tree in Israel in the person's memory and add the family's email. The certificate reaches them usually within minutes, even on the last day of shiva or from another country. It is $18 a tree. Then call or write: hearing from you matters as much as the gift.
Why a tree works when nothing else will
Food has to be ordered and shipped, and shiva lasts seven days. A tree's certificate is emailed, so it does not depend on where you are, where they are, or how much of the week is left.
How to send it in a few minutes
- Choose the number of trees and select *In Memory Of*.
- Enter the name, and the Hebrew name if you know it.
- Add one short line and who it is from.
- Add the family's email. One email goes to them and to you.
What to write
- *We are so sorry we cannot be with you.*
- *Thinking of you from afar. May his memory be a blessing.*
- *May HaMakom comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.*
More in what to write in a shiva card.
If shiva has already ended
It is not too late. The shloshim, at thirty days, and the first yahrzeit are both moments when a family notices who still remembers. See when to send a shiva gift.
Add a call
A tree is a lasting gift; a call is the one they will remember this week. Do both if you can.
Trees are planted by our planting partner, the Jewish National Fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I send to a shiva house today?
A tree planted in Israel in the person's memory. Add the family's email and the certificate reaches them usually within minutes.
Can I send a shiva gift from another country?
Yes. The tree certificate is emailed, so it reaches the family wherever you and they are.
Is it too late to send something after shiva ends?
No. The shloshim, thirty days after the burial, and the first yahrzeit are both good times to send a tree.
What should I write if I cannot attend the shiva?
Something short: "We are so sorry we cannot be with you. May his memory be a blessing."
Reviewed with guidance from Jewish mourning traditions across Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform practices.
Sending something to the family?
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