The First Burial at Seattle’s New Hebrew Cemetery
A modest ceremony marks the opening of the Hebrew Orthodox congregation's new cemetery, providing a final resting place for the community.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The new cemetery of the Hebrew Orthodox congregation was dedicated on Sunday, when the first burial took place in it. This was the child of Mr. Sheodt, which was brought here from Montreal. A large number of members of the congregation and also several outsiders attended the ceremonies. Rev. H. Genss delivered the prayer and made a speech in which he brought out the fine points of the Talmud and praised the people for their interest in the society known as the Biker-Cholan, which interpreted meant taking care of the sick.
“Rev. H. Genss delivered the prayer and made a speech in which he brought out the fine points of the Talmud and praised the people for their interest in the society known as the Biker-Cholan, which interpreted meant taking care of the sick.”
This burial occurred at a time when Seattle's Jewish community was establishing permanent institutions for religious life and social welfare. Today, organizations like the Bikur Cholim Society—referenced here in its historical form—continue the legacy of communal care and support in the Pacific Northwest.
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