Jewish Family Research Association (JFRA)
    Branches in Ra'anana, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv - Hebrew, Tel Aviv - English, Rehovot and Herzlia
    Contact information at: http://iajgs.org/Member-Index.htm

Galilee Genealogical Society
    Contact information at: http://iajgs.org/Member-Index.htm

CAHJP: Central Historical Archives of the Jewish People
      46 Jabotinsky Street, Jerusalem.
      e-mail address archives@huji.ac.il
      postal address (P.O.Box 1149, Jerusalem 91010)
      Telefax (972-2-5635716)

History Society of Israel
    PO Box 4179
    Jerusalem 91041
    ISRAEL

"Locating Burial Records In Israel" by Israel Pickholtz

• Gal'ed legiborim (Independence War Heroes Monuments), by Vilnai, Zeev; Jerusalem, 1959. 62p; Notes: Monuments Photographs and emplacements, No heroes names lists. Source: National and University Library, Jerusalem
  
• Matsevot kodesh beErets-Ysrael (Erets-Yisrael Saints Tombstones); by Vilnai, Zeev Jerusalem, 1963. 1 vol. Notes: Period; Antiquity and Middle Ages- Saints names index. Tbsts places index. Source: National and University Library, Jerusalem

• Rehov Keren HaYesod:

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_acre.pdf [September 2002]

• Rehov Yehudah: on road to Metzada:

• Rehov Jabitinski, next to Technical College: Local Religious Council: Shelom Elizera (Chairman), Henrietta Szold 2, P.O.B. 2161, Ashdod. Tel: 08-852-2926 / 7, 050-297-401; home: 08-854-4631,

• Advici Cemetery 2 (Old):Sh. Migdal Tzafon
• Advici Cemetery 1 (New): Sh. Giv'at Zion Darom
• Advici Cemetery 3: Ashkelon Chevra Kadish confirms that Rehavia Adivi, Mayor of Ashkelon 1965-1972, created a private cemetery for family and friends in part of an orange grove not far from the Old Cemetery. To get there, pass the gate of the Old Cemetery and take a dirt road along the wall, turning right. A bit further, in the orange grove on the left, are the graves of the Adivi group, quite neglected and without fence or sign. Forty-one graves are visible but there may have been another one or two in the underbrush (doubtful.) Source: Israel Pickholtz [December 2000]

• Salt Factory Cemetery:

• Cemetery: located between B'nei Ayish & Hazav

• Rehov Hayim Yahil: old, Hazerim Road,
• New Section: 3 km further on Hazerim Road

• West of Beer Yaakov, towards New Ziona

• Rehov Shabazi: South of Beit Dagan

• Rehov Herzl: South of Kibbutz Hamadiyya

• Rehov Herzl, Simtat Revaha: at entrance to the city

• Rehov Jasmine

• Rehov Hazon Ish:

• Rehov Hazon Ish:

• Rehov HaBerosh: opposite neot Caesarea:

• Rehov HaArava

• Gush Etzion Cemetery: Section, past Bat Ayin

• Rehov Eilot: Past Sh. Aleph: The cemetery is located about 2 km. north of the center of the town and operated by the Elat Hevra Kadish, a branch of the Elat Religious Council. Source: Yosef SA'AR, ysaar@shani.net

• Rehov Shabazi: west of Elichin

• Edge of town

• Rehov Ezra: Har-Tuv Junction, near Bet shemesh

• Rehov Assuta: Edge of town

• Rehov Herzl Old Cemetery: - north of town
• Rehov Herzl New Cemetery: SE, near Kibbutz Hazor

GEDERA:
     Chevra Kadisha, Ashkenazim, Yehuda Gil (Chairman), Benny Karniel (Manager), Rehov Fuchs 2, Gedera 70700. Tel: 08-859-1101, 859-2946, homes: 08-859-1696, 859-6237
     Chevra Kadisha, Sephardim, Shelomo Tan'ami (Chairman), Yihye Gamliel, (Manager), Rehov Pines 1, Gedera 70700. Tel: 08-859-3580, 859-2497, 050-382-519; home: 08-859-3277

• South Gedera

• Rehov HaRishonim

HAIFA:
http://bubble.euweb.cz/israel/haifa/haifa12.html [January 2001]
http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_haifa.pdf [September 2002]
Ch K Kurdim, Eli Salman (Chairman), Rehov Sokolov 19, Haifa 33171. Tel: 04-867-2917, (h) 867-7246, Sde Yehoshua
Ch K Ashkenazim, Rav Yaakov Rosental (Chairman), Benny Hasa, (Manager), Rehov Herzl 63, Haifa 33212. Tel: 04-864-2405, 866-4424, 050-573-573

