Our History
Dallas Jewish Funerals is the only Jewish Owned and Operated Jewish Funeral Home in Dallas. We are proud to be serving the Greater Dallas Jewish Community. Our roots run deep in the Jewish Community, and our philosophy is doing business with heart. Philanthropically, we donate to various Jewish organizations throughout the year.
We partner with all local synagogues and cemeteries to ensure you and your loved ones are cared for in your time of need. We are able to transfer pre-need policies from any funeral home even from other cities. Our licensed Funeral Directors are available to meet with you at our offices, your home, any area hospitals, your synagogue, or wherever you feel most comfortable.
We have access to burial plots at Restland Memorial Park and Hillcrest Memorial Park at significantly lower prices. We work with all local cemeteries – providing the same funeral at the same cemetery for a more reasonable price. You have a choice in funeral homes
At Dallas Jewish Funerals, we offer a better, more personal way to plan Jewish funeral services. True, the funeral industry is a business, but we believe it is also a Mitzvah to serve those in need with heart and provide as much Jewish Tradition in the time of death. All of our staff have a commitment to serving the Dallas Jewish Community with passion, empathy and the love of our Jewish heritage and tradition, when caring for your loved ones. We consider it our honor, privilege and mitzvah.
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Andy Starr Owner, Executive Director
Andy has a knack for business but has always wanted to use that talent to serve people at critical times in their life, whether suffering from an injury, dealing with aging & frail parents, or enduring the loss of a loved one. Accordingly, before getting involved in the funeral business, Andy was a Co-Founder and Senior Executive with Hearthstone Assisted Living, which he helped grow from scratch to over 30 communities in 10 states. Before Hearthstone, Andy was a Senior Member of the Founding Management Team for U.S. Physical Therapy, which he helped grow from scratch to over 75 clinics nationwide, and transitioned the business from a private company to being publicly traded on the Nasdaq exchange. As a prelude to his business career, Andy was a Real Estate & Banking attorney at the Houston firm of Hirsch & Westheimer, after graduating with Honors from the University of Texas School of Law. Andy also received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tulane University in New Orleans.
Andy grew up in Tennessee but married a native Houstonian (Wendy Kosberg), with whom he has three grown children, all of whom attended The Shlenker School (Jewish elementary) and the Emery/Weiner School (Jewish Junior & Senior High) in Houston, where Andy and Wendy each served on the respective boards. For many years, Andy & Wendy were also active members at Temple Beth Israel in Houston, and Andy was a Trustee of The Seven Acres Jewish Campus for the Aged in southwest Houston.
Just before the pandemic hit, Andy and Wendy made a big move to the Dallas area, where two of their three children now reside. In addition to making a new home in Dallas, Andy and Wendy have joined Temple Emanu-El, and look forward to becoming active members, and contributing to the growth and strength of the overall Jewish community in the metroplex. -
Zane Belyea Owner, Community Relations
From an early age, Zane wanted to help people in need, so when he attended Southern Illinois University, he decided to study Social Work & Psychology. During his first year after graduation, Zane worked with abused and neglected children, before spending eleven years in the education industry, eventually becoming Vice President of Recruitment for a large education firm. In 2011, after many years of business travel, and a growing family in Dallas, Zane followed the advice of one of his mentors and began a new career in the funeral industry. True to his roots in social work, Zane finds it deeply rewarding to help families during one of the worst moments of their lives, and he has instilled that passion for service throughout the organization. “Every member of our team has a solemn commitment to serve all our families well beyond their expectations. We absolutely won’t let them down.”
The Jewish community is extremely important to Zane and his family, and he continues to be involved daily. Whether it’s playing softball in the Temple Shalom Brotherhood Softball League, or putting on Tefillin with one of the Rabbis, every experience is beyond meaningful.
In 2018, Zane had the fortunate experience of joining the Dallas Area Torah Association on the Momentum trip and experiencing Israel for the first time. This was certainly a trip of a lifetime full of laughter, deep reflection, and at times tears. Growing up, Zane didn’t have a traditional Jewish household and unfortunately never had a Bar Mitzvah. During the Momentum trip, this important Jewish tradition was fulfilled on Masada!
In 2019, Zane returned to Israel this time to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of his oldest son, Dylan. To see your children go through this experience at the holiest site on Earth can never be expressed in words.
Zane is married to a Dallas native (Jill Liberman), and has two sons, Dylan & Zachary. Although members of Anshai Torah, Zane and his family have a strong connection to Rabbi Block and Chabad Plano as well as Rabbi Zakon/Rabbi Nissel from Dallas Area Torah Association. We will forever be grateful to Rabbi Nissel and his efforts in tutoring Dylan in preparation for his Bar Mitzvah. -
Liz Vargas Owner, Human Relations
Liz Vargas is the VP of Accounting at Jewish Funerals USA where Liz has full responsibility for financials, procedures, budgets, and human resources for multiple locations.
