1WalnutHillsCemetery 2CovedaleCemeteries 3PriceHillCemeteries(SunsetAvenue)
4PriceHillCemeteries(RosemontAvenue)
5CliftonCemetery 6ChestnutSt.Cemetery 7MontgomeryCemetery 8HamiltonCemetery
JEWISHCEMETERIESOFGREATERCINCINNATI
WhileJewishCemeteriesofGreaterCincinnati(JCGC)beganoperationsjustafewyearsagoin2008,thecemeteriesthatarepartofJCGChaveamuchlongerandveryrichhistory.Wearepleasedtobeabletobringsomeofthathistorytoyouinthispresentation.-DavidHoguet,ExecutiveDirector*AspecialthankstoTheJacobRaderMarcusCenteroftheAmericanJewishArchives,locatedonthehistoricCincinnaticampusofHebrewUnionCollege,whoprovidedcontentfortheWalnutHillsCemeteryportionofthepresentation.
CHESTNUTSTREETIn1821,whenBenjaminLieb(orLape),whohadnotbeenknownasaJew,wasdying,hebeggedtobeburiedasaJew.TherewasnoJewishburialgroundinthetown.MorrisMosesandJosephJonas,twoofCincinnati'ssixJews,proceededtoacquireasmallplotofgroundfromNicholasLongworthtobeusedasacemeterytoburyLieb.TheChestnutStreetCemeteryistheoldestJewishcemeterywestoftheAllegheniesandislocatedintheBetts-LongworthHistoricDistrictintheWestEnd.TheCemeteryissitedonasmallplotenclosedbyhighwallsandalockedgate.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
TheWalnutHillscemeteryopenedin1850.UnitedJewishCemeterieswasfoundedin1854byRockdaleTempleandWiseTempletooverseeandcareforthecemetery.UJCgrewtooverseeandmaintainallofCincinnati'sReformJewishcemeteries.Thecemetery,whichis10.5acres,containstheremainsofmanynotablesfromCincinnati'sJewishhistory.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSRabbiIsaacMayerWise,1819–1900,envisionedanAmericanJewryforAmericanJews.Theresultsofthatvision–theHebrewUnionCollege,theUnionforReformJudaismandtheCentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis–continuetothisdaytoserveasthepillarsofAmericanReformJudaism.Asapulpitrabbi,asacommunityleader(founderandeditorofTheAmericanIsraelite),asarabbinicleader(publisherofMinhagAmerica),andasafoundingpresidentofHUC,IsaacMayerWisewas–andremains–oneofthemostinfluentialshapersofJewishlifeinAmerica.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSDavidUrbansky,1843–1897,wasawardedtheCongressionalMedalofHonorforgallantryinbattleatVicksburgandShilohduringtheAmericanCivilWar–oneofsixUnionJewishsoldierstoreceivethisaward.BorninPrussia,Urbansky’sfamilysettlednearColumbus,Ohio.HevolunteeredfortheUnionArmyin1861attheageof18eventhoughhewasnotyetanAmericancitizen.Neverregainingfullhealthafterthewar,UrbanskydiedinPiquain1897.Sometimeafter,hisfamilymovedtoCincinnatiandtransferredhisremainstoWalnutHills.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSJacobMarcus,1896–1995,cametoHUCasa15-year-oldstudentin1911andneverleft.MarcusjoinedtheHUCfacultyin1920immediatelyafterordination.AfterreceivingaPh.D.fromtheUniversityofBerlin,MarcusspenthisearlyyearsasanacademicfocusingonEuropeanJewishhistory.Inthe1940’shebegantoemphasizeAmericanJewishhistory,resultinginhisfoundingoftheAmericanJewishArchivesin1947andtheAmericanJewishPeriodicalCenterin1956.Marcuswasaprolificauthorandbecameknownasthe“DeanofAmericanJewishHistory.”In1950heservedasCCARpresidentandwaslaternamedlifetimehonoraryPresident.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSMurraySeasongood,1878–1983,ignitedtheCharteritereformmovementinCincinnatiwithafieryanti-taxspeech(labeledbynewspapersasthe"ShotHeard'RoundtheWards")onOctober9,1923.HebecameCincinnati’sfirstCharteritemayorandservedasMayorfrom1926to1930,becomingnationallyknownforhisreformefforts.Hewasnamedasoneofthe100GreatestOhioCitizensin1974.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSMaxLilienthal,1814–1882,ontherecommendationoffamedGermanRabbiLudwigPhilippson,wasnamedthedirectoroftheJewishschoolinRigain1839.In1841,attherequestoftheRussianMinisterofEducation,LilienthalwasappointedtoleadanefforttoreformRussianJewishschoolsbyestablishingstateschoolsmodeleduponEuropean-styleeducation.Lilienthal’seffortsinthismatterwereentirelyunsuccessfulandweremetbygreatresistancefromalmostallRussianJews.In1845LilienthalleftRussiaandcametotheUnitedStates,whereheservedasrabbiofseveralcongregationsinNewYorkCityuntil1850.HebecamerabbiatK.K.BeneIsraelinCincinnatiin1854,whereheserveduntilhisdeath.HewasanactivereformeraswellasafriendandsupporterofIsaacMayerWiseandofWise’seffortstobeginaseminaryinCincinnati.
WALNUTHILLSCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSFredericWilliamZiv,1905–2001,wasborninCincinnati,thesonofimmigrantsfromLithuaniaandBessarabia.AnAmericanbroadcastingproducerandsyndicator,heisconsideredthefatheroftelevisionsyndicationandonceoperatedthenation'slargestindependenttelevisionproductioncompany.Afteranearliercareerinadvertisingandradiosyndication,hestartedZivTelevisionProductionsin1949,producingpopularshowssuchasTheCiscoKid,HighwayPatrol,BatMastersonandSeaHunt.Hehadaneyeforyoungtalent–bringingalongsuchstarsasClintEastwood,RobertRedford,MaryTylerMoore,SteveMcQueen,AngieDickinson,andJamesGarner.AftersellingtheCompanytoUnitedArtistsintheearly1960’s,ZivbecameaprofessorofbroadcastingandadvertisingattheUniversityofCincinnatiforovertwentyyearsbeforeheretired.
CLIFTONCEMETERY
SoonafterbuyingthelandtheCliftoncemeterysitsonin1848,afterhis
neighborslethimknowtheywouldpreferifhebuilthishouseelsewhere,CharlesKahnsoldittotheAhabethAchimcongregation(laterSherithIsrael).Mr.Kahnsaidtohisneighbors,“Verywell,gentlemen,ifyoudonotcaretohaveaJewlivingnearyou,youcannotobjecttodeadJews,andyoushallhavemanyofthese,formanyyears,innoconditiontooffendyou.”SherithIsraelmergedwithWiseTemplein1931.Thecemeteryis1.3acresandaboutonemilefromtheHUCcampus.
CLIFTONCEMETERY
NOTABLEINTERMENTSRabbiAlfredGottschalk,1930–2009,borninGermany,grewupinBrooklyn,PresidentofHebrewUnionCollegefrom1971–2000.OrdainedthefirstfemaleUSrabbiin1972andthefirstfemalerabbiinIsraelin1992.InstrumentalinthedevelopmentoftheUnitedStatesHolocaustMemorialMuseum,openedin1993,andPresidentofMuseumofJewishHeritage–ALivingMemorialtotheHolocaustfrom2000–2003.Dr.Gottschalk’smonumentismadeofJerusalemstone.
COVEDALECEMETERIES
AlltheCovedalecemeteriesareOrthodoxcemeterieswiththeexceptionofNorthernHills,whichisaConservativecemetery.MostoftheCovedalecemeteriesopenedintheearly1900’s.
COVEDALECEMETERIESAndersonFerryEntrance
TheAndersonFerryentranceleadstothreeGolfManorcemeteriestotaling1.2acres(GolfManor#1,#2and#3),andtwocemeteriesGolfManortookover,BethJacob/PriceHill(0.4acres)andBethHamidrashHagodol(3.9acres),priortothemergerwithJCGC.AmericanBeneficialSociety(0.3acres),whichwasestablishedasaburialsocietyin1913,isalsoaccessedthroughtheAndersonFerryentrance.
KnesethIsraelEntranceKnesethIsrael(0.6acres)isonthecornerofAndersonFerryandSidneyRoads,withtheentranceonSidney.
COVEDALECEMETERIESSidneyRoadEntrance
YadChorutzim(0.6acres)andTiferethIsrael(0.4acres)wereownedbyNorthAvondaleSynagogue,whichclosedin1997.TiferethIsraelCongregationformedin1906andoccupiedabuildingonVictoryParkwayinWalnutHillsfrom1916–1948.NorthernHillsCemetery(0.3acres)wasoriginallythecemeteryofCongregationB’naiAvraham(NorwoodCongregation)whichwasstartedin1912.B’naiAvrahammergedwithNorthernHillsSynagoguein1967.NewHopeCemetery(0.4acres)wasaffiliatedwithNewHopeCongregation,whichstartedin1939tomeettheneedsandsensitivitiesofrefugeesandlatersurvivorsfromEurope.NewHopeCongregationclosedin1994.
