The Levinson Family Serving our Community for 128 Years

The Jewish levaya, or funeral, is the final kavod and honor that family and friends perform when a loved one passes away. Death under any circumstance is a very difficult and painful experience. The family relies on their rabbi, the funeral home, friends, and a chevra kadisha to help them carry out their duty with the proper love, dignity, and respect for the deceased.

Sol Levinson has been Baltimore’s Jewish funeral home since 1892, and is still run by the family today. Ira Levinson and his son Matt continue the outstanding and compassionate management that their forebears taught them so well. When I interviewed them recently, Ira told me their simple motto, handed down from generation to generation: “We do everything possible to do the right thing. We do whatever we can to address the family’s needs and issues in this time of extreme sorrow and grief.”

I often work with the Levinson family as an Ahavas Yisrael trustee, and I can say that we are fortunate to have such a special organization as Levinson’s performing the burials of our loved ones. I know that the rabbanim of our community feel the same way. The professional staff makes all Jews feel comfortable with Levinson’s compassionate services. This excellence manifests itself in everything they take on: from their comprehensive, educational website to their commitment to personalizing funerals for each family’s needs.

Especially now during the Corona, Matt is using the latest technological advances to conduct the private funerals with the utmost dignity and reverence. In the words of Shlomie Horowitz, a cemetery trustee and active head of the Agudah Chevra Kadishah, “Levinson’s is outstanding in its willingness to work with and satisfy the Orthodox community at the highest level of Torah, halacha, and minhagim, and works diligently to address, both emotionally and physically, all aspects of this holy service.” They work hand-in-hand with the Chevra Ahavas Chesed and the Agudah Chevra Kaddishah, bringing the much-needed nechama (comfort) to the grieving family.

I recommend that the readers of this article visit the Levinson brand new website, www.sollevinson.com, where the 128 years of family history is told and where they will find detailed information about Jewish funerals and minhagim. The website recommends pre-planning, including such arrangements as owning plots and tachrichim (shrouds), and indicating who should perform the tahara, etc. Stating one’s wishes regarding the details after one’s petira (death) lessens the burden on family members, who would otherwise have to make those difficult decisions in a time of crisis.

As an example of the sensitivity to our community’s needs, the Levinson staff will do whatever they can to make the funeral the same day, if the family so desires, in accordance with the halacha that kevura (burial) should take place as soon as possible. Levinson’s works closely with the local cemeteries and grave crews, which allows them to make arrangements in just a few hours.

In another example of sensitivity, a few years ago, they increased the number of washing stations to accommodate large crowds leaving a funeral. They provide a kohen building to accommodate kohanim and even make it possible for a kohen to speak from outside of the building. They provide for the tahara and can provide shomrim. They arrange funerals for burials that take place out of town or in Eretz Yisrael, and help transport the mais. Families often own plots bought many years prior. Some local cemeteries require a metal liner to be placed in a grave. Levinson’s will do whatever possible to have this rule waived if the family requests it.

From the time they pick up the niftar through the levaya (funeral) and burial, Levinson does everything with the utmost care and dignity. They record the eulogies and the entire levaya service, so that someone who missed it is able to access it at a later time. They provide help with the shiva. Then, at every yahrzeit, Levinson’s reminds the family to say Kaddish 30 days in advance and then again 10 days before. My father passed away 18 years ago and his mother over 40 years ago, and I am notified to this day of his and her yahrzeits.

In addition, Sol Levinson provides exceptional educational programs as a community service, bringing in well-known speakers to address mourning, grief, and related topics, helping those who are now coping with the loss of loved ones or will unfortunately have to do so in the future.

Today, Sol Levinson’s has buildings on Mt. Wilson Lane in Baltimore, as well as in Columbia and Annapolis. The main chapel at the Mt. Wilson site accommodates 500, while the side chapel holds 150. With its magnificent Jerusalem stone wall, it is one of the most beautiful Jewish funeral homes in the world. When Ira Levinson was told he could get the “look” of Jerusalem stone, he demanded authentic stone from Yerushalayim.

It is inspiring to see father and son working together on such an important service for community. We must be very thankful to the Levinson family and their staff for all the chesed that they do.