Liz has worked as an accounting professional for over 25 years in different industries and specializes in the direction and setup of accounting systems and establishing policies and procedures for financial and operational activities for startup companies.
Liz enjoys working in her garden and watching her favorite sports team the Houston Astros in her free time -
Ana Arias Location Manager/Funeral Director
Ana holds her Degree in Funeral Service from American Academy McAllister Institute in New York and is currently licensed as a Funeral Director in the State of Texas. Ana began her Funeral Director career in Houston at our Houston Jewish Funerals location and has been a part of our organization for over 5 years. Ana enjoys working with the Jewish Community and is dedicated to providing every family with the highest quality service possible.
Ana is originally from New Jersey and moved to Houston Texas in 2015 before moving to Dallas in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, crafting, and spending time with her family. She has one daughter currently attending Rutgers University and 3 playful cats.
For inquiries, please email: [email protected] -
Cristela Edwards Funeral Director
Cristela is a Native Texan from Rockport, Texas. She moved to Dallas in 2008 and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in March of 2017. She is the mother of three beautiful children and a Yellow Lab named Hawk.
As a proud single Mother, her family is extremely important to her as is her passion to help less fortunate children. She likes to spend time volunteering with the Shriner Hospital which is dedicated to ensuring all children have access to top-notch health care regardless of their family’s financial ability. Cristela is also an avid animal lover and spends time volunteering at the Wildlife Conservation Society which fights to save endangered Animals.
“I got into the Funeral Industry to help guide others through a very tough time and to make their experience a little easier.”
For inquiries, please email: [email protected] -
Stephen Blend Funeral Director
Stephen is a native Dallasite with his maternal grandparents arriving in Dallas in 1906. His parents owned and operated Blend Brothers Bakery in South Dallas and after his father’s retirement in 1970, he operated it for another 11 years.
Stephen started his journey in the funeral industry selling cemetery property and pre-need funeral plans at a major funeral home in Dallas. After working there for four years, he went to school to become a funeral director. He has now been a funeral director for more than 20 years working almost exclusively with Jewish families. He is well versed not only with all branches of Judaism but also all cemeteries available to the Jewish community. He can assist the family in finding a suitable cemetery plot to fit their needs. He is personally available 24 hours a day seven days a week since he operates as an independent contractor through Dallas Jewish Funerals.
Please inquiries, please call: 214-505-2993. -
Logan Roberts Pre-Planning Advisor
Logan was born in Dallas, Texas where she was raised in the Jewish community in Dallas. She was Bat Mitzvah and attended religious school at Temple Emanu-El and participated in BBYO where she held numerous chapter positions. Through BBYO she was able to connect and lead other area teens and even served on the Regional Board for the North Texas-Oklahoma region. Logan graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1998. Logan attended college at the University of Texas where she received her Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2002. While in Austin, attending school, Logan was a member of the Jewish sorority, AEPhi, and was a member of the UT Student Government representing the School of Social Work. After graduating, Logan continued her social work studies at Washington University in St. Louis, MO where she received her Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in children, youth & families in 2003. During her tenure at Wash U, she received practicum student of the year for her dedication to serving area foster care children and youth.
Logan started her career in social work in adoptions working with all members of the adoption constellation offering counseling, support, and planning through one of life’s most difficult decisions. She worked for many of the Texas agencies including the Gladney Center, Adoption Access, Little Flowers, and Hope Cottage. After years in adoption, Logan moved to the health care sector in social work and worked for Children's Medical Center in Dallas and Plano. There she continued to support those faced with difficult situations of illness (and often death) of children. She worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings in both acute and chronic service lines. Her last position at Children’s was working as the Psych Social Worker in the Emergency Room. After taking a small break from the workforce to raise her children, Logan returned to the world of adoptions.
Logan is a mom to four children whom she is raising within the Jewish community in Dallas at Temple Emanu-El. All four children attended the ECEC program and now continue Jewish learning through YL&E (religious school) at Temple Emanu-El. Logan’s 2 oldest children are currently preparing for the B’nai Mitzvah in 2024.
Logan’s dedication to helping others while being a guiding light during difficult times led Logan to join our team.
For inquiries, please email: [email protected] -
Catharine Ruditsky Pre-Planning Advisor
Catharine was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She moved to California in 1985 and married her husband, Adam, in 2012. They became a blended family of four handsome sons. Recently, in May 2023, they relocated to Plano, Texas, where Adam has taken on the role of Rabbi at Adat Chaverim.
