When we revealed last month that parents of stillborn babies had been misled by the United Synagogue over their burials, it was encouraging that the organisation's current officers responded with openness, an unreserved apology to the affected parents, and an inquiry to get to the bottom of the scandal.
So it is all the more appalling that another burial society still continues to treat parents with contempt. As we report, the Western was contacted by a couple who lost their daughter 33 years ago. At first the parents were told her grave had been identified; a few hours later they were told, brusquely, that this was a mistake and they had no idea where the grave is.
It is bad enough that no proper record was kept. It is worse that the burial society do not consider it necessary to get to the bottom of their own scandal, will not launch an inquiry, and appear to believe that the matter should end here.
But it is beyond any notion of decency that the Western owned up to the real story behind their sudden inability to tell the parents where their daughter is buried only after the JC sought an explanation.
It is difficult to comprehend a mindset that it willing to talk to the press but not the baby's own parents.
