Which term means 'to mourn' in Jewish practice?

• A. Avelim
• B. Ark
• C. Niftar
• D. Daven

Answer: (A)

In Jewish practice, mourning is embodied by those who have lost a loved one and enter the mourning period. The people who participate in these rituals are called mourners, and the Hebrew term for them is avelim (singular: avel). This word directly labels the role of those who mourn, making it the best answer when the question asks for the term that means “to mourn” in practice—the concept centers on the mourners themselves and their prescribed obligations, such as sitting shiva, reciting Kaddish, and other mourning rites.

The other terms don’t capture mourning as a category of people. Ark refers to the sacred ark that houses the Torah; niftar means the deceased person, the one who has died; daven means to pray.