Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on January 22, 2015

Having spent four decades as chairman of his synagogue's cemetery committee, 91-year-old Jack Einhorn doesn't mind stating the obvious.

"I know where all the bodies are buried," Einhorn said, standing on Frances Street outside the plot of the city's cemetery that belongs to Congregation B'nai Zion.

Einhorn, an infectiously affable man with an eye for detail, recalled how a pal would always add to that statement: "And I know who put them there, too."

On Tuesday, Einhorn joined a small crowd at the cemetery to oversee the arrival of 17 new concrete vaults, which arrived on a flatbed truck from a company in Davie.

The arrival of new vaults was more than just a housekeeping chore for those assembled, from the gravedigger and truck driver to representatives from the cemetery in Big Coppitt and Atlas Memorials.

By installing the 17 vaults, each weighing at least 750 pounds, into the ground, the synagogue will be able to cut through the steps it takes a grieving family to abide by the Jewish custom of burying a dead body within 24 hours.

The vaults are called orthodox because they are bottomless, allowing for the body and casket to eventually disintegrate.

"So the body can return to the Earth," said Suzanne Teicher of Atlas Memorials. She's also a member of the congregation's Cemetery Committee.

All volunteers and committee members are ready to jump into action when a death in the congregation occurs, each assisting with the various tasks required to complete the burial.

To be buried in one of the B'nai Zion plots, one must be Jewish and have been a member in good standing. A reservation for a gravesite costs $350 up front, and $1,000 for perpetual care, according to the congregation's cemetery application.

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Continuing with Jewish tradition

Category: Synagogue
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