Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati
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Home / Letter from the Executive Director

Letter from the Executive Director

As summer dawns, we hope for a season of profound change, in the trajectory of the pandemic and the hardships it places on many, in our country’s challenges with racial inequality, in the economy and more.

Sam Ruskin and Brooke Goldwasser

Jewish Cemeteries has two Workum Interns this summer: Sam Ruskin and Brooke Goldwasser. Their summer project includes helping to digitize our archival materials to help improve our internal records and ensure that researchers can access that information in the future.

We discussed the current situation in the world recently and I noted, for their benefit and mine, that our work helping to provide comfort to families in mourning and helping to preserve and memorialize the legacies of their loved ones makes a difference in the world. And while there is a darkness in the world, the intention (Kavanah) we bring to our work can be a light to the world.

For example, we find meaning in honoring our veterans. We recently flagged over 500 graves in the Montgomery Cemetery and marked and flagged additional veterans’ graves in our Walnut Hills cemetery, in preparation for Memorial Day. Our Veterans Recognition Project was featured on WCPO!

Jewish Cemeteries recently launch a Facebook page to highlight some of this type of work and our first month of posts featured veterans – men and women – who proudly served our nation. You can find those posts on our Facebook page or, if you do not use Facebook, you can find them on our website, here.

And the work we are doing – with much remaining – repairing older monuments, is vital to our mission, as well. Learn more in this excellent profile of that work. Board members deserve much credit for sharing these projects with the greater community and helping to raise our profile.

In the last few months, we have lost so many cherished members of our community, including one of our Guardians, Wilbur Cohen, and his brother Philip T. Cohen. Wilbur’s (and his wife Miriam’s) video for the Legacy Flame will ensure his legacy will live on and his life will be an inspiration to generations.

While we have been relatively fortunate in Cincinnati to not have experiences the number of fatalities as many other cities from Covid-19, we have deep appreciation for the work of colleagues in those cities that have been hardest hit. Andrew Parver works for the Hebrew Free Burial Association in New York City and he provided this insight into his experiences there in recent weeks.

Finally, we are grateful to Rabbi Marcus Crystal for his regular history column. This one is on the early days of Jewry in the Queen City, leading up to the establishment of the Chestnut Street Cemetery. Amazing plans are underway for commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the cemetery and of Jewish communal life in Cincinnati. Stay tuned for announcements of our plans and events.

In the meantime, be well and stay safe!

In service of our mission,

David Harris
Executive Director

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  • News & Info

    Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati

    5 days ago

    Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati
    We had the great honor of hosting Roberto Mighty and crew this week in preparation for the second season of "The World's Greatest Cemeteries." Thank you to Jack Rabenstein and ALL community members who made this project happen! ... See MoreSee Less

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    Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati

    2 weeks ago

    Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati
    We can't wait to welcome American Public Television (APT) to our cemeteries next week as they film the second season of “World’s Greatest Cemeteries." We look forward to sharing the incredible history of the Chestnut Street Cemetery and highlighting the important contributions of those buried in our cemeteries. Learn more in this Cincinnati CityBeat article.#JewishCemeteries #JewishCincy200 ... See MoreSee Less

    Cincinnati’s Jewish Cemeteries to be Featured on American Public Television's 'World’s Greatest Cemeteries' Series

    www.citybeat.com

    American Public Television will be coming to the Queen City June 30 and taping will continue through July 1.
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    Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati

    4 weeks ago

    Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati
    We are thrilled to share that JCGC Board Member Marlene Ostrow was honored with the Mesel Wieder Mensch Award at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati Sustainers event on Wednesday. You might know Marlene as a dedicated volunteer who serves as the Chair of JCGC's Create Your Jewish Legacy Team, former Co-Chair of the Chestnut Street Committee, and as a member of the JCGC Executive Committee, Marketing Committee, and 200th Committee. This is all in addition to the volunteer work she does with many area organizations. Marlene is a “doer” who gets things done and leads by example. We are grateful to have her talents on the JCGC Board. Join us in giving Marlene a big “mazel tov!”The Mesel Wieder Mensch Award was established in 1999. The award recognizes a member of the Cincinnati Jewish Community who personifies the meaning of the Yiddish word “Mensch.” A mensch is someone who is sensitive and cares about other human beings and is concerned about and works for the Jewish community. They do this without fanfare or any expectation of public recognition.Pictured: Marlene Ostrow, JCGC Board Member, and David Harris, Executive Director of JCGC#JewishCemeteries ... See MoreSee Less

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Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati
3400 Montgomery Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207
513-961-0178

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