Knesseth Israel and Beth-El Cemetery

The Knesseth Israel and Beth-El Cemetery, also known as Cemetery Knesses Israel, is a cemetery founded in 1890 by the Knesseth Israel Congregation on land donated by Temple Emanu-El adjoining its own Northside Cemetery (Cemetery Emanu-El) on 11th Court North in the Enon Ridge neighborhood. The cemetery has over 1,600 burials and few remaining plots.

When Temple Beth-El split from Knesseth Israel in 1908, the congregations maintained a joint cemetery association and Chevra Kadisha society, which prepares the dead for burial. That partnership was strained when Beth-El formally joined the conservative synagogue movement in the 1940s. A lawsuit to dissolve their financial ties to the cemetery was filed, but was dropped in 1960.

Notable burials

• Victor Browdy, delicatessen owner
• Abraham Goldberg, grocer
• Louis Pizitz (1868–1959), department store owner
• Frank Temerson (1891–1963), magazine and comic book publisher

References

• "Birmingham, Alabama" (2006) Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities. Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life
• Bonfield, Barbara (2009) Hallowed Ground, A History of the Knesseth Israel/Beth-El Cemetery in Birmingham Alabama. Temple Beth-El/Birmingham Jewish Foundation ISBN 9780871210173
• Garrison, Greg (March 29, 2010) "Birmingham's Knesseth Israel-Beth-El Cemetery tells story of latter-day Jewish exodus." The Birmingham News

External links

Locate with
Google Maps

• Knesses Israel Cemetery at Findagrave.com