While attending Abraham Rogarshevsky's funeral, friends and neighbors of the family would prepare the apartment for shiva, the traditional Jewish period of mourning. After returning from the cemetery, the Rogarshevsky family would first rinse their hands outside of the tenement and then eat the seudat havra-ah, which is the traditional mourning meal in the Jewish faith. All of the food is round which signifies the circle of life that has no end and no beginning, but goes on and on forever.

"Actually this is, we did in Bangladesh when any member dies in our country, at least one day, two days, they does not cook anything. The other family member-- if he have no family, any person from any house, they will bring the food. This is just for the sympathy. If-- they can cook it, it is not a problem, but just for the sympathy, they tell them, don't cook anything, we'll bring the food today.   Another family member says I'll bring everything tomorrow, another family member says I'll bring day after tomorrow. So almost three days, four days, five days, the family members, relatives, or from anywhere they'll bring the food. In our country. But here, everybody's busy (laughs)."