COVEDALECEMETERIES
NOTABLEINTERMENTSKNESETHISRAELRabbiEliezerSilver,1882–1968,wasborninLithuaniaandimmigratedtotheUSin1907,whereheacceptedarabbinicalpositioninHarrisburg,PA.HisTorahscholarshipsoondrewhimintoleadingOrthodoxcirclesonthenationallevel.RabbiSilverwasactiveinreliefeffortsinWorldWarI.In1925hemovedtoSpringfield,MA.In1932,heacceptedaninvitationtobecomeRabbiinCincinnatiatKnesethIsrael.HebecameheadoftheVa’adHoier,makinghimtheultimatehalachicauthorityoverothersynagoguesbelongingtotheVa’ad.In1939,SilverconvenedanemergencymeetinginNewYorkCitytodiscusstherecentdevelopmentsinNazi-occupiedEurope.AtthismeetingtheVa’adHatzalah,orRescueCommittee,wasformed,withRabbiSilveraspresident.Helaunchedafund-raisingcampaign,collectingmorethan$5million,whichhelpedtoprovide2,000visastoJewishrefugeesinEasternEurope.
COVEDALECEMETERIES
NOTABLEINTERMENTSTIFERETHISRAELRabbiBernardKalchman,1898-1966,RabbiatBethIsrael,Hamilton,from1933–1946,laterbecamerabbiatYadChorutzim(NorthAvondale).
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESJudahTouro
JudahTouro(8.5acres)wasoneofthefirstcemeteriesestablishedinPriceHillandisaReformcemetery.Itsconstitutionwasestablishedin1855andthefirstburialstookplacein1856.JudahTourohasahouseonthepropertywhichislivedinbyafamilywhonowperformssecurityworkforJCGConallthePriceHillcemeteries.MembersofthisfamilyhaveservedascaretakersatJudahTouroforsometime.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESSchachnus/Montefiore
Schachnus/BethTefyla(1.9acres)wasestablishedin1874subsequenttothefoundingofBethTefylacongregationbyRabbiSchachneIsaacsandisanOrthodoxcemetery.MontefioreMutualBenefitSociety,foundedin1871toprovideasocialoreducationalframeworkformembersandtheirfamiliestosupporteachother,alsofunctionedasaburialsocietyandlaterpurchasedland(0.5acres)foritscemeteryfromBethTefyla.SchachnusandMontefioreshareanentrance.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESSchachnus/BethTefyla
NOTABLEINTERMENTSSchachneIsaacs,1811–1887,immigratedfromLithuaniaandarrivedintheCincinnatiareabywayofNewYorkin1856.HeopenedageneralstoreinDarrtown,latermovingtoCincinnatiwhereheenteredthewholesaledrygoodsbusiness.HewasvigilantintheobservanceofOrthodoxy.Whenhiscongregationfailedtoincludeplansforamikvahinaproposedbuilding,heresignedinprotestandstartedhisowncongregation,BethTefyla,in1869.ItisstillknownasRebSchachne’sShul.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESSchachnus/BethTefyla
NOTABLEINTERMENTSRabbiAbrahamJ.G.Lesser,1835–1925,wasarabbiinRussiaandcametoChicagoin1880wherehewaselectedpresidentoftheUnionofOrthodoxRabbis.HecametoCincinnatiinthe1890’sandwasconsideredCincinnati’sOrthodoxchiefrabbiinthefirstdecadeofthetwentiethcentury.GraveLocation–Privateplotontherightatthewalkwaythatgoesintothecemetery.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESSchachnus/BethTefyla
NOTABLEINTERMENTSRabbiBetzalelEpstein,1878–1938,originallyfromEstonia,becameRabbiofBnaiJacobin1929;BnaiJacobmergedwithAgudasIsrael(GolfManor)in1933,withRabbiEpsteinbecomingtheRabbiofthemergedcongregation.RabbiEpsteinclashedwithRabbiSilverashesupervisedhisownKashrutanddidnotjointheVa’adHoierorganizedbyRabbiSilverinthe1930’s.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESHirshHoffert/ChesedChelEmmes
