Question:
My mother’s funeral is tomorrow– at a reform temple. I am going, because of peace in the family. When we announce the shiva, may we announce the levaya as well, so my observant friends could come? I have no idea what my siblings have planed for the “ceremony”.
Answer:
It is problematic for us to go into a reform temple, because it is a place represents kefira. Therefore you shouldn’t tell your friends to come to the temple, but they can come to the service at the (Jewish) cemetery . Aside from this, as you write, you don’t even know what they are going to say tat the ceremony, and they may very possibly say things that are kefira. H-shem should help that by your friends not coming to the funeral, which in a way is sanctifying H-shem’s name, and by the fact that you are doing the will of H-shem, that it should be a merit for your mother’s neshoma.
Sources:
Igros Moshe O:CH 4-91(6), R’ Ganzwieg shlit”a.
