Dallas Jewish Funerals

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Dallas Jewish Funerals is Jewish owned and operated. In fact, we are the only Jewish funeral home in the DFW area, and we are under new ownership and a new leadership team.

We have access to burial plots at Restland Memorial Park and Hillcrest Memorial Park at significantly lower prices. We are able to transfer pre-need policies from any funeral home. 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.

Our licensed Dallas Funeral Directors are available to meet with you at our offices, your home, any DFW-area hospitals, your synagogue, or wherever you feel most comfortable.

At Dallas Jewish Funerals, we are focused on providing unbeatable service at a price you can afford. We offer a better, more personal way to plan Jewish funeral services that are as special as your loved one.

Our Dallas Jewish Funerals Team

Andy Starr

OWNER/
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Zane Belyea

OWNER/
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
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Liz Vargas

OWNER/
HUMAN RESOURCES
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Kyle
Ko

LOCATION MANAGER/
FUNERAL DIRECTOR
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Cristela
Edwards

FUNERAL
DIRECTOR
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Stephen
Blend

FUNERAL
DIRECTOR
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Claudia Hudy

FUNERAL
DIRECTOR
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Masha Pavlov

COMMUNITY
LIAISON
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Scott Bennett

PRE-PLANNING
ADVISOR
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Harold Harris

PRE-PLANNING
ADVISOR
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I would like to compliment Jewish Funerals for the wonderful servicer they provided for Cary and our whole family. They met with my daughter Karen and me on Tuesday morning, 24 September at the hospice facility to make arrangements for when the time came. They literally led us through it step by step, educating us in what was available and most appropriate for our circumstances. None of us realized how soon this service would be needed. They were ind, gentle and sympathetic and went out of their way to make the process as painless as possible. We were extremely lucky to have found them.
Miller Family
I want to thank you and your team, on behalf of my family, for the outstanding job you did managing all of the details of my Dad's burial and funeral. From my vantage point, there were absolutely no hiccups noticeable at all, and I hope you know how much we appreciate the professionalism, thoroughness and sensitivity which characterized everything your team did.
Bobby Lapin
I want to thank everyone at Dallas Jewish Funerals for taking such great care of us during the hardest time of our life. They are knowledgeable, kind, compassionate and took care of every detail for us. They honored my Dad beautifully and made us feel like family. I would recommend them to anyone needing their services.
Barbra Berez
From the bottom of my heart, I thank Dallas Jewish Funerals for their kind, compassionate and respectful handling of my Dad's service. They paid attention to every detail and helped us honor my Dad beautifully.
Tracy Berez
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Contact Us Today

Complete the contact form or call one of our locations. We are here to serve you.

Dallas Jewish Funerals License # 4416

1611 North Central Expy
Plano, TX 75075
(972) 424-1141

Houston Jewish Funerals License # 4229

5455 Dashwood St Ste 700
Bellaire, TX 77401
(713) 666-0257

Jewish Heritage… Jewish Traditions… Jewish-owned and operated

Contact Us

Dallas: 972-424-1141

Houston: 713-666-0257

Contact Us
Services we offer
Pre-Planning Guide

Download a Free Planning Guide.

Download Houston Guide
Download Dallas Guide
Please visit www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov for additional information.
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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 (elementary) and the Emery/Weiner School (Junior & Senior High). Andy & Wendy are active members at Temple Beth Israel, and Andy is a past board member of the Shlenker School, as well as a former Trustee of The Seven Acres Jewish Campus for the Aged. Andy’s wife is also a former board member of the Emery/Weiner School.

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 through-out 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 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 the 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 RESOURCES

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

Cristela Edwards

FUNERAL DIRECTOR

Cristela is a Native Texan from Rockport, Texas. She moved to Dallas in 2008 and graduated from 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 ensure 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 to the Wildlife Conservation Society that 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.”



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. He can be reached at 214-505-2993.

Claudia Hudy

FUNERAL DIRECTOR

Claudia Hudy grew up in Ferris Texas. She has spent most of her life in the DFW area but lived in Seattle Washington for a brief period. She moved back to Texas in 2019 and has served in the funeral industry for over 7 years. Claudia enrolled in mortuary school at the age of 17 and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Services in 2016. She is the mother to one beautiful son and her pug Charles.

 

Even before she was a Mother Claudia found ways to be nurturing and caring for those around her which gave her a noticeable advantage as a funeral director when caring for the families she served. She enjoys spending time with her son and tending to her large plant collection. She is a strong advocate for nature conservation and restoration. Claudia is also a voice for the Hispanic community in the DFW area, especially when she can help those families with language barriers when making funeral arrangements, ensuring families receive the upmost care all families should receive when faced with such difficult times.

Masha Pavlov

COMMUNITY LIAISON

Masha Pavlov was born in Odessa, Ukraine. She is married and loves to travel and enjoys family gatherings.  Family is first in her heart.  This “family comes first” motto translates into her career as well.  Masha comes to Dallas Jewish Funerals from a long standing career in the North Dallas area as a Funeral Planning Advisor for over 12 years.   She truly enjoys educating people with regards to end of life decisions and knowing your options.  She didn’t get to us by accident.  Masha and her family fled for their lives after many generations had been persecuted for being Jewish while in the Ukraine.  When they arrived to the United States, her parents left their Jewish religion and Russian culture behind out of fear of being mistreated here too.  Her parents raised their children in traditional American ways in hopes to provide them with better opportunities.  Masha recalls some of her Jewish faith from childhood and now that she is working closely with the Jewish Community, she is reminded of her roots and embracing her original faith.  Masha is excited to work with the local Rabbi’s, the Hadassah and local Synagogues to help take the fear out of having the most important conversation all of us will have in our lives.  She is also fluent in Russian thanks to her parents insisting the language being kept in the home.

Scott Bennett

PRE-PLANNING ADVISOR

Scott’s bio is coming soon.

Harold Harris

PRE-PLANNING ADVISOR

Harold Harris has worked in the Jewish funeral business the last 4 1/2 years assisting with hundreds of funerals and memorial services.  Harold transferred to us from Houston Jewish Funerals and now lives in Frisco, TX so he can be closer to his grandson. Harold has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee & a Masters from Tulane University. He has lived in Ohio, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas.

  • Member of Congregation Beth Israel since 1974.
  • Taxoma Regional Director of the B’nai Brith Youth Organization from 1974-1978.
  • Coached youth basketball for eight years at the Houston JCC.
  • Volunteered at the JCC, Congregation Beth Israel, YMCA & the Multiple Sclerosis Society
  • Officer of three different HOA’s & the inaugural president of Super Neighborhood 31 which is composed of nine subdivisions
  • US Army Veteran