She knew from a young age that she had a deep desire to serve humankind. Through Judaism, she learned the concept of Tikkun Olam, which refers to various forms of action intended to repair and improve the world.
She found her true calling when she started working for a Jewish cemetery and funeral home in California in 2014. She dedicated several years as a Family Service Counselor, where her highest priority was to support and partner with families at the immediate time of loss, providing service excellence, integrity, and mutual trust. She advised families to pre-plan their funeral and cemetery arrangements.
Throughout her career, she has worked in the health business as a Sales Manager and volunteered as a Crisis Counselor for a pregnancy center. She also worked in the grocery business for several years. In 2020, She moved to Virginia and was involved with senior assisted living and provided medical equipment to the sick. These experiences have made her more well-rounded, understanding, sensitive, and engaged when caring for people at the end of their lives and after they pass away.
As a newly appointed Rebbetzin, she is dedicated to Dallas Jewish Funerals and the community, aiming to provide emotional support, comfort, and compassion to families.
For inquiries: please email, [email protected] -
Scott Bennett Pre-Planning Advisor
Scott was raised in Dallas where he attended Temple Shalom and was a member of AZA and the JCC. He went to Richardson High School and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1982. His professional career included 14 years in the advertising industry in Chicago, Richmond, VA and Dallas. From there he was in senior sales and marketing management positions with Verizon and the American Cancer Society.
Scott is married and has three grown children. The youngest, Sam, has intellectual disabilities and currently lives at home. Scott allocates his time across four priorities:
1. Helping Sam live an active life as independently as possible.
2. Helping families navigate, anticipate, and proactively manage end-of-life arrangements.
3. Providing fractional marketing, sales, and messaging consulting to mid-size companies and non-profits.
4. Enjoy golf and photography during his time off.
Scott’s first experience with Dallas Jewish Funerals was on behalf of his father. “My father was elderly and hadn’t planned for his passing. So, me, my brother and sister stepped in to help. Taking care of his medical needs, assisted living, his estate, and his funeral planning. We saw first-hand the benefit of planning things in advance when emotions are in check.
Based on what we learned about caring for my father, I feel I’m in a great position to help Jewish families navigate what can be a confusing and stressful experience. My goal is to listen, be totally transparent, and advocate on their behalf. I encourage people to plan their own funerals in advance so that their spouses and kids won’t be burdened with expenses and details when they are grieving. Regardless of what they choose to do I want them to know I’m here to help and serve as a trusted resource. Dallas Jewish Funerals is authentic and is best equipped to serve the needs of any Jewish family in the Dallas area.”
For inquiries, please email: [email protected] -
Esmeralda Castillo Provisional Funeral Director
Esmeralda Castillo was born and raised in Texas to her Mexican family. As a kid, she traveled every summer to Mexico and is very grateful for being able to go, for it helped her keep up with her Spanish.
"Respect and kindness are the most important things for me and I am so grateful to work here and help make our families comfortable in such tough times. My dream is to be an embalmer and a funeral director because I grew up being afraid of mortality until my great-grandfather died. His death taught me that even when people are gone, they remain in your mind and heart always. Working at Dallas Jewish Funerals means so much to me because I get to spread my kindness and maybe even help someone smile at such a hard time. One day I would like to own my own funeral home so when I have kids, they can follow in my footsteps if they would like. When I die, I would like to be remembered as a kind and respectful successful Mexican woman who did anything and everything to help others."
For inquiries, please email: [email protected] -
Lucy Ruditsky Unofficial Canine Greif Counselor
Lucy, truly a golden retriever, is our Unofficial Canine Grief Counselor at Dallas Jewish Funerals. She is 18 months old and still acts like a big puppy. She is mature at the same time and brings to you during your time of sadness and grief a waggy tail, kisses (if you want one) unconditional love, and sweetness when she looks at you with her brown eyes. She is very happy and go lucky and can’t wait to meet you. She also meets pre-need families with excitement and calmness.
If you want to meet Lucy during your appointment with DJF please let us when you enter the building. She will be waiting for you! -
Community Ownership
Dallas Jewish Funerals (DJF) is owned by over twenty active members of our Jewish community (some of whom are pictured below), who came together with the belief and commitment that our community shall always have a Jewish-owned and operated funeral home to serve our families at their most difficult time, with full knowledge and respect for the rituals and traditions of our faith. Our community owners represent many congregations and all levels of observance, and come from a variety of backgrounds. In addition to their involvement with DJF, our owners have made Tikkun-Olam a priority in their overall life, and have served in leadership roles with a variety of organizations that care for all facets of the Jewish community. As such, our community owners set the tone and mission for the whole team at DJF, and we strive on a daily basis to fulfill their vision, and meet the needs of every family who honors us with the care of their loved ones.
