New Cemetery Managed by Federation

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland has expanded its Cemetery Preservation efforts, adding Ridge Road #2 Cemetery in Brooklyn, Ohio. Ridge Road #2 becomes the seventh Jewish cemetery to be managed by the Federation’s Commission on Cemetery Preservation (COCP), which is now responsible for the upkeep of over 15,000 graves. Others include: Baxter Cemetery, Chesed Shel Emeth, Fir Street Cemetery, Harvard Cemetery, Lansing Cemetery, and Workmen’s Circle section of Lincoln Cemetery. In Jewish tradition, there is no greater mitzvah (good deed) than honoring those who came before us.

ABOUT THE CEMETERY PRESERVATION CAMPAIGN

In just over one year, the Federation has raised $3.1 million for its community-wide Cemetery Preservation Campaign, just $400k short of a $3.5 million goal to preserve Cleveland’s older Jewish cemeteries. The Cemetery Preservation Campaign increases the endowment for the COCP to a level where it can provide annual maintenance for the Jewish cemeteries under its management, including Ridge Road #2.

ABOUT RIDGE ROAD #2

The land for Ridge Road #2 was purchased in 1907 by Oheb Zedek, the predecessor to Taylor Road Synagogue. Parcels of the property were, over the years, sold by Taylor Road Synagogue to organizations like American Hebrew Benevolent Society and synagogues which became Beth Israel-The West Temple, Sinai Synagogue (now part of Cedar Sinai Synagogue), and Warrensville Synagogue (now part of Cedar Sinai Synagogue). These organizations have now signed agreements, giving the Federation oversight responsibilities. The Federation is formulating a plan to install security lighting and fix tilted monuments, among other improvements.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Klein at eklein@jcfcleve.org or 216-593-2835 or visit www.jewishcleveland.org/cemetery.