NEW YORK (JTA) — Markers intended to be erected for the unmarked graves of 266 indigent Jews were delivered to a New York cemetery.
The grave markers donated by the Hebrew Free Burial Association arrived Wednesday morning at the Mount Richmond Cemetery on Staten Island.
The graves hold Jews who could not afford a proper burial and were buried by the burial association. The markers are part of its Leave Your Mark campaign, which is installing permanent markers at unmarked Jewish graves at the Mount Richmond Cemetery. The markers include the name and years of life of the deceased.
“When a loved one dies, or a Jew dies alone without friends or family, HFBA steps in, ensuring that any Jewish deceased, regardless of affiliation or financial means, is treated with compassion and respect,” said Amy Koplow, executive director of Hebrew Free Burial Association.
The 120-year-old association says it buries approximately 300 indigent Jews each year and has buried 60,000 indigent Jews since its founding.
