GRAVEYARDS TELL GENEAOLOGICAL STORIES

Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

April 18, 2010

Graveyards are not just a resting place for the dead.They have stories to tell.

Today, you will learn …

What makes a cemetery “Jewish” The important role of Jewish burial

societies and “landsmanschaft” How to locate the cemetery where your

ancestor is buried How to read a Jewish tombstone and

what the symbols on Jewish tombstones mean

What JOWBR is and how to use it The resources that are available to help

you research Jewish cemeteries

And, most importantly, you will have a live

demonstration by one of our members of how and what she learned about her ancestors through

cemetery research.

What makes a Jewish cemetery Jewish?

1. Has physical boundaries that set the cemetery off from its surroundings, holy for Jews.

2. Is considered consecrated ground where Jewish burial practices and customs are observed.

3. Is owned by the Jewish community; has rules and regulations authorized by a Board of Directors.

4. Only Jewish symbols are permitted on a Jewish cemetery.

5. Only Jewish clergy or lay people may officiate at a burial services or any other service in a Jewish cemetery.

6. Perpetual care funds are managed by and for the care of the Jewish cemetery

7. Closed on Shabbat and all major Jewish holidays

What makes a Jewish Cemetery more Jewish?

The purchase contract stipulates that the area of the plot is designed exclusively for Jews.

Burials are permanent; the cemetery corporation does not have any authority over graves in the cemetery.

All facilities for Jews and non-Jews are absolutely separate – with separate entrance gates and sections.

What was the role ofJewish burial societies and

landsmanschaft?

LANDSMANSCHAFTEN   Purpose of the organizers

   Benefits    Membership Makeup

  Origin of Info: Surprise origin    Sources for info of above

   Demise of Landsmanschaften.  

  Reasons for demise

Locating the Cemetery Where Your Ancestor Is Buried

Make sure you have the right cemetery. Determine who has administrative

responsibility for the cemetery. Make contact with the responsible agency

or person. Request copy of all records.

Make sure you have the right cemetery!

Family Stories Death Certificates Obituaries Memory Cards Websites

Websites

http://www.internment.nethttp://www.cyndislist.comhttp://www.findagrave.comhttp://www.daddezio.com/records/vital/interment.htmlhttp://www.accessgenealogy.com/cemeteryhttp://jewishgen.org

How To Read a Jewish Tombstone and What the

Symbols on Jewish Tombstones Actually Mean

(Tombstones Are Not Always Accurate)

VOVThe vov is the seventh letter of the

Hebrew alphabet. Vov is the name of the letter.

YUD The word ‘yud’, is pronounced yood as in ‘good’. The Yud is the eleventh

letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

GimmelThe gimmel is the fourth letter of the

Hebrew alphabet.

NUNSounds more like ‘noon’ than

‘none’. The Nun is the sixteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet.

JEWISHGEN ONLINE WORLDWIDE BURIAL

REGISTRY (JOWBR)

 

What is it?Combination of 2 databases

• Burial records• Information about each particular cemetery

What does it contain?Over 1 million cemetery and burial records worldwide

• Names and other identifying information • Photographs of gravestones• Data accepted only for entire cemetery, landsmanschaften,

or organization within a larger cemetery

What is in the database?

Names of deceasedPlace of birth/deathDate of birth/death

Hebrew nameAge/burial datePlot identifier

Name of spouseName of father/mother

CommentsCemetery name/city/county

Cem

ete

ries in

New

H

aven

These are the gravestones of the sons of my great, great grandfather Elizer Halevi. They are all buried in the same cemetery within several rows of each other.

These are the gravestones of the known daughters and sons of my great grandfather Woolf (Zev Dov) Goldblatt. They are buried in different cemeteries within 2 blocks of each other.

Cem

ete

ries in

New

H

aven