Our Mission
CAJAC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the ideal of hesed shel emet (“faithful benevolence”), which is the Jewish tradition’s designation for kindness toward the deceased, who are unable to make claims or offer thanks.
Incorporated in New York in 2007, CAJAC has received a seed grant from UJA-Federation of New York and been given operational assistance by the Hebrew Free Burial Association. CAJAC’s work functions largely through the effort of dedicated volunteers, who assist with physical labor, record-keeping, legal and financial and managerial advice, and more.
CAJAC’s mission is
* to care for orphaned cemeteries primarily within the Jewish communities of Metropolitan New York and the Tri-State Area (NY, NJ, CT)
* to honor the dead in accordance with Jewish religious practices and traditions;
* to help rescue, repair, rejuvenate, and preserve Jewish cemeteries while formulating best practices for managing and protecting cemeteries in perpetuity;
* to assist Jewish cemetery owners/operators with relevant industry information and networking, and to serve, when necessary as an ombudsman and overseer.
