Barbara, The torn black ribbon that the immediate family wears during the 7-day Shiva period is a non-orthodox substitute for the rendering of one's clothes (mourners wear the clothes that they tore at the time of learning of the death or at the funeral). For more info, please see: http://www.jewfaq.org/death.htm#Mourning I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. Regards, Walter Greenspan Great Falls, MT & Jericho, NY