Interview with Sharon Rosen - Shiva Connect

When Sharon's beloved Mom passed away, she experienced how overwhelming "sitting shiva" can be. Exhausted and depleted, she thought, "There must be a better way!" and conceived the idea of a comprehensive website to conveniently provide information, assistance and coordination of the bereavement period. After a year of research and development, she launched, http://ShivaConnect.com - a free resource to help Jewish families and those wishing to express their condolences. It features educational articles, a new "Shiva Registry" technology to privately post and share funeral & shiva details, links for charitable donations, a shiva food zip code search, helpful resources and an emailed Yahrzeit Reminder. It only takes 5 minutes for a relative, Synagogue or caring friend to enter information on a private Shiva Registry page that includes : funeral and shiva dates, times, places, interactive directions, mourners' contact information, food notes, synagogue affiliations, family charitable requests, tributes and who to call if you have a question. A direct link to the Shiva Registry is then emailed, texted, tweeted, posted on Facebook or found through a search on ShivaConnect's home page. With "just a click," family and friends learn sitting shiva details, make charitable donations, find local delis, view/post food planned for each day, find helpful resources and send thoughtful messages to mourners. Families appreciate fewer phone calls, less stress, confusion and wasted food. People near and far learn how best to express their condolences and can conveniently make memorial donations.