Famous People who Chose Cremation

In the past, there have been leaders and pathfinders who have chosen to leave the world through cremation of their bodies. What follows is a partial list of these famous people:

Saul, the King of Israel, and his sons were brought to Yavesh-Gilad, and cremated there, while other kings, who had been punished by God, such as King Yehoram, were not cremated.

SAMUEL I, 31, 12:

"All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body ofSaul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bet- Sha'an, and theycame to Yavesh, and burned them there."

In modern times as well, one can find famous Jews who chose this way:

Albert Einstein - thought to be one of the greatest physicists of all times, whose name became a synonym for the word "genius".
Sigmund Freud - the father of modern psychoanalysis, which serves as the current basis for all existing theories about understanding the mind.
Robert Oppenheimer - the most important nuclear physicist to work on the American Manhattan Project; he was the first to exploit nuclear energy.
Arthur Rubenstein - one of the greatest pianists and conductors of the 20th century. The Arthur Rubenstein International Piano Competition was named in his honor.
Harpo Marx - one the three famous Marx brothers. In his will, he directed that he be cremated.
Ze'ev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky - He wrote in his will, dated 1935 in Paris, "It is my wish that I be buried or my body cremated (I have no preference) at the place where death finds me."
Ethel Merman - Born in Queens, New York, in 1908, she was known for her talent in acting, theater, and especially singing.

And many others. Here is a partial list of the non-Jews among them:

Maria Callas

Neville Chamberlain

Alexander Fleming

Greta Garbo

Marvin Gaye

George Harrison

Henry James

John F. Kennedy

Rudyard Kipling

John Lennon

Eliot Ness