Temple Israel Cemetery (Omaha, Nebraska)

Temple Israel Cemetery
aka Pleasant Hill Cemetery

Sign at entrance
Details
Location	Omaha, Nebraska
Country	United States
Coordinates	41°19′02″N 95°58′36″W / 41.31722°N 95.97667°WCoordinates: 41°19′02″N 95°58′36″W / 41.31722°N 95.97667°W
Type	Jewish
Owned by	Temple Israel
Size	five
Find a Grave	Find A Grave
The Political Graveyard	Political Graveyard

Temple Israel Cemetery, also known as Pleasant Hill Cemetery, is located at 6412 North 42 Street (42nd and Redick Avenue) in the North Omaha neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska.^[1][2]

History

The cemetery comprises cemeteries for three congregations: Temple Israel Synagogue and two defunct synagogues, B'nai Jacob and Anshe Sholom.

Temple Israel Cemetery is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Nebraska. Five acres of land was purchased by the B’nai Israel Society in August 1871. The Society deeded the cemetery to the Congregation of Israel, which later became Temple Israel.^[3]

The cemetery is part of the Conservative and Reform Jewish communities of Omaha. It is a medium-sized cemetery that is situated on five acres and features a long central drive that goes down a steep hill. The cemetery, along with a new front gate, was refurbished in 1999.^[4]

Notable burials

• Emil Brandeis, son of Jonas L. Brandeis, founder of Brandeis, who died on the Titanic^[5] – only his ashes are buried here^[6]
• Jonas L. Brandeis, who founded Brandeis,^[7] the landmark Omaha department store^[6][8]
• Lester Simon, from the Omaha Steaks family, who was instrumental in expanding the business into mail order via the Union Pacific Railroad^[9]
• The cemetery also has graves for Jewish soldiers and officers from Omaha who were killed in World War I, World War II, and other wars^[10][11]

See also

• History of the Jews in Omaha, Nebraska
• List of cemeteries in Omaha
• History of Omaha
• Jewish cemeteries

References

1. "Cemetery and Burial Information". Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
2. "United States > Nebraska NE > OMAHA: Douglas and Sarpy Counties". International Jewish Cemetery Project. International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS). Retrieved 28 December 2013.
3. "Cemetery". Temple Israel Omaha. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
4. "Temple Israel". Graveyards of Omaha. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
5. "Emil Brandeis". Find A Grave. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
6. "Temple Israel Cemetery – Brandeis". Graveyards of Omaha. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
7. Pollak, Oliver B (1982). "The Jewish Peddlers of Omaha" (PDF). Nebraska History 63: 474–501. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
8. "Jonas Leopold Brandeis". Find A Grave. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
9. "Omaha Steaks Heritage Brochure" (PDF). Omaha Steaks. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
10. "War Casualties". Central High School Foundation. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
11. "WWII Veterans: Memories of the Jewish Midwest (Volume 12 – Summer 2003/5763)". Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. Retrieved 28 December 2013.

External links

• Temple Israel (Omaha, NE) – cemetery contact
• International Jewish Cemetery Project at International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS)
• JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR) at JewishGen