The Death and Afterlife in Jewish folk beliefsThe Jewish funeral rituals and beliefs regarding to death and afterlife are deeply rooted both in Jewish religious texts (Tanah and Talmud) and many pagan traditions. Since Jews, in their long Diasporic history, were living among various cultures and religions - pagan (Ancient Egypt, Persia, Rome and Greece) and monotheistic (Christian, Muslim and Zoroastrianic), nu-merous Jewish beliefs and customs had been modified by cultural accretions derived from non-Jewish environments. The article is divided into three chapters presenting Jewish customs and folk beliefs of East European Jews on death and afterlife.Aleksandra Wilczur
