In Israel, any citizen not affiliated with a religious group has a special status vis-à-vis burial. Following the mass immigration from the Former Soviet Union in the 1990s, the number of individuals in this special class grew, and the Israeli government sought to develop suitable arrangements for burial. Jewish tradition ascribes significance to all burial --  Jewish and non-Jewish -- and thus, though there are generally separate burial grounds for non-Jews, all bodies are treated with respect and care.

Some burial societies maintain divisions which take care of burial of non-Jews in separate areas. There are also private burial organizations in Israel that facilitate the burial of those not identifying with the Jewish community. Finally, there are burial grounds that are operated by private groups but which receive government recognition.

Ceremonies can be in line with the traditional Jewish ceremony or can be developed by the family in conjunction with the burial service.

The following is a list of phone numbers which may be helpful for burial of non-Jews in Israel:

The Chief Rabbinate Burial Division 02-5311105

The Mesila Cemetery in Emek Hefer 04-6301140; 050-6388854; 050-6388852

Menucha Nechona - Society for Civil Burial 03-5440833; in Be'er Sheva: 08-6651124; 050-7566563

Darchei Shalom Cemetery in Haifa 04-8642405 /6 /7

Tel Aviv Cemetery for Non-Jewish Terror Victims and Righteous Gentiles 03-5461643