What should I prepare for my first conversation with Rubi?
Start with the cemetery name, plot location and burial type. A photograph of the site, a preferred date and a design you like are useful too.
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Headstone questions and answers — Rubi explains
Before choosing a stone, make room for questions.
What does the price include? When should the wording be approved? How do you choose a memorial that feels right for your family? Find clear answers, understand your options and take things at your own pace.
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Getting started
What happens between the first idea and installation?
We first establish the plot details and cemetery requirements. Then we select a design direction and stone, prepare a quotation and agree dimensions, lettering and additions.
When should we start planning the headstone?
An early enquiry helps, even if the family is not ready to decide every detail.
How do we proceed when family members want different things?
First agree on a budget, the feeling the memorial should convey and the details that matter most.
Who should be the family contact for the order?
Choose someone who can collect the plot details, pass on questions and keep everyone involved in decisions.
Can we start without a design in mind?
Yes. Tell me about the person, what mattered to them and the kind of place the family wants to create.
Can we arrange a memorial from another city or abroad?
Much of the planning can be handled through calls, photographs and drawings.
Why check cemetery rules before finalising the design?
A design must work in the place where it will stand. Height, plot boundaries, the base and additions such as a bench or planting may be subject to local rules.
Prices and quotations
What determines the price of a headstone?
Stone and dimensions, fabrication, carving, lettering, additions, delivery and installation all affect the price.
What should a headstone quotation include?
Look for the material, dimensions, finish, lettering specification, portraits or accessories, delivery and installation.
Why are two quotations so different, and how do we compare them?
Compare the specifications: stone, dimensions, finish, lettering and installation scope.
Can a modest budget still allow a personal design?
Yes, by deciding what deserves priority. Well-proportioned lettering, a meaningful sentence and a good finish can make a simple memorial personal.
Are cemetery charges included in the memorial price?
Do not assume they are. Payment arrangements for a foundation, work permit or other service depend on the cemetery and the contractor’s agreement.
What happens to the price if we change the design after ordering?
First establish how far the work has progressed. Revising a drawing before cutting is different from replacing a finished part or redoing engraving.
Can you give an exact price from a photograph alone?
A photograph helps establish a direction, but it may not reveal dimensions, thickness or the exact stone.
Which payment and warranty terms should be agreed in advance?
Agree when payments are due, which stages they cover, what counts as completion and which documents you receive.
Stone and materials
How do marble and granite differ for a memorial?
The trade name alone is not enough. Granite is generally hard and relatively durable, while stones sold as “marble” can have quite different properties.
Why might the stone differ from the catalogue photograph?
Natural stone varies in colour, veining and texture; it is not a repeated print.
Does black granite suit every memorial design?
Black granite can provide strong contrast for light lettering and an engraved portrait, but it is not automatically the best choice.
What should we check when choosing a natural-rock memorial?
With natural rock, the shape is part of the design. Plan where the name and inscription can be read comfortably.
Should we choose a polished or textured finish?
Finish changes the way light and colour are perceived, as well as how the surface is cleaned.
Can different stones be combined in one memorial?
Yes, provided the combination works visually and practically. Consider colours, component weight, connections and the care each surface needs.
What matters when incorporating glass into a memorial?
Identify the glass product, its fixing method and its suitability for outdoor exposure.
Is any memorial stone completely unchanged by time?
No stone should be promised to remain completely unchanged. Sun, water, dust, vegetation and cleaning methods affect appearance, and materials respond differently.
Personal design
How can a life story shape the memorial design?
I start by asking what you want someone standing there to feel. We then choose a memory or quality that can be expressed through shape, material or wording.
Can you reproduce a memorial we have seen?
A photograph is a useful starting point, but identify what you like rather than copying without considering the setting.
How can we understand the design before it is made?
A drawing or visualisation shows how the stone, name, text and additions relate to each other.
When is a heart-shaped memorial a good choice?
A heart can express love directly, but it should feel right for the person and family.
Can planting and pebbles be included?
Consider planting and pebbles after checking cemetery rules and available space.
Can a bench be placed beside the memorial?
Not at every plot, and not without checking. A bench can affect access and plot boundaries, so the cemetery operator’s permission is needed.
Can a personal object or hobby be represented?
A personal reference can be engraved, carved or incorporated as a suitable component.
How can the design feel personal without becoming crowded?
Choose one focal point and give it space. Richly patterned stone may call for quieter lettering; a substantial inscription may benefit from fewer surrounding details.
Inscriptions and portraits
What can we write when the words will not come?
Start with the essential facts: name, dates and details the family wants to include.
How should we check the inscription before approval?
Print the text and check names, dates, spelling, punctuation and line breaks separately.
Can Hebrew and Gregorian dates appear together?
Both can be included, subject to the family’s wishes and local requirements.
Can an inscription combine Hebrew with Russian or English?
Yes, with enough space and a clear reading direction. Every word need not appear twice: names and dates may be bilingual while a personal sentence uses one language.
How can a long inscription remain readable?
Before reducing the lettering, decide what must be on the stone and what can be shortened.
Which photograph should we send for a memorial portrait?
Send the original file with a sharp face and clear lighting, rather than a screenshot or repeatedly forwarded image.
How do engraved, ceramic and glass portraits differ?
An engraved portrait is formed on the stone, making contrast and the material especially important.
Can an inscription error be corrected after engraving?
The error and the affected component need to be inspected. A correction may involve resurfacing, a revised layout or a replacement panel, and an invisible repair is not always possible.
Cemetery coordination
Do all cemeteries have the same memorial rules?
