Our annual unveiling of headstones will take place on Sunday September 15, 2019 at 10:30 am at the Chesed Shel Emeth cemetery on Oakwood St in Shaler Township. Headstones for Blyuma Gitlin, Joseph Weiss and Olga Klein will be unveiled. Rabbi Eli Seidman, Director of Pastor Care for the Jewish Assn. on Aging will officiate. The community is invited to attend.
The JCBA, together with Ralph Schugar Chapel will be holding a book burial of sacred texts – shames. A special gravesite is being prepared and the community is invited to participate and attend.
Jewish custom holds that prayer books such as siddurim, chumashim and High Holiday machzorim in which the Hebrew name of God has been printed and that have become frayed, worn out or are in disrepair are to be buried.
Congregations and individuals in the community may participate by collecting these items to be buried. They can be dropped off at Ralph Schugar Chapel 5509 Centre Ave Pittsburgh PA 15232 or we can pick them up from your location. Please contact Judy Ryave McGuire Schugars’ Dir. of Community Outreach at 412-812-2892 to arrange a convenient time.
Additionally, we welcome Religious School students of Bar and Bat Mitzva age along with their teachers who want to participate and be a part of this important activity.
The Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery is located at 498 Oakwood St. in Shaler Township. Directions can be found on the Our Work tab.
For further information please contact us at jcbapgh@gmail.com, through the website or by phone at 412-553-6469
Mitzva Day Volunteers at Workman’s Circle #45 Cemetery May 21, 2017
We supply gloves, rakes, bags, water and refreshments. You bring a desire to help out with a worthwhile project. For further information contact us at info@jcbapgh.org.
On Sunday July 17, 2016 JCBA Board Members gathered at Beth Abraham cemetery in Carrick to bury three headstones damaged in the previous year’s vandalism. Of the nineteen headstones that were vandalized, these three were unable to be repaired and remounted on the graves. Thanks to Board members Michael Roteman and Steven Santman for conducting this moving burial service. The JCBA placed new headstones over these graves. A marker will be unveiled in the coming months.
Volunteers from the community spent a Sunday morning in May 2016 at the Workman’s Circle #45 Cemetery. They raked leaves, pulled weeds and removed debris along the roadway into the cemetery and along sidewalks by the gravesites. Also, tree limbs and branches that had fallen were cleared.
Volunteer needs are ongoing; if you’re interested in helping with our caretaking projects, please email us at info@jcbapgh.org.