• Very old: Rehov Yaffo
• Old: Hof HaCarmel, city entrance
• New: Next to sde Yehoshua

• Old: Hof HaCarmel, city entrance
• New: Next to sde Yehoshu

• Old: Hof HaCarmel, city entrance
• New: Next to sde Yehoshua

• Othniel
• Susia

• West of town

• Rehov Herbert Samuel: old cemetery
• Rehov Ben-Zvi: new cemetery. Address: Hadera/Elyachim Road. Present town population is 80,000, all Jewish.
  Contact People: Office Manager: Hayim Haberman (06-633 0353), who speaks some English. Administrator: David Mishte 06-634 4040, who speaks Hebrew only. The cemetery is not locked. The earliest known Jewish community in town was in 1891. The 1891urban, municipal cemetery is located on flat land and a hillside. A sign in Hebrew marks it. The cemetery is reached by turning directly off a public road and is open to all. A continuous fence surrounds the cemetery, not divided into special sections. The oldest known gravestone is dated 1891. Tombstones in the cemetery are datable from the 19th century. The tombstones and memorial markers are made of marble, granite and iron that are rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, sculpted monuments, multi- stone monuments and obelisks. The cemetery has tombstones with traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, bronze decorations or lettering and metal fences around graves. Inscriptions on tombstones are in Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian or French. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims and Jewish soldiers. The cemetery contains unmarked graves (babies). The present owner is the local Jewish community and the municipality. Properties adjacent to the cemetery are recreational, agricultural and residential. The cemetery is visited frequently. The cemetery is cared for regularly by a caretaker paid by the Jewish Congregation of Hadera, Chevra Kadisha and the government, indirectly. Within the limit of the cemetery is a pre-burial house with a tahara (table), an ohel, and a water tower. Shmuel Shimshoni, Pinsker St 5, Hadera 38428, Israel, Tel: 06-633 0553 completed this questionnaire on March 1, 1997. Chevra Kadisha Records were used to complete this survey. Mr. Shimshoni, who is a volunteer for the Chevra Kadisha, visited the site for this survey.

• Rehov Pinsker

• Magdiel: Old:
• Ramot HaShavim: Old:
• Sh. Hadar: New:

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_jaffa.pdf [September 2002]

• Tomb of King David on Mount Zion
• The Cave of the Machpela: "Southward from Jerusalem, where are buried Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah. A solemn sight, the cave itself is resplendent with ancient wall stones, the Mosque, and the cenotaphs." Source: World Guide for the Jewish Traveler by Warren Freedman, E.P. Dutton Inc, NY 1984.

• Har HaZeitim (Mount of Olives): Very old. Traditional as a sacred burial ground. Asher Lev Brisk made a compilation of the cemetery sites on Mount of Olives up to year 1907. Hard copy available at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Manny Hillman, 22 Bayview Ave. Blue Point, New York 11715-1711 (516)-363-6787 has a xerox copy.
     UPDATE: http://www.isragen.org.il/ROS/mehokek.html has information about the transcription project: 8000 Hebrew Inscriptions on Gravestones Found in Mount of Olives Cemetery for Years 1740-1906 [February 2004]
• Sheikh Bader: Old
• Next to old Shaare Zedeck Hosp. Old:
• Sanhedria: Old. The tombs of the Sanhedrin, the courts and judges of Israel during the days of the Second Temple.
• Har HaMenuhot New:
• Mount Herzl:
• Jerusalem War Cemetery On Mount Scopus:

