How Jews Honor the Body in Death

The sudden death of my sister three years ago sent me reeling, into grief and deep questioning. She had long ago decided to be cremated and to forgo any religious or memorial services. I understood and honored her choice, but it prompted me to ask, What do I want to happen to my body when I die? This wasn't an urgent question for many of my friends, who told me, rather nonchalantly, they had already bought cremation packages and weren't at all interested in what happens to the body after death. Their lack of concern surprised me and sent me on a journey to discover why honoring the body in death mattered so much to me and what that meant for my final wishes.