HirshHoffert(1.3acres)andChesedChelEmmes(1.2acres)aretothewestofJudahTouroandshareanentrance.BothcemeteriesareOrthodox.HirshHoffertstartedasaburialassociation.ChesedChelEmmeswasfoundedin1921andhistoricallyprovidedburialspacetomembersofthecommunitywhosefinancialcircumstancesmightnotallowthemtopayanyorallofthecostsofaburialspace.ChesedChelEmmesisnotpartofJCGC.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESAdathIsraelCemetery
AdathIsraelCemetery(4.9acres)isthenorthernmostcemeteryontheeastsideofSunsetAvenueandhasitsentranceonSunset.ItisaffiliatedwithAdathIsraelCongregationwhichwasstartedin1846byGermanPolishJews.ItisaConservativecemetery.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESAdathIsraelCemetery
NOTABLEINTERMENTSRabbiBernardIllowy,1814–1875,borninBohemia,cametotheUSin1848.HewastherabbiatShaareZedekinNewYorkCity,RodelphShalominPhiladelphia,UnitedHebrewCongregationinSt.Louis,KnesetShalominSyracuse,StadtShuleinBaltimore,andShangaraiHasedinNewOrleans.HecametoCincinnatiin1865asRabbiofAhabethAchim,whichlatermergedwithSherithIsrael.HewasknownasaneminentTalmudist,apowerfulpreacher,andastrictadherentofOrthodoxJudaism.Heengagedinfierce,polemicalwarfarewiththeleadersoftheReformmovementbutwasalsogreatfriendswiththeseleaders.RabbisWiseandLilienthalgaveeulogiesathisfuneral.Hediedinanaccidentwhentheaxleofhisbuggybrokeandhewasthrowntotheground,leavinghimparalyzed.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESAdathIsraelCemetery
NOTABLEINTERMENTSRabbiLouisFeinberg,1887–1949,borninLithuania,attendedhighschoolinPhiladelphiaandcollegeatUniversityofPennsylvania,ordainedatJewishTheologicalSeminaryin1916.HewasrabbiatAdathIsraelfrom1918–1949.Hemodernizedthelifeandprogramofthesynagogueinreligious,educationalandculturalmatters,andalsomovedthecongregationtoitsLexingtonandReadingRoadslocationin1927.
PRICEHILLCEMETERIESUnitedJewishCemeteries–PriceHill/LoveBrothers
UnitedJewishCemeteries–PriceHill(1.9acres)istothesouthofAdathIsraelandhasitsentranceonRosemontAvenueThiscemeterywasoriginallytheSherithIsraelcemetery,establishedin1857,andbecameaUnitedJewishCemeteriesmemberafterthe1931mergerofBeneYeshurunCongregationwithCongregationSherithIsraeltoformtheIsaacM.WiseTemple.ItisaReformcemetery.LoveBrothersCemetery(7.2acres)istothesouthofUJC–PriceHillandalsohasitsentranceonRosemont.ItisaffiliatedwithOhavShalomCongregation.OhavShalomwasfoundedin1882andthecemeterywasincorporatedin1903.Spanish–HebrewSociety(0.1acres)islocatedinsideLoveBrothersandisnotpartofJCGC.ThecemeterywasaffiliatedwiththeSephardicBethShalomSynagoguewhichstartedin1913andclosedin1993.LoveBrothersisaConservativecemeteryandSpanish-HebrewisanOrthodoxcemetery.
MONTGOMERYCEMETERY
Bythe1960s,alargesegmentofCincinnati’sReformJewishcommunityhadmigratedtothenortheasternquadrantofthecommunity.UJCacquiredlandinthecommunityofMontgomeryanddevelopedacemetery,nowJCGC’smostactivecemetery.ThecemeterysubsequentlydevelopedaConservativesection,aswellasasectionforAdathIsraelCongregation.Thecemeteryis11.5acres.
HAMILTONCEMETERY
Formanyyears,avibrantReformJewishcommunityinHamilton,Ohio,worshipedatTempleBeneIsrael,whichmaintainedasmallcemeteryonPleasantAvenue,adjoiningacemeteryownedbyaConservativecongregationthere.Ashighwaysandautomobilesimproved,manyofBeneIsrael’smembersmigratedtolargercongregationsinCincinnati.In1970,BeneIsraelbecameaffiliatedwithWiseTemple,andsubsequentlythecemetery,whichis.9acres,becamepartofUJC.
CONTACTJewishCemeteriesofGreaterCincinnati3400MontgomeryRd.Cincinnati,[email protected]