“The Soul, the Afterlife and Cremation” will be the topic of popular international speaker Rabbi Doron Kornbluth at 8 p.m. Monday, May 9 at the U.City Shul.

Rabbi Kornbluth is a renowned educator, lecturer, and author of the bestselling “Raising Kids to LOVE Being Jewish” and the soon to be released “Why Be Jewish?” and “Cremation and Burial: A Jewish View.”

Rabbi Kornbluth is originally from Montreal and now lives in Israel.

“Cremation and afterlife is a subject which everyone thinks about sometime or another – and one of the most important Jewish decisions many people make for themselves or their loved ones,” says U.City Shul’s Rabbi Elazar Grunberger. “Deciding on cremation or burial, and what type of service, is a crucial decision – and not one to be made quickly in the midst of grief…Doron is one of the few people today who has researched the subject, understands it from many points of view, and is able to address it in a user-friendly and informative way.”

Historically, cremation was one of those things that Jews simply didn’t do. Today, cremations account for at least 30 percent of Jewish deaths in North America and Europe and the numbers among the Jewish community and wider society are rapidly on the rise. The burial vs. cremation question is rarely discussed in a way modern audiences can relate to. It is a practical question, a meaningful one and a spiritual one, touching on the dynamics of the soul and the nature of the afterlife.

The program is part of the ongoing community outreach programs of the U.City Shul, located at 700 North and South Road in University City.  All Jews regardless of background or affiliation is welcome. There will be a $10 suggested donation at the door and a dessert reception and book signing will follow the lecture.

For information, call 314-863-SHUL (7485). Find more about Rabbi Kornbluth, at www.doronkornbluth.com.