Is there a prescribed ritual for an unveiling?
No. Custom dictates a brief ceremony, with family and friends present. Generally, Psalms are recited, followed by some brief words about the deceased, the actual unveiling of the stone, the El Maleh Rachamim (the Memorial Prayer), and the Kaddish.
Why do some people leave pebbles on the headstone as they leave the cemetery?
In biblical times graves were frequently marked by a pile of stones. They would be toppled by wind and rain, and people would have to re-pile the stones. Some suggest that this may explain the custom of leaving pebbles, that is, by leaving a stone, you are, in effect, resetting the “pile” of stones, and receiving credit as if marking the grave for the first time. Today, the pebbles serve as a visible sign that members of the family came to visit and remember.
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