Land for 4000 new graves dedicated in Sydney
The Jewish Cemetery Trust has dedicated a new section of Sydney’s Rookwood Cemetery in honour of the Chevra Kadisha.
The two organisations have worked together serving Sydney’s Jewish ccommunity for 142 years althoughthe Chevra’s history dates back to 1817.
The Chairman of the Trust, Jack Fisher, told J-Wire: “We have a had a long and successful association together. In dedicating this land, we are ensuring the community can maintain a sizable area in the cemetery.”
There are 28,000 Jewish graves in Rookwood many dating back to 1841 when the cemetery in Chalmers St was moved to make way for the city’s Central Railway station.
Fisher added: “We will do the best we can to keep the area in as fine a condition as possible…and we have already started selling plots in the new area.”
The dedication ceremony was performed Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence and the plaque unveiled by the president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies Robin Margo together with predecessor David Knoll and president-elect of the Great Synagogue Michael Gold. The President of the Sydney Chevra Kadisha David Ainsworth is photographed left with JCT Chairman Jack Fisher.