The Mikveh Israel Cemetery Beth-El-Emeth at 55th and Market Streets is a Jewish cemetery in

West Philadelphia West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of the city of Philadelphia. Although there are no officially defined boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Avenue to the n ...

founded in 1850 and dedicated in 1857 by

Isaac Leeser Isaac Leeser (December 12, 1806 – February 1, 1868) was an American Orthodox Jewish religious leader, teacher, scholar and publisher. He helped found the Jewish press of America, produced the first Jewish translation of the Bible into English, ...

’s Congregation Beth-El-Emeth as Beth-El-Emeth Cemetery (). Kahal Kadosh Beth-El-Emeth “Holy Congregation of the True God” (or “God of Truth”) was founded in 1857 by Joseph Newhouse as a pulpit for Rev.

after Leeser left

Congregation Mikveh Israel Congregation Mikveh Israel (), is a Sephardic Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at 44 North Fourth Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The congregation traces its history from 1740. Mikveh Israel is a Spanish and Portu ...

. The congregation followed the "Spanish & Portuguese"

rite Rite may refer to: Religion * Ritual, an established ceremonious act * Rite (Christianity), sacred rituals in the Christian religion * Ritual family, Christian liturgical traditions; often also called ''liturgical rites'' * Catholic particular ch ...

despite most members hailing from Germany. They met in a former church on the east side of Franklin Street above Green Street in the

Northern Liberties Northern Liberties is a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is north of Center City along the Delaware River. Prior to its incorporation into Philadelphia in 1854, it was among the top 10 largest cities in the U.S. i ...

neighborhood. Many of its members had formerly belonged to Mikveh Israel and rejoined it when Beth-El-Emeth dissolved itself in 1897. Congregation Mikveh Israel took possession of the Beth El Emeth Cemetery in 1895. The cemetery is also referred to as Congregation Mikveh Israel's third cemetery. In May 1954, vandals who had been drinking in the cemetery, overturned 33 headstones, leaving behind beer and wine bottles. The City of Philadelphia erected a historic marker near the cemetery's location in 1998 to recognize Reverend Leeser and his contributions as a teacher and scholar.

Burials

Veterans of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

are interred here along with other prominent members of the Philadelphia Jewish community. *Reverend

(1806-1868) Philadelphia Jewish Leader, Educator, and Publisher. Rabbi of Congregation Beth-El-Emeth. *Rabbi

George Jacobs George Jacobs may refer to: *George Jacobs (inventor) (1877–1945), American inventor *George Jacobs (Salem witch trials), George Jacobs, Sr. (died 1692), hanged for witchcraft in Salem witch trials *George Jacobs, Jr., accused of witchcraft in Sa ...

(1834-1884), Rabbi of Congregation Beth-El Emeth. *Rabbi Eliezer Kleinberg, Rabbi, Cong B’nai Abraham Anshe Russia, Philadelphia. Co-founder of the

Orthodox Union The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs f ...

. * Rabbi Dov Aryeh Leventhal (1864-1952) Chief Rabbi Philadelphia. Son-in-law of Rabbi Eliezer Kleinberg. *Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Saks, First Rabbi, Cong B’nai Abraham Anshe Russia, Philadelphia.

References

{{reflist 1850 establishments in Pennsylvania Cemeteries established in the 1850s Cemeteries in Philadelphia Jewish cemeteries in Pennsylvania Jews and Judaism in Philadelphia Sephardi Jewish culture in Pennsylvania West Philadelphia

Burials

See also

References