1. Chk Bavlim, Yas Najach (Chairman), R. Shaarei Zedeck 1, P.O.B. 6117, Jerusalem 94360. Tel: 02-625-2842, 050-217-943, home: 623-1686. Hevra Kadisha to the Iraqi Community
   • Har HaMenuhot
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives)
2. ChK Kurdim, Eliyahu Baruch (Chairman), Beit Yaakov 11, Jerusalem 94323. Tel: 02-623-4797, 02-663-9005, home: 02-563-9005, Giv'at Shaul, Hitahdut Ha-aydah Hakurdit - Organization of the Kurdish Community
3. ChK Maaravim, Rav Avraham Franco (Chairman), Mesillat Yesharim 1, Jerusalem 94224. Tel: 02-625-5504, 050-230-239, home: 02-641-1825
   • Har HaMenuhot:
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives):
4. ChK Sepharadim, Yehezkeel Nowama (Chairman), Rehov Havazelet 12, Jerusalem. Tel: 02-625-4371, 050-401-812. Hevra Kadisha Ahida Lsfardim Ubnei Aydot Hamizrah B'Yrushalyim (United Hevra Kadisha for the Sefardim and Eastern Communities in Jerusalem)
   • Har HaMenuhot:
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives):
5. ChK Perushim, Rav Mendel Glabstein (Chairman), Rehov Pines 15, 94701 Jerusalem. Tel: 02-538-4144, 050-205-763, 050-240-063; home 02-538-9223. No fee is charged for information, but a small donation would be appropriate. They bury mostly Ashkenazim, but also some Sephardim over the years, as well as Chassidim and Mitnagdim. Records computerized back to 1905.
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives) Very old:
   • Sheikh Bader: Old,
   • Next to old Shaare Zedeck Hosp. Old:
   • Har HaMenuhot: New, :
6. ChK Parsim, Aharon Mizrahi (Chairman), David Yellin 38, P.O.B. 6134, Jerusalem. Tel: 02-538-1278, 02-538-2721, 050-259-587. Irgun Yostsei Paras Hevra Kadisah (Organization of Persian [Iranian] Immigrants
   • Har HaMenuhot
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives):
7. ChK Kehillat, Yerushalayim, Rav Simha Meron (Chairman), Rav Hananya Shahor, (Manager), Rehov Eliachar 1, P.O.B. 562, Jerusalem. Tel: 02-625-2281, 050-742-783, 02-278-384; home: 02-586-5280
   • Har HaZeitim (Mount of Olives): Burial Society for information: Tel. 02-5384144. From the US (011-972-2-538-4144). [Hebrew and very little English]. Chevra Kaddisha database records 18 million burials on the Mount of Olives.
   • Sheikh Bader:
   • Next to old Shaare Zedeck Hosp.:
   • Sanhedria:
   • Har HaMenuhot:
8. ChK Teimanim, Yoram Levi (Chairman), Shalom Haramati, (Manager), Rehov Haneviim 65, P.O.B. 675, 94702 Jerusalem. Tel: 02-538-3786, 052-602-773, 02-623-8851, 050-533-991; home: 022-676-6988
   • Har HaMenuhot:
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives):
9. ChK Hasidim, R. Chaim Yitzhak Cohen (Chairman), Rav Shemuel Shilitz, (Manager), Rehov Hamabit 21, P.O.B. 5079, 91050 Jerusalem. Tel: 02-534-4589, 538-2467, 050-310-889, 289-660; home: 02-500-0520
   • Har HaMenuhot:
   • Har HaZeitim (Mt. of Olives):
10. Local Religious Council: Rav Yitzhak Ralbag (Chairman), Rav Tommy Bock, (Manager), Rehov Havazelet 12, Jerusalem. Tel: 02-625-6811, 051-233-732, home: 02-563-0715, Giv'at Shaul

• Mount Herzl: {10297} Graves are located in the non-military sections. The cemetery is open during daylight hours, daily. I translated the names and other information and converted any dates from the Hebrew calendar. Mt. Herzl also contains a large military cemetery and a museum dedicated to Theodore Herzl.
  Great Leaders of the Nation Section: This is the burial place of most prime ministers and presidents of the State Of Israel and some others. Three notable exceptions were David Ben Gurion (Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev), Menahem Begin (on the Mount of Olives), and Chaim Weizmann (Rehovot.) The dates are based on the Hebrew dates and so may be off by a year. Zionist Leaders near Herzl's tomb include Jabotinsky in Great Leaders of the Nation Section. Zev Jabotinsky died in exile in the United States after being expelled from the Land of Israel by the British. He demanded to be reburied in Israel only when a sovereign Jewish government could do so. The first sovereign Jewish government was headed by Jabotinsky's arch rival David Ben Gurion, who was not one to forget a grudge just because his opponent was dead, and refused to order the reburial. When Levi Eshkol succeeded Ben Gurion, the Israeli government finally had Jabotinsky's body reinterred in Jerusalem.] Source: Ed Erlich eehrlich@shani.net who said, "The general rule is the more written on the tombstone, the less important the person was."
• Jerusalem War Cemetery on Mount Scopus: {10220}. While every stone lists the person's regiment, some do not provide first name. The serial number and rank can be used to get a complete record from the British Ministry of Defense. One reaches the cemetery by driving toward Hadassah Hospital. The cemetery is located on the left side of the road (the same side as the hospital) about fifty meters before reaching the hospital entrance. In use 1917-1918, the cemetery is extremely well maintained. Probably the British Consulate in Jerusalem or the Ministry of Defense in London can provide information about upkeep details. Approximate size: about 2000 acres. Most of the graves are of non-Jews. The Jewish section is located at the far left-hand corner of the cemetery with 23 Jewish graves. Location in cemetery (Rows are listed from front to back A, B, C, D, E, F. The first row starts in the middle of the cemetery. Columns are listed from left to right 1, 2, 3, and 4. The first column is at left-hand cemetery fence. Sign at entrance is in English, Hebrew and Arabic: The land on which this cemetery stands is the free gift of the people of Palestine for the perpetual resting place of those of the allied armies who fell in the War Of 1914-1918 and are honored here. Source: Ed Ehrlich: eehrlich@shani.net

