Before Rosh HaShanah and during the Ten Days of Repentance, the period between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, are two times when it is traditional for Jews to visit the cemetery to visit the graves of departed family members and recite kaddish, the mourner’s prayer.
There are lots of reasons this might be customary. Perhaps it is because of the focus on remembrance that characterizes Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The prayers of the Days of Awe are filled with imagery of who shall live and die. A visit to the cemetery during this period of self-examination, to connect with the lives and influence of those who have gone before us, takes on an even higher level of significance because it comes at a time of spiritual soul-searching and renewal.
Several congregations in our community hold services in the cemetery around the High Holidays. A list of the services of which we are aware follows:
September 6th
Adath Israel Congregation
12:30 pm — Price Hill Cemetery
1:30 pm — Montgomery Cemetery
Ohav Shalom
11:00 am — Love Brothers Cemetery
September 13th
Northern Hills Synagogue
11:30 am — Northern Hills Cemetery (Covedale)
September 20th
Valley Temple
10:00 am — Montgomery Cemetery
11:00 am — Walnut Hills Cemetery
12:15 pm — Schachnus Cemetery (Price Hill)
