Who We Are
Chesed Advocates for Cemetery Protection is a dedicated group of leaders and scholars committed to the preservation and sanctity of Jewish cemeteries worldwide. We believe that burial sites are sacred and must be protected from neglect, desecration, and secular incursion.
- Bernard Fryshman, Ph.D.
- Shnayer Leiman, Ph.D.
- Rabbi Moshe Popelov
- Rabbi Avrohom Zimmerman
- Rabbi Elchonon Zohn
Our Fundamental Goals
In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that seeking intervention on behalf of Jewish cemeteries—particularly in Europe—is a critical necessity. We work to engage the US State Department and other international bodies to adopt strategies for the protection of all burial sites, consistent with global efforts to protect Religious Freedom.
Guiding Principles
- Permanence Jewish cemeteries are forever. The sanctity remains even without grave markers, monuments, or fences.
- Halachic Authority Decisions regarding Jewish cemeteries are the exclusive province of universally recognized Halachic authorities.
- Sacred Space Jewish cemeteries are sacred sites; no secular activities, events, or uses of cemetery grounds are allowed.
- Non-Negotiability Jews must never pay blackmail for the return of that which belongs to them. No one has the right to "sell" a Jewish cemetery.
- Inviolability Digging in a Jewish cemetery, except for properly sanctioned burial, is strictly forbidden and desecrates the site.
- Preservation It is prohibited to construct any building over buried bodies. Any existing structure on cemetery grounds must be dismantled.
- Human Rights Desecration of a cemetery violates both property rights and the human rights of those buried there.
Support Our Mission
Your contributions enable our advocacy efforts in Washington and