A Deeper Understanding
Jewish cemeteries provide a holy place for burial and graveside rituals, in addition to offering a place for visitation and reflection, genealogical research, and sacred books and objects. Time honored codes of conduct, carried down l'dor vador, align our consciousness towards the utmost respect for the dead - our Jewish ancestors - weaving each local remnant of Jewish history back into the common cloth. Jews buried in a Jewish cemetery are prepared in a manner intended to honor the holiness of human souls and deliver our human remains back to the Earth in as beautiful a manner as possible; for how can we mortals improve upon what our Creator has made?
Introduction
Establishing a cemetery is one of the first and highest priorities for a new Jewish community, and a Jewish cemetery is generally purchased and supported with communal funds. Each cemetery determines their own rules governing not only who can be buried there, but also rules that span the spectrum from disinterment to plot size variations to the use of flowers. Jewish burial grounds are typically not within synagogue grounds, usually located in public spaces, on land that is restricted for burial, and protected in perpetuity from development for other purposes. Often there are ownership or communal norms or restrictions on what is permissible within the cemetery.
Establishing a cemetery is more than a purchase of land. It is a spiritual commitment to our ancestors to honor them and to our descendants to show that a vibrant Jewish community existed here. Thus, historically the creation of a cemetery has been one of the first and highest priorities for a new Jewish community. The land of the cemetery is usually considered holy, and a special consecration ceremony takes place on its inauguration.
Details
Jewish burial grounds are typically located in public spaces, on land that is restricted for burial, and protected in perpetuity from development for other purposes. Cemeteries are intended to be forever, and their ownership should reflect that. A Jewish cemetery may be owned by a synagogue or by some type of Jewish society. Some municipalities own larger cemeteries with dedicated Jewish sections. Many communities have cemeteries that are corporately owned, with one or more Jewish sections.
A Jewish cemetery can be recognized by iconic symbols on gravestones. These might include the Hebrew acronym for this phrase, t’hay nafsho/ah tzrurah b’tzror hachaim, “May his/her soul be bound up in the bond of life.” This paraphrases the words that Abigail told King David (I Samuel 25:29): “But my lord’s soul shall be bound in the bond of life…” One might also see a Mogan David, the classic six-pointed star, or the Hebrew letters, pay-nun, an acronym for the Hebrew phrase, po nikbar, “here is buried,” or maybe an image of the Levite’s washing pitcher for washing the Kohen’s feet, or the Kohen’s hands arranged for the priestly blessing.
Gravestones may be upright or flat, made from a variety of different materials, including granite, marble, or bronze. They may be plain or ornately decorated with carvings, and even occasionally with pictures of the deceased. Most notable to visitors is often the placement of small pebbles or stones found on the top if gravestones, indicating that this grave has been recently visited. Memorial markers are typically erected within the first year following burial, with a specific American custom to have a small unveiling service to note the installation of the stone. Subsequent visitors to the grave note their visit by leaving a pebble or stone on top of the gravestone.
Some cemeteries are centuries old. Cemetery boards and management may face challenges with ownership, finances, and practices. Innovative cemeterians are eager to accommodate various traditions and to incorporate strategies to convert to “greener” practices and are actively seeking knowledge, tools, and practices to develop appropriate and well-organized innovation strategies.
Cemeteries vary in size and scope, from a single grave, a family plot, a specific community group plot, or an open communal cemetery. Rules can (and should) cover requirements such as what sort of monuments, markers, gravestones, headstones, foot stones, vaults, or crypts; what words or symbols may be displayed or included on such monuments, what decorations or plantings may be placed on or surrounding a grave; what types of caskets, liners or vaults, or burial of cremated remains are permitted; what sort of ceremonies and rituals are required, and who may be buried in which section.
Resources to Learn More
A Jewish cemetery is a piece of land set aside specifically for burial that has been dedicated through ceremony that reflects Jewish values and customs.
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