Free printable shiva house signs
Every shiva house needs the same few signs, and nobody sells them — so they get written on printer paper with a marker at midnight. Here they are, set properly. Fill in what you need, print, and put them up. Free, and there is nothing to sign up for.
So visitors walk in instead of ringing the bell and making a mourner get up to answer the door.
Prints on ordinary US Letter paper. No account, no email, nothing to sign up for.
If you are helping a family this week
The door sign is the one that matters most. A mourner is not expected to get up, answer the door, greet people, or see anyone out — so a doorbell ringing all afternoon puts the family in the one position the whole week is meant to spare them. Tape it up before the first visitors arrive.
Print the visiting-hours sheet even if the hours feel obvious. It is the kindest way to say that the family sleeps, and it saves someone the awkwardness of arriving at the wrong moment.
Questions
What do you put on a shiva house front door?
The standard shiva door sign tells visitors to come in without knocking or ringing the bell. A mourner should not have to get up and answer the door, and a doorbell ringing through a shiva house all day is wearing on the family. Many families also post the visiting hours and the minyan times beside it.
Are these signs really free?
Yes. They are free to print, free to share, and there is no signup, no email address and no account. Funeral homes, shuls and chevra kadisha groups are welcome to print them for families as often as they like.
What size do they print at?
US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches), portrait, on ordinary paper in any home printer. The type is set large so the door sign can be read from the path, and the design uses a white background with fine rules rather than a filled colour panel, so it does not drain an ink cartridge.
Do I have to credit anyone?
No. A single quiet line at the foot of the page says where the sign came from. If you would rather it were not there, print it and fold or trim the bottom edge — nobody will mind.
Why do shiva houses ask visitors not to knock?
A mourner traditionally stays seated and is not expected to play host, greet people at the door, or see visitors out. Walking in quietly is the correct and expected thing to do, not an intrusion.
What should I put on a sign for people who have never been to a shiva?
The two things first-time visitors most need to know: let the mourner speak first rather than greeting them, and there is nothing you need to prepare to say. The visitor card here covers both, along with how long a visit usually lasts and what happens if there are prayers while you are there.
Made by Herbert & Phyllis. If you are looking for what to send a family sitting shiva, our shiva etiquette guide and shiva gifts may help.