• Rehov Rav Herzog: NE of town

• Rehov Hanasi:

• Rehov HaGalil: Industrial zone

• Near the Youth Village, in the wadi

• Rehov HaCarmel: Old, near Sh. Geulim
• Rehov Nordau: New
• Rehov Weizmann: Military

• Between Railway tracks and airfield

• Past Industrial Zone

• Near army camp 21

• Old Hevron Cemetery:

• Derech Usha: Old
• Evlin Road: New

• Zur Shalom:

• Rehov Shabazi:

• Industrial Zone, next to Iscoor plant:

• Near fire station:

• Zur Shalom:

• Rehov Mishmar HeGevul: Old
• Sd. Tel Hai: New

• Sde Yaakov Road, Shomerim Junction Tzomet HaShomrim (Hashomrim Junction) Moatza Datit, Rechov Alonim 78, Kiryat Tivon, 36000, Israel. Present total town population: 15,000. All Jewish. Contact People: Menashe Althaus, Administrator, address as above, 04-983 2714, mobile phone: 052-457 226. The Jewish cemetery is not locked. Date of earliest known Jewish community in town: 1936. Noteworthy historical events involving or affecting the Jewish Community: Bet Shaarim is located within the municipal boundaries. An archaeological location, unconnected to the present day cemetery, that includes sarcophagus and is mentioned in Talmud Yerushalmi. Jewish cemetery was established in 1940. Tzadakkim and other noteworthy Jews buried in the cemetery. The cemetery location, isolated but close to the town, is rural (wood/ forest) and on a hillside. A sign in Hebrew marks the cemetery. The cemetery is reached by turning directly off a public road and is open to all. Present size of cemetery is 2 hectares. There are approximately 3,500 gravestones in the cemetery, regardless of condition or position. The oldest known gravestone is dated 1945. The cemetery contains marble and granite tombstones that are rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, double tombstones, multi-stone monuments and some with artistic works. Inscriptions on the tombstones are in Hebrew and Yiddish. The present owner of the cemetery property is the local Jewish community and the municipality. Properties adjacent to the cemetery are agricultural. The cemetery is visited frequently and cared for regularly by the municipal caretaker paid by the Jewish Congregation of Tivon, the Chevra Kadisha, Hadera and by the government, indirectly. Within the limits of the cemetery is a pre-burial house with a tahara (table). The problems facing this cemetery are security (uncontrolled access) and vegetation. This survey was researched and prepared by Yehuda Witenoff, Oranim St. 50, Kiryat Tivon, 36043, Israel on March 1, 1997, e-mail: swit@techunix.technion.ac.il. Chevra Kadisha Records were used to document this survey. The site was not visited for this survey. Menashe Althaus was interviewed for this survey on March 1, 1997 at the Municipal Religious center.

• Zur Shalom:

• Rehov Shapira: Old:
• Rehov Helen Keller: New

• South of town

• Massuot Yitzhak:

