Jewish Law
For a
cemetery to be declared Jewish it must:
* Be
consecrated ground, designated and blessed for Jewish burial;
*
Stipulate that the area is exclusively for Jews;
* If in a
cemetery with other faiths, be separated from those areas;
* Maintain
all burial rights;
* Contain
space or walkways for mourners to not step on the gravesites;
* Include
ground crypts. Jewish law dictates the deceased be buried in the earth;
* Create
stations to wash hands. It is a custom to wash hands when leaving a cemetery
because you have been in the presence of the dead;
* Bury the
deceased so they are facing east to west - facing toward Jerusalem.
Sources:
International Association of Jewish genealogical Societies-Cemetery Project;
www.jdcc.org; Pinnacle
The Fifth Commandment twice declares:
"Honor
thy father and thy mother" (Exodus 20:1–21; and Deuteronomy 5:1–23).
We can
include another imperative that Jews should honor their forebears, many of whom
were immigrants seeking an opportunity to make a living and fleeing from religious
oppression.
Jews have
also suffered fear and frustration after anti-Semitic incidents (vandalism) and
threats.
