# Another Jewish question: "stone-setting" vs. "unveiling"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-jewish-question-stone-setting-vs-unveiling/373604>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 21, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-jewish-question-stone-setting-vs-unveiling/373604 "2006-09-21T19:35:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-jewish-question-stone-setting-vs-unveiling/373604/1 "2006-09-21T19:35:10Z")

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There’s a ceremony that occurs at the cemetery, a year after someone’s death: it’s sometimes called a “stone-setting” and sometimes an “unveiling.” Are these terms interchangeable, or does it depend on whether there’s actually a head stone (as opposed to a plaque or marker)?

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**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-jewish-question-stone-setting-vs-unveiling/373604/2 "2006-09-22T06:38:55Z")

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I’ve never heard the term ‘stone-setting’, although ‘unveiling’ is common, and I’ve been to more unveilings involving headstones than I have to ones with plaques/markers. It’s probably a regionalism, although I couldn’t say whether it’s in relation to regions here or in Europe. The length of time between the death and the unveiling varies according to custom, too. I’ve seen thirty days, six months, and a year, depending on the family’s particular tradition.

[QUOTE=panache45]  
There’s a ceremony that occurs at the cemetery, a year after someone’s death: it’s sometimes called a “stone-setting” and sometimes an “unveiling.” Are these terms interchangeable, or does it depend on whether there’s actually a head stone (as opposed to a plaque or marker)?  
[/QUOTE]

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**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-jewish-question-stone-setting-vs-unveiling/373604/3 "2006-09-22T14:15:29Z")

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I was just at my grandmothers unveiling in early August and she passed away last December. I asked about the period between a funeral and unveiling and was told that there is no set time period, but IIRC, there is a minimum amount of time that must pass. Hopefully **Zev** will pop in a set the record straight.

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-jewish-question-stone-setting-vs-unveiling/373604/4 "2006-09-22T15:25:54Z")

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I’ve always considered the terms to be interchangeable.

And it’s not specifically a year after the death, it’s pretty much whenever the stone is ready.