International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

Instructions & Information

International Jewish Cemetery Project





A Non-Profit Volunteer Cooperative Initiative of IAJGS: International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies and JewishGen, Inc's JOWBR to Identify Jewish Burial Sites and Interments Throughout in the World

Preparing for a Cemetery Visit, byThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
1) Get the death certificate if possible and other documents you might want to refer to so that you are prepared. 2) Check the databases such as JOWBR, FindAGave, etc. to make sure at least some of the information is not already online. Check with the individual cemetery because some of them have posted databases for their internments. Also check not only the individual name you need but family names because there may be others in the same cemetery/same plot. Also when you are there take time to walk around the area because you might be surprised to find other relatives. Also when you are at the plot see if the Society erected gates because they often have the names of the officers of the Society. Also check both sides of the stone if it is a standing one because sometimes they put Hebrew on one side and English on the other. 3) If it is an older cemetery/grave the stone might be only in Hebrew. Translate the date of death into the Hebrew calendar as well as the Hebrew characters. If the stone is not going to be in English it is very likely the date will not be in Arabic numerals either. Also remember that they could be using a Hebrew name which is very different from the every day name you are expecting. So the date may be critical. 3) Call the office and try to work with them in advance. Tell them your are trying to find family graves and ask what help they can offer. You might want to asking about making an appointment for the visit for the staff/groundskeeper will be available to help. Also ask them if they can look in advance and see if they have the plot map for that area. Most times the office will be cooperative with you. They might also know if the burial society (if there was one) is still active and have a contact for the people who manage it. Those people might have information or a map. 3) When you get to the office ask for the map and do things like count the rows, in the from the paths, etc. to try and get a location. Ask if the office will photocopy the map or let you take a digital picture. Try and takes notes of names at the end of rows, etc. so you can relate the map to the plot when you get there. Some but not all plots have distinct patterns of burial. Some buried women and men in separate sections. Some buried in date order and in that case they might work from the back of the plot towards the front and from the right side to the left. Some permitted family groupings within the society. So spend some time getting a feel for the patterns. Generally cemetery offices will not have a lot of information and are reluctant to share too much because of concerns over privacy. They generally only keep basic information like the burial date and the next of kin/who is responsible for the grave. They might know the name of the firm that did the stone or the funeral home. Older cemeteries often kept burial books which were arranged by plot and then by date. They can be an alternate reference if you have a problem with finding the grave and if the cemetery will let you look at the book might be an easy way to look for family members in the same plot. The books generally only have the name, the date and the location of the grave. 4) If the cemetery office can not help or provide someone to go out to the plot with you look around and see if the men who say prayers are at the cemetery. In New York we can often find these men there to help the families say prayers. For a small gratuity you might be able to enlist their help to go out the plot and help by reading the Hebrew stones. Or in some cases there might be a Jewish center nearby or you might even be able to find a lister to meet you at the cemetery and help with the Hebrew. 5) While you are there why not photograph the whole society plot and then you can donate the information to JOWBR as well. Digital cameras and smart phone cameras make it easy. If you are having problems reading the stones take close ups of the writing. You may even need to do a montage to capture parts of it and then piece it together later. If it is overgrown sometimes you can even get a close up behind the bush or whatever to capture details and then piece back together the stone in your photos. This technique also works nicely on faded stones that are difficult to read (see below). 6) Give yourself enough time. The office may be busy. The cemetery may be large. It may take several efforts/visits to the office during the trip to find the grave so don't go just before closing time and you do not want to be watching you watch because you have another appointment. Don't be afraid to go back to the office and say you can not find it. Most of them will be cooperative to help you when you are there. 7) You may want to take some "supplies." By that I mean a soft paint brush or such to brush away dirt or grime on the stones. Maybe some garden gloves. Maybe even a small hand trimmer because the stone might be grown over. Also of course paper, pencil, pen, something to lean on to take notes. Don't go in your best clothes because you might have to be climbing over or around overgrowth or whatever.
[Editorial suggestion: Wear long pants and sleeves]
In oldest cemeteries you may have to deal with a stone that has sunken or is partially covered by soil. (I am not going to take a stance on things like charcoal, paper, etc. I have had a lot of luck taking high resolution digital images and then manipulating them on the computer to increase contrast, etc. to create a digital "rubbing" of the stone to pull out hard to read text. If you are planning on photographing a lot plot someone long ago suggested taking golf tees and using them to mark the stones are you photograph them. If the plot is not symmetrical it might be a big help to know what you have done. I guess you need to collect them at the end and also take some time to review the pictures on your camera before you leave or even after every few shots. Nothing worse than to get home and find the camera was not working, you had sun glare, the pictured blurred, etc. The extra time on site can save a lot of heart ache later.
To donate information about a cemetery or burial site please click on one of the options below to get the form to fill out. Completing a survey will help you assist our goal of documenting every Jewish burial in the world. To donate photographs or other materials please fill out our donor form below.

     The International Jewish Cemetery Project documents international Jewish burial sites and interments. Initially launched in response to the increasing worldwide interest in Jewish ancestry and heritage, the project also now serves the broader community of cemetery management, funeral directors, Jewish heritage and monument organizations as well as individuals searching for the burial places of their ancestors and relatives. Cemeteries and mass graves, individual interments, sometimes in non-Jewish cemeteries, is the scope of this effort. If you know of a cemetery --anywhere in the world-- that remains to be included in the IAJGS International Jewish Cemetery Project, please use the instructions below to share your information and to grow this project.
Information about
- interpreting, reading, photographing, and preserving Jewish gravestones
- funeral home and cemetery websites

Catacombs are an ancient form of Jewish burial. Jews probably invented the custom. Read more here. [2014]
Death, to Judaism, means the separation of the body from the soul. The washing of the corpse (traditionally clothed in a plain shroud), the laying out, and the burial are undertaken by the burial society (Chevra Kadisha) or a Jewish funeral home. The relatives of the deceased are excused from all religious duties until the burial that usually occurs on the day after the death except on a Sabbath or any Jewish holiday. Cremation is permitted only in Reform Judaism. The cemetery in Hebrew is called the "House of Eternity" and the "House of Life", where the dead are to have eternal rest.
On the first anniversary of the death (Yahrzeit), the gravestone is placed in the cemetery. At each anniversary of the death, a Yizkor candle is lit in memory of the deceased (and a fast is observed by traditional Jews.)

Chevra Kavod Hamet

Traditionally, Kaddish is said from the day of burial, daily for the first eleven months, and on the anniversary of the death. If there is no one to say Kaddish for the deceased, then the Chevra Kadisha will provide this important service.

KADDISH TRANSLATION May the great Name of God be exalted and sanctified, throughout the world, which he has created according to his will. May his Kingship be established in your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire household of Israel, swiftly and in the near future; and say, Amen.
May his great name be blessed, forever and ever.
Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, honored elevated and lauded be the Name of the holy one, Blessed is he- above and beyond any blessings and hymns, Praises and consolations which are uttered in the word; and say Amen. May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon is and upon all Israel; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel; and say Amen.
He who makes peace in his high holy places, may he bring peace upon us, and upon all Israel; and say Amen.

KADDISH TRANSLITERATION Yit-gadal v'yit-kadash sh'mey raba, b'alma di v'ra hirutey, vyam-lih mal-hutey b'ha-yey-hon uv'yomey-hon uv'ha-yey d'hol beyt yisrael ba-agala u-vizman kariv, v'imru amen.
Y'hey sh'mey raba m'varah l'alam ul'almey alma-ya.
Yit-barah v'yish-tabah v'yit-pa-ar v'yit-romam v'yit-na-sey v'yit-hadar v'yit-aleh v'yit-halal sh'mey d'kud-sha, b'rih hu, leyla* min kol bir-hata v'shi-rata tush-b'hata v'ne-hemata da-amiran b'alma, v imru amen.
Y'hey sh'lama raba min sh'ma-ya, v'ha-yim aleynu v'al kol yisrael, vimru amen.
Oseh shalom bim-romav, hu ya-aseh shalom aleynu v'al kol yisrael, v'imru amen. * On Shabbat Shuvah add: ul'eyla.

The following is reprinted with the permission granted December 2000 by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for Temple of Aaron of St. Paul, Minnesota

What Makes a Cemetery Jewish?

. "The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning" by Maurice Lamm offers the following criteria for determining a proper burial place for Jews:
  1. The purchase contract should stipulate that the area of the plot is designed exclusively for Jews.
  2. Burial rights must be permanent. The cemetery corporation should not be permitted to exercise any authority with regard to the removal of the remains from any grave.
  3. All facilities for Jew and non-Jew must be absolutely separate -- with separate entrance gates, and with each section fenced completely.
"The American Jewish Desk Reference" states: The cemetery comprises a specific set of Jewish tradition and customs connected to the burial of the dead. Known in Hebrew as "bet kevarot", place of the graves, and "bet olam", house of eternity, the land of the cemetery is usually considered holy and a special consecration ceremony reserved for Jews takes place on its inauguration. 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.