• Southern entrance

• NE of town

• Southern entrance

• Edge of Sh. HaZeitim

• SW of town

• South of town

• NE of town

• Moshav Nir Yisrael Cemetery: Mobile Post Hof Ashkelon, 79505 Israel. 972-8-6722494. Person to contact about grave locations: Nicole Rosenberg, rose4@attglobal.net. Burial index is computerized and donated to the JOWBR. Flowers allowed. No burial cards have biographical data. No burial cards have next-of-kin information. The Jewish community in town dates from 1941. Caretaker's name, address, and telephone: Moshav Office. Noteworthy individuals buried in cemetery are Yossi Lapper (Israeli War Hero) and Giora Carni (artist.) The isolated active cemetery is located on a hillside with a sign in Hebrew that reads: Moshav Nir Yisrael Cemetery. Reached by turning off an inner Moshav road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with a locking gate surrounds the cemetery. A separate section exists for those whose Jewish identity is in doubt. The oldest gravestone dates from 1941.
        The marble and granite gravestones and memorial markers are rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, double tombstones, and horizontally set stones. Some have iron decorations or letting. Inscriptions are in Hebrew and English. The cemetery contains special memorial plaques on some of the stones to family members who died in the Holocaust. The local Jewish community owns the property. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Private visitors stop frequently. Clearing vegetation by caretaker paid by the moshav is the only maintenance. No structures. No threats. Nicole Rosenberg, rose4@attglobal.net completed the survey in January 2003.

[Shechem] http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_nablous.pdf [September 2002]

• Near the shore

• Kfar Aharon

• West of town

• Sh. Benzion
• Shikun Vatikim

• Sh. Baba Sali

NITZAN:
      This cemetery includes a section allocated for the relocation of bodies exhumed from Neveh Dekalim on Israel's 2005 Gaza disengagement and the dismantling of all the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.  

OFAKIM:
Local Religious Council: Moshe Dehan (Chairman), Rehov Golomb, P.O.B. 7, Ofakim 80300. Tel: 08-992-3073, 992-3736; 050-370-871, home: 08-992-3453

• Rehov Haim Huri

• End of Rehov Shitta

• Sh. Ben Gurion

• Rehov Derech HaSadeh

• Sh. Ben Gurion North of the entrance

• HaYarkon Cemetery
• Segulla Cemetery: Computerized records. Cemetery is a ten-minute drive from HaYarkon Cemetery, but you must go to HaYarkon first because of traffic patterns. Source: Israel Pickholtz; e-mail: zach4v6@actcom.co.il.
  UPDATE: The sections are prominently marked. There is a large map at the entrance and small maps available. They have a computer system on site which allows visitors to search for grave locations. Source: Israel Pickholtz at zach4v6@actcom.co.il [July 2002]

• Rehov Klausner: Old Cemetery, including the Military Cemetery.
• Kfar Nachman: New Cemetery, situated to the northeast of Ra'anana.

• Rehov Netzah: (town center)
• Morasha Junction: (Entry from Route No. 5 - East-bound)

• Sd. Weizman: Old
• Rehov A.S.Levi: New

• Rrehov Netzah: (town center)
• Morasha Junction

• three contiguous cemeteries on Rehov Gorodeski

• Sh. Marmorek: near Kvutzat Shiler

• Rehov Kanfei Nesharim: Old
• Rehov Rabbi Akiva: New

• End of Rehov Tzahal

• Old Rosh Pinna

• Rehov Horesh

• Past Sh. HaNeviim

• Sh. Marmorek
• near Kvutzat Shiler

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_shefaram.pdf [September 2002]

• entrance to Shelomi

• Holon Bat-Yam Cemetery: Will look up in their card catalogues. Holon Cemetery opened in the 1960's. source Israel Pickholtz; e-mail: zach4v6@actcom.co.il
• Hayarkon: Chotze Shomron Highway (opened 1991). Phone 03-921-2026. From HaYarkon Junction, it is less than ten minutes drive towards Segulla Junction (Petah Tiqva). Computerized records? Source Israel Pickholtz; e-mail: zach4v6@actcom.co.il
• Nachalat-Yitzchak: Aliyat Hanoa'r St., Givataim. Have indexed records at the office of the Chevra Kadisha and will do reasonable lookups on the spot. source: Israel Pickholtz; e-mail: zach4v6@actcom.co.il
• Kiryat Shaul: Kiryat Shaul Quarter. Opened 1949. They will do reasonable lookups on the spot if not busy but prefer phone to letter. Their cards go only to 1990. Earlier, they can do a lookup only if you have the date. Phone: 03-649-8060. Source: Israel Pickholtz; e-mail: zach4v6@actcom.co.il
• Trumpeldor: Trumpeldor St. Office of the Chevra Kadisha has indexed records. They will do reasonable lookups on the spot. source: Israel Pickholtz; e-mail: zach4v6@actcom.co.il
• Yaffo: Yehuda Mimargoza St.

