Jewish community leaders in the U.S. still do not have precise information on the number of Jews who lost their lives in the World Trade Center calamity. A representative of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, responsible for matters of family status and Jewish Law and who deals with cases involving North Americans, told Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson today that many families in Boro Park, Flatbush, Monsey and other areas are still in limbo regarding the fate of their loved ones. \"Most of them have not begun the ritual mourning period of shiva,\" he said, \"as there is no solid evidence that their loved ones have died (although in Monsey, about 30 families, relying on their rabbinic leader, have begun the mourning period). For the same reason, and because others are looking for their loved ones and taking care of burial procedures if necessary, they do not have the pre-burial status of \'onen\' (which would exempt them from all positive commandments).\"
He explained that after Rosh HaShanah, \"when seven days will have passed - after which, according to many authorities, it may be assumed that a person who is trapped has in fact died - it is likely that questions of onen, shiva, agunot and other very complex issues will be addressed in a more collective fashion by the leading rabbis in America and Israel.\"
He explained that after Rosh HaShanah, \"when seven days will have passed - after which, according to many authorities, it may be assumed that a person who is trapped has in fact died - it is likely that questions of onen, shiva, agunot and other very complex issues will be addressed in a more collective fashion by the leading rabbis in America and Israel.\"