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The First Jewish Cemetery in Richmond

PHOTO: The First Jewish Cemetery in Richmond, by Jeff Majer

History Replays Today has a fascinating look at the history of the first Jewish Cemetery in Richmond (believed to be one of the first Jewish cemeteries in America):

On Oct 21, 1791 Isaiah Isaacs, the first Jew recorded to have settled in Richmond, deeded a 40’x102′ section of land just west of the SW corner of 21st and E Franklin St “to be used for the sole purpose of a burying ground for all Jews male and female that may at any time here after die in the city of Richmond, or whose bodies after death might be brought there to be interred”. […] In time the congregation of Beth Shalome decreased in numbers and the original trustees died, leaving the Franklin St Cemetery to fall into “a state of abject neglect”. […]

18 comments

Human Honey Badger 05/04/2012 at 12:20 PM

did anyone else notice the tremendous disrespect the apt builder paid to this lot by constantly driving their tractors over the grave sites and storing building materials in this during construction?

This went without public comment while at the same time there was a huge uproar over the former slave cemetery. If dead bodies are sacred, all are or none are!

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Mike 05/04/2012 at 2:48 PM

I thought “the honey badger don’t care”?

Yeah, I noticed that too. I’m glad they didn’t bulldoze this thing entirely, though. I like the hidden gems in the bottom.

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historyreplaystoday 05/04/2012 at 3:44 PM

I can only imagine the lack of up roar is because Beth Ahabah that maintains the site doesn’t believe there to be any bodies left. That is only conjecture on my part.

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historyreplaystoday 05/04/2012 at 3:51 PM

Also looking at it I have realized it should say “The first Jewish cemetery in VA” not Richmond. It is my fault. I have changed it on
historyreplaystoday.blogspot.com

Thanks for the repost!

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crd 05/04/2012 at 4:57 PM

No. 1 and 2, I noticed the lack of disrepect with the equipment in there, too, as did some others I’ve spoken to. I thought it was really sad, and the fact that the ugly apartments hem it in is sad, too.

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John M 05/04/2012 at 5:08 PM

@HHB – I saw the equipment on the graveyard one day and meant to come back for a photo. That situation just needed someone to pay attention and make the first noise, but it never happened.

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Mr. Superior 05/06/2012 at 6:50 PM

Its interesting whose history people chose to get into an uproar about in Richmond. If anyone wants to see evidence of anti-antisemitism in Richmond here it is. The developer of this project, Marcus Galt, should be ashamed of himself and so should the Jewish Community in this City and in Henrico County for not speaking out about this. Especially the congregation that claims to preserve the Richmond Jewish Museum…there wasn’t one peep out of them. And neither did any of the entrenched history intelligentsia with their self righteous aggrandizement. It appears all they know how to do is laud old gentiles homes. Lest we forget Shockoe Bottom was a Jewish neighborhood. Just like Fulton Bottom a whole communities history has been eradicated. Great Job guys!

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Amy N-B 05/07/2012 at 8:33 AM

It’s my understanding that the bodies were all removed and reburied in consecrated ground well in advance of the development. I think that the development pays more respect to the burial ground than some of the prior uses described in the linked article.

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Mr. Superior 05/07/2012 at 8:54 AM

The same people who tell you that are the same people who allowed the desecration to happen. If all the bodies were removed and the lot were vacant why recognize the site at?

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JDM 05/10/2012 at 1:15 PM

That place is going to be super haunted by Jewish poltergeist.

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Human Honey Badger 05/10/2012 at 3:12 PM

I just dont understand how property use permits can be issued that allow a person to buy the land surrounding this and build over it. Its not like the cemetry was new and screwed over the landowner. It was there first, before the rest was developed and should have held presidence.

The apartments are ugly and screw up traffic and parking too. Every morning on my commute in to work, I witness that main street looses a lane of traffic to the parked cars of people who live there.

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crd 05/10/2012 at 5:07 PM

#11 Honey Badger, I agree with everything in your post. I also have a problem with the parked cars, but even more with the ones that park in the loading zone beside the ABC store, so that when a truck brings a delivery, the truck parks in the street and completely takes up the southbound lane of 21st Street just prior to Main Street. The cars on Main are also a pet peeve of mine. Any clue how we could convince the city to enforce the parking (or lack of) down there? I’m open to suggestions. I’ve called the cops several mornings when 21st Street was blocked by a truck making a booze delivery.

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tiny 05/11/2012 at 8:01 AM

The police do tow illegally parked cars on Main Street – I’ve witnessed it myself on several occasions. The thing is – it is only illegal to park there during rush hour. The west bound lane is closed only for morning rush hour and the east bound lane only for afternoon rush hour. However, even towing the cars take up the lane.

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Human Honey Badger 05/11/2012 at 8:40 AM

Actually, there are a couple of legal spaces in front of the ABC store ithat block the morning rush. I am surprised that the people who park there regularly have not found obscene notes on their car or worse.

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crd 05/11/2012 at 12:58 PM

It’s not so much the cars on Main Street that bother me, it’s the tractor trailers parking on 21st to unload at the ABC store and blocking traffic. When I’m heading south on 21st, I have to cross a double yellow line to get around such a truck. Anyone coming north on 21st is likely to hit me, or me hit them. The reason the trucks are parking in the street is the illegally parked cars on 21st so I really don’t fault the trucks. It’s not every day, but it’s enough to really bug me. Bottom line, I figure the developers, as usual, didn’t put in enough parking spaces, and it can only get worse as they finish more apartments. Same problem over at Marshall and 19th/18th, not enough onsite parking spaces so cars parked on the street.

Sheez I’m starting to sound like a grumpy old codger!

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Human Honey Badger 05/11/2012 at 2:38 PM

I loved how the construction workers would block off traffic by unloading on 21st, moving a tractor on Franklin and doing something on Main all at the same time. They clearly enjoyed disrupting traffic during rush hour and laughing at the chaos they caused.

Anyway if the city would properly plan their on street parking and enforce it, there would not be as much of a need for new roads like they are discussing now.

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Anne 06/05/2013 at 9:49 AM

Look at my adorable dad in the picture! BRB, going to get ALL THE STYLE WEEKLIES. Thanks for the heads up!

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