• NE of town:

• Sh. Ahva:

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_tiberias.pdf [September 2002]

• Rehov Eshkol:

• Industrial Zone C:

• Opposite Moshav Ben-Zakkai: Old
• Moshav Ben-Zakkai: New

• Sh. Bayit veGan:
• Sh. Amid

• Main road

• Old: next to Culture Center
• New: past old Industrial Center

• Entrance to town

• next to Cochav Plaza

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/census_safed.pdf [September 2002]

• Tzefat Israel Cemetery: southern end of the city. (68 Halmach Street, 06-697-2429.) Three sections
• Military Section:
• New Cemetery Section: The local rabbinate is said to have records of the new cemetery. They are still responsible for the care of the whole area. (Haim has about 100 names from there) source: Haim Sidor, P.O.B. 5568, Midal Ha Emek 10500, Israel
• Ancient Cemetery Section: This was in use since the 16th century or earlier. {10772} Names gathered by Haim Sidor, 1994, Galil Gen. Soc. Safed is in the hills of the upper Galil in northern Israel. The cemetery is located on the slope below the Old City also called Safad, Zefat, Cfat, Saffad, Saffed, Saphet, etc. (Tzadik-Pey-Tof) It is about 10 kilometers west of Rosh Pina and 40 kilometers east of Carmiel. The present total town population is approx. 20,000, all Jewish. The names of town officials with information about the cemetery are Safad Religious Council, 68 HaPalmach St., Safad. Contact: Chana Hooper, telephone in Israel, 06-697-2438, Fax. 06-692-1311. The local Chevra Kadisha may have information about the cemetery. There has been continuous Jewish settlement in Safed since 1294 CE. Before World War II, the Jewish population was about 3000. Most of the Kabbalists of the 16th century lived there, as did many Hasidim and students of the Vilna Gaon. Many olim went to Eretz Israel throughout the years from 1492 until today. Names include: The Ber Mayim Haim (R. Chaim Chernowitz) and The Ridbaz (R. David Zalman of Slobodka and Chicago etc.) The Jewish cemetery was established 200 CE and has been in continuous use since 1520 CE. Tzadakkim and other noteworthy Jews buried in the cemetery include ARI, RAMAK, ALSHEICH, R. Yosef Caro, R. Shlomo Alkabetz, R. Moshe DeTrani. It is still used actively.      The upper cemetery has been closed to burial since about 1982. Hasidim, Mitnagdim, and Sefardim used this cemetery. Jews from all over the world have been using the cemetery: 16th century through 1750, Kabbalists; 1777 until today, Hasidim; and 1805 until today, Mitnagdim. The urban, hillside cemetery location is separate, but near other cemeteries and marked by a sign in Hebrew. Access to the cemetery is open to all. A continuous masonry wall and a continuous fence and a gate that does not lock surround it. There are approximately 10,000 gravestones in cemetery, with 7,000 in their original location and 3,000 not in original locations. The vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access, but water drainage is good all year. The cemetery divided into special sections for Cohanim, the upper old section, and the new and active lower one. The oldest known gravestone dated from 1555. Tombstones and memorial markers made of marble, limestone and sandstone and are flat shaped stones and horizontally set stones with Sephardic-Hebrew inscriptions. There are special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims and Jewish soldiers. The present owner of the cemetery property is the local Jewish community and the national Jewish community. Properties adjacent to the cemetery are recreational, commercial or industrial, and residential. It is visited frequently. It was vandalized only before W.W.II. Care including re-erection of stones, patching of broken stones, cleaning of stones, clearing of vegetation, and fixing of wall used to be done by Jewish groups within country. Now, individuals or authorities do it. Within the limits of the cemetery is a pre-burial house with a tahara (table) and a mikveh. There is only a slight threat due to weather erosion and vegetation. Date this questionnaire was completed on December 31, 1997 and the site visited by Chaim Sidor. Source: Yehuda Witenoff Tivon, Israel.
      UPDATE: Safed Old cemetery Survey List (in Hebrew and English) of over 3500 names from the 15th century through the 20th century, originally paid for by the Safed Rabbinical Council and translated by the Safed Foundation, is online in a database at Safed Foundation website at http://www.safedfound.org.il/online.asp. Included are all legible gravestone inscriptions from the Old (upper) Jewish Cemetery, one of the oldest continuously used Jewish Cemeteries in the world. Included are name, patronym, dates, and grave location. The organization's website is www.safedfound.org.il where additional historical and genealogical material is available. SOURCE: Haim Sidor at haim@safedfound.org.il [April 2004]

• Rehov HaMeyassedim: