While a regular Jewish cemetery is the property of one Jewish community (Qahal), a collective cemetery is the property of a number of Jewish communities: 17 in this case. A Bet ha-chajim means House of Life and is thus a place of eternal peace. This means that graves are never reused nor is there a set time in which a grave can be used.
The Jewish collective cemetery Wenkheim was established in 1590 and the youngest grave dates from 1938, two years before the Nazis committed genocide on the Jewish people.
I purposely created these gravestone pictures in light and color. I didn't want to slip into a Gothic cliche of misty and spooky black and white. The people buried there deserve better than that.
Please remember:
Politicians and monarchs have the power to make war,
but we, the people, have the power to make peace.
Tags: Cemetery Friedhof collective cemetery Verbandsfriedhof Wenkheim Jewish Jüdisch gravestones Grabsteine
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When you walk through a Jewish cemetery, you will find lots of symbols, all with different meanings. Most of them are familiar, like stylized flowers, stars (Star of David) and the Menorah (seven-lamp lamp stand). Some depict very special symbols: these include hands (two hands with their thumbs inwards, pointing up) which indicate that the deceased was a Kohen (priest) who watched over the offerings and gave his blessing in that manner, or the Levite pitcher (ewer), which stands for a person descendant of the Levi (Levite), a tribe whose members helped the priests in the temple of Jerusalem, washing their hands before they made an offering. The most striking though, is the palm tree, like the one on this picture. The tree in general is the symbol of life: the tree of life can be found in many religions. However, the palm tree has various meanings, perhaps based on Psalm 92:12-15: “the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree”. It is the symbol of righteousness, life, hence: victory over death, immortality and eternal peace.
Note: a broken tree, tree trunk or other broken plant means that the person died at a very young age.
Please remember:
Politicians and monarchs have the power to make war,
but we, the people, have the power to make peace.
Tags: Cemetery Friedhof collective cemetery Verbandsfriedhof Wenkheim Jewish Jüdisch gravestones Grabsteine
© All Rights Reserved
On a Jewish cemetery, you will find a number of gravestones which depict two hands with their thumbs inwards, pointing up, and slightly spread between the ring- and middle finger. This indicates that the deceased was a Kohen (priest) who watched over offerings and gave his blessing in that manner. They are regarded as the descendants of Zadok, who was a relative of Aaron. Aaron's younger brother, Moses, appointed Aaron as Jewish priest. He was the first Kohen. According to the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, the family of Aaron had the exclusive right and responsibility to make offerings on the altar to Yahweh. This means that Hebrew priesthood was hereditary through the male line. Kohens are also called "Sons of Aaron".
(Sources: Myjewishlearning.com, Britannica, and Wikipedia)
There are quite a few well-preserved hands on the Jewish collective cemetery Wenkheim but the ones seen here I found the most impressive. I love the bright-green lichen on the wonderful reddish sandstone.
Please remember:
Politicians and monarchs have the power to make war,
but we, the people, have the power to make peace.
Tags: Cemetery Friedhof collective cemetery Verbandsfriedhof Wenkheim Jewish Jüdisch gravestones Grabsteine stonework hands Kohen
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I found these two gravestones all alone in front of the cemetery wall on the grounds right next to the entrance. I call them "the outsider couple" because they lie separate from the rest of the graves. The wall is still very well intact.
The National Socialists planned to eliminate every inch of Jewish culture. In 1944, the Wenkheim financial administration was instructed to buy the cemetery for 2055 Reichsmark and to remove the cemetery wall as well as the gravestones for construction purposes and integrate the grounds back into the forest. But the Mayor refused, stating that Wenkheim doesn't have a need for construction. The Nazis insisted but the Mayor stayed pat, coming up with more reasons why he couldn't buy the cemetery, such as the Wenkheim community doesn't have the funds to pay for workers, that Wenkheim is not going to built anything until after the war, etc. This is why the wall and 674 of the then mentioned 1000 gravestones are still intact and well-preserved.
- Source: information panel
The Mayor's name was Oswald Thoma.
Please remember:
Politicians and monarchs have the power to make war,
but we, the people, have the power to make peace.
Tags: Cemetery Friedhof collective cemetery Verbandsfriedhof Wenkheim Jewish Jüdisch gravestones Grabsteine stonework
© All Rights Reserved
A Jewish cemetery has wonderful, often elaborately ornamented gravestones. Especially those of the 19th century better-to-do deceased are very large with lots of symbolism. Here you can see the Levite pitcher. However, the symbol for a Levite can also be an ewer or a bowl. The Levites are the male descendants of the tribe of Levi. Levi was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (also called Israel). While the Kohanim (Sons of Aaron, symbol: hands) are the priestly class, the Levites who are not a Kohen have other rights and responsibilities. In the temple of Jerusalem, they were responsible for guarding as well as ritual cleanliness. They were the ones who washed the hands of the Kohen before he gave his blessing to the offerings. Hence, the pitcher, ewer or bowl. Notice also the grapes to the left and right, indicating that the deceased led a good, prosperous life.
Please remember:
Politicians and monarchs have the power to make war,
but we, the people, have the power to make peace.
Tags: Cemetery Friedhof collective cemetery Verbandsfriedhof Wenkheim Jewish Jüdisch gravestones Grabsteine stonework
© All Rights Reserved