Courtesy of Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati
Summer 2024: Jewish Cemeteries employees and hired specialists lift a toppled stone, aided by a crane
By Julia Olson
Assistant Editor
Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati (JCGC) invites the Cincinnati Jewish community to celebrate in the rededication of the newly restored cemeteries at the Covedale complex.
Shock and horror rippled through the Cincinnati community as it was discovered that between June 25 and July 1 , 2024, 176 gravestones at two Cincinnati Jewish cemeteries had been overturned. The vandalism drew national outrage, with comments coming from the highest levels in Washington D.C. At the time the FBI had offered a reward of $10,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the vandals.
The damage took place at the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol and the Tifereth Israel cemeteries in the Covedale complex. The destruction appeared to be part of a larger trend of antisemitic indcidents in the United States. At the time of the vandalism, there had been a 140% increase in antisemitic incidents from 2022 to 2023, with a major increase occurring in the period following the Oct 7 attack in Israel. According to the ADL’s report of antisemitism in the US, that number rose an additional 5% in 2024.
The rededication, scheduled to take place June 8 at 11:00 a.m., will seek to heal the damage caused by the antiseptic attack on the cemetery last summer. Sue Susskind, Executive Director of the JCFC will share with attendees the journey of restoration and healing upon which the JCGC has embarked in order to repair the immense damages.
Other speakers at the event will include Rabbi Yosef Alt of Golf Manor. Many of the headstones damaged during last year’s vandalism belonged to members of Cincinnati’s Orthodox community.
JCGC has invested many hours and thousands of dollars to restore the damages to the cemetery complex. This event will be an opportunity for the community to come together and seek healing after the horrifying vandalism last year.
The program begins at 11:00 a.m.
