CAJAC – The Community Association for Jewish At-Risk Cemeteries

This past Sunday, as we have for the last several years, J-High-TEQ participated in a chesed project at Bayside Cemetery.  Our luck held out yet again, as we were greeted with a beautiful, sunny, autumn day.  Our group of teens shared the work with a few individual volunteers and a  group of handsome Queens college fraternity men….Those of us who had participated in the past were awed by the vast improvement.   Last year we entered a  wilderness to uncover graves….this time, the forest was mostly cleared….leaving many graves covered with heavy  root systems, broken headstones and rusted dividers.  

Each of us chose a task and set a goal.  Rachel M and Joshua S and Tsvi W restored graves of children, which had stones that had sunk into the earth.  Denise and I decided to focus on a large plot. After 1.5 hours of clearing we discovered the headstone of Clara and Isador Gross.  They were born a day apart in August of 1832 and died only weeks apart in 1907.  Hadar and her dad and sister Niki(age 7) painted rusted railings.  Although she would have liked more snacks than were offered this year, Miki was especially touched by the opportunity to do a Mitzvah and is looking to do outreach to her friends.  She sent me this note:  “I liked yesterday because it was fun painting.  I also enjoyed it because it’s a mitzvah.  I hope I get to do it soon again.  We should hand out flyers and if you want I can hand some out at school.  My science teacher was talking about cleaning the earth so I will ask her,  if you approve.  I also have a few friends that maybe will come in the spring.  Miki.”

When daylight waned, we gathered for a  memorial service, taking care to remember those long forgotton souls. The work is far from complete, and we are aware the there are many other cemeteries needing loving care.    

We thank CAJAC led by Andrew Schultz  for the opportunity.

In my professional capacity with CAJAC, I often receive the question of “why Jewish cemeteries?”.  Many important, even vital Jewish organizations are competing for a finite number of resources.  After all, cemeteries aren’t going anywhere, meaning that if all of our Jewish cemeteries were to become insolvent (Heaven forbid), the physical cemeteries would still remain.  The prospects for preservation, on the other hand, would obviously be much bleaker. 

Undoubtedly, just about every Jewish organization and cause is essential to the short and long-term well-being of Jewish civilization.  Yeshivot/Jewish Day Schools proliferate and ensure the mesorah (transmitted tradition), of Torah is maintained from one generation to the next.  Jewish social service agencies provide life-saving care and support for our Jewish brethren.  Finally, the numerous organizations supporting Jewish life outside North America (including Israel) help ensure that Judaism is sustained and enhanced in the arba kanfot (four corners) of the world. 

Yet the Jewish cemetery, often referred to as beit olam or “house of the eternal”, encapsulates every aspect of Jewish life and civilization.  In fact, I frequently reiterate that outside of a museum, a cemetery represents the greatest collection of evidence of Jewish life.  Walking through a Jewish cemetery, one can appreciate the richness and diversity of Jewish people.  Almost every Jewish cemetery is the final resting place for veterans from just about every American war (though I have yet to find the grave of a Jewish War Vet from the Revolutionary War).  Additionally, many Jewish cemeteries are represented by burial societies, a tradition brought over from Eastern Europe.  In times of economic and political uncertainty, burial societies were created to assume the sanctified duties of traditional Jewish burial.  Finally, some Jewish cemeteries have areas demarcated as ”children’s sections”, with smaller gravestones marking the individual graves.  From this, we come to recognize and appreciate the advances in medicine and technology, which has resulted in the significant reduction of infant and child mortality rates. 

Every gravestone tells a story.  Each individual interred in a Jewish cemetery, no matter their occupation, social status, or observance level played some role in underscoring the vitality of Jewish life in America.  We owe it to our ancestors to ensure their eternal resting places are maintained with dignity and accessible to the Jewish community. Moreover, we must ensure our dearly departed are properly memorialized without compromise.     

Maintaining Jewish cemeteries fulfills the commandement of kavod ha-met, providing dignity to the deceased, and ensures the memories of our dearly departed are never obliterated.  Please be a part of CAJAC’s efforts, whether as a volunteer, donor, or advocate (or all of the above!).  The Jewish community is the lifeblood of CAJAC and we ask for your continued support and encouragement. 

In my short tenure as Director, I have dervied continuous inspiration from the tremendous dedication of our volunteers.  I thank each and every individual who has been a part of CAJAC’s efforts to proliferate kavod ha-met. 

Andrew E. Schultz, Executive Director