Christian Death Ritual
You're probably saying, "Wait, what kind of Christian?" And you're right; Christians are a diverse group. There are tons of denominations and each has its own version of traditions and rituals. However, in general, there are common characteristics about Christian death rituals.

Christian death rituals got their start in ancient Rome where the dead were placed in catacombs (kinda like an underground cemetery) and sarcophagi. Today, ancient cleansing rituals have been replaced by the modern practice of embalming, mausoleums, green cemeteries and cremation.

The overall outline of the death ritual, however, remains pretty much the same. The body is cleansed in preparation for a viewing or wake which allows mourners to say goodbye. It's not uncommon for the dead to be buried with pictures of kids or pets or some other object of importance, harkening back to a time when knights were buried with swords, and kings were buried with symbols of their royal status.

Prayers are integral to both the church and burial services, and include the familiar Ashes to ashes psalm. The funeral services usually end with a reception at the deceased's house where family and friends comfort each other with food, stories and whatever else they feel appropriate.

Sounds pretty somber, but there's a lot of variation between different Christian groups as well as family to family. It's all about personal preference. Watch a couple episodes of Six Feet Under and you'll get the picture.

Jewish Death Ritual
According to Jewish tradition, time is of the essence when it comes to completing death rituals. Someone stays with the deceased from the moment of death, reciting Tehilim or psalms while other mourners clean the body and wrap it in a tachrichim or shroud (they have to be the same sex as the deceased). The burial ceremony is simple and free of extravagances because they're not to show signs of wealth or poverty in the afterlife.

Following the burial, family members spend seven days in mourning. During this time, called Shiva, they do virtually nothing other than mourn their loss. Some Orthodox Jews even cover the mirrors in their house, which probably helps with the fact that bathing is prohibited during this time. Though mourners are expected to refrain from any activity that brings joy (sex, reading the Bible, wearing new clothes, you know, the usual), they are allowed to accept visitors during the last four days of Shiva.

The death ritual lasts well beyond this seven-day period, with several prayer recitations at specific points in time to honor the dead.

Muslim Death Ritual
Muslim death rituals follow a very strict pattern but are generally similar to those above. The body is washed an odd number of times with scented water and also perfumed before being wrapped in white cloth. A series of prayers are recited facing Mecca, an ancient holy site that's important to Islam.

Next, mourners walk the body to the burial site (except in cases where it's really far) in a simple procession, reciting prayers the entire time. Prayers continue until the body is covered with earth.