Dispersed of Judah Cemetery
| Dispersed of Judah Cemetery | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Established | 1846 |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Private-Jewish |
| Size | 17.5 acres |
| No. of graves | ~1,400 |
The Dispersed of Judah Cemetery, located at 4901 Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the second Jewish cemetery established in the city, having been founded in 1846.[1] It is a 17.5-acre extant, private-Jewish cemetery and remains as the oldest surviving Jewish burial ground in New Orleans.[1]
Construction
The cemetery was established in 1846, immediately after the Sephardic congregation Nefuzoth Yehudah (Dispersed of Judah) was created with support from benefactor Judah Touro.[2] That same year, property adjacent to St. Patrick Cemetery No. 2 along Canal Street was purchased and donated for the cemetery's creation.[2] The layout incorporates below-ground burials.[3] The grounds include numerous artistic features, marble sculptures, and tree stump memorials. The landscape includes trees, open spaces, and classical monuments. The cemetery also includes a special section reserved historically for suicide victims.
Notable burials
- Benjamin F. Jonas (1834–1911) - U.S. Senator (1879–1885), first practicing Jew in the U.S. Senate[4]
- Edwin Kursheedt (d. 1906) - merchant, benefactor[5]
- Judah P. Touro (1775–1854) - philanthropist, benefactor[6]
- Lilla Benjamin Wolf (d. 1911) - local funerary symbol
- Rebecca de Mendes Benjamin[7]
References
- ^ a b "Dispersed Of Judah Cemetery - New Orleans, LA (Address and Phone)". www.countyoffice.org. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ a b "Hebrew Rest Cemetery Association | New Orleans". Hebrew Rest Cemetery Association. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ "dispersed of judah cemetery new orleans". Bing. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ "Benjamin Franklin Jonas". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ "The Legacy of Jewish Stonecutters in New Orleans: H. Lowenstein and Edwin I. Kursheedt". OAK & LAUREL CEMETERY PRESERVATION, LLC. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ "Judah Touro". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ "The Mysterious Hunt for the Grave of Rebecca de Mendes". thompsongenealogy.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.