No. Even within one city, operators, sections and burial types may have different requirements.
Is approval needed to install a headstone?
Ask the cemetery operator which approvals and forms apply to your plot.
How do we establish the permitted dimensions?
Obtain the limits for the actual plot from the operator and compare them with the site.
Who is responsible for the memorial foundation?
Responsibility depends on the cemetery’s arrangements and the quotation.
How do we check whether a contractor can work at our cemetery?
Ask the operator about entry and work requirements and what the contractor must provide for approval.
Why do you need photographs of the access route as well as the grave?
Access affects transport and installation. Steps, narrow paths, closely spaced plots or vehicle restrictions can change the work required.
Does memorial approval also cover plants, a bench or accessories?
Not necessarily. A small addition may have separate rules, especially if it extends beyond the plot or affects access.
What if the cemetery asks us to change the design?
Ask exactly what is unsuitable, what the limits are and whether an alternative can be considered.
Production and installation
How long does making and installing a headstone take?
Timing depends on stone availability, design complexity, inscription approval, the foundation and cemetery arrangements.
What if the unveiling date is close?
First check what is ready: foundation, permissions, inscription and stone selection.
When do cutting and engraving begin?
Each stage should follow approval of the details it requires: material, dimensions, design and wording, alongside necessary cemetery permission.
Does the family need to attend installation?
Attendance is agreed according to the job and access arrangements; the whole family need not automatically be present.
Can weather delay installation?
Yes. Site and working conditions can affect transport and installation, including equipment access and requirements for fixing materials.
What should we check when the memorial is finished?
Compare the finished work with the approved specification: name, dates, wording, material, shape, finish and additions.
How can we keep track of the work?
Agree a contact and approval stages at the outset: material, drawing, inscription and installation arrangements.
How does production completion differ from installation?
A memorial may be finished in the workshop but still await a foundation, access permission or transport arrangements.
Single, double and wall memorials
What is the difference between a double memorial and a machpela memorial?
A double memorial generally serves adjacent burial spaces, while machpela refers to burials at different depths in a shared plot.
How should space for a future inscription be reserved?
Plan the division of space in the first drawing, even where wording is not yet known.
How can one double memorial reflect two different personalities?
A shared base can hold a personal detail for each person, such as texture, wording or a complementary shape.
What is different about a wall-niche memorial?
A wall-niche panel must fit the dimensions, thickness and fixing method required by the operator.
Can a single grave have a distinctive personal memorial?
Yes. Proportion, stone shape, texture and lettering can make a single memorial distinctive.
Can a new memorial be matched to an existing partner’s memorial?
Matching may be possible after inspecting the existing stone, dimensions and finish.
Why must a machpela design allow for future access?
The design must accommodate later work the cemetery may require. Ask the operator which components need to remain accessible and how future access is handled.
How can several family memorials share a consistent style?
Choose shared principles such as proportions, lettering, finish or a main colour.
Care and restoration
How can we clean a memorial without damaging it?
Start with the care instructions for the actual stone and finish.
Can we use bleach, descaler or a pressure washer?
Do not use them without advice suited to the material and condition.
Does faded lettering mean the whole memorial must be replaced?
Not necessarily. If the stone and engraving are sound, the lettering may be renewed without replacement.
What should we do about a crack or a loose-looking part?
Do not move, lean on or glue the part yourself. Photograph it from a safe distance and contact a professional and, where relevant, the cemetery operator, especially if visitors or access could be affected.
Can water marks and stains be removed?
Sometimes, but identify the stone and the cause first. Surface dirt, water deposits and changes within the material are different issues.
How do we decide between restoration and replacement?
Assess the stone, base and connections before appearance. If the structure is sound and the main issue is lettering or finish, restoration may suffice.
Can a dedication or name be added to an existing memorial?
Check available space, stone type, surface condition and how closely the existing lettering can be matched.
How often should a memorial be checked and cared for?
There is no single schedule for every material and setting. During visits, notice accumulated dirt, plants touching the stone and changes to lettering or joints, without applying force.
Working with Rubi
Can we speak with Rubi before committing to an order?
Yes. The initial consultation is free and without obligation. Explain your priorities, share photographs and discuss options for the plot and budget.
Where is Rubi’s workshop, and should we arrange a visit?
The workshop and showroom are at 5 Basel Street, Petah Tikva. Arrange a visit in advance so time can be set aside for your stone selection and design discussion.
Does Rubi work outside Petah Tikva?
The workshop is in Petah Tikva, with service across Israel arranged according to location and the work required.
What should we send on WhatsApp for a useful initial response?
Send the cemetery name, burial type, a wide plot photograph and any design direction.
What is useful about planning directly with the workshop?
It connects the design idea with the material and fabrication it needs.
Can we contact Rubi about a monument or memorial space?
Yes. A monument or memorial space starts with questions about its users, message, site and approving authority.
Does Rubi make memorials for dogs and cats?
Yes. The dedicated pet memorial category shows completed work. Names, portraits, wording and shapes can reflect your bond.
We have read the answers. What is the next step?
Choose the decision that remains open and send me a focused question with the site details and a photograph if available.
No matching question. Try a shorter term or another topic, or send your question to Rubi.
Ask Rubi a questionBefore we talk: three useful things to prepare
- 01Cemetery and plot details
- 02A site photograph or a design you like
- 03Your preferred date and the family’s priorities
Rubi answers · Stone architecture
Is your question more personal?
Tell Rubi what matters to you and what you know about the plot. Share a photograph and start a conversation; you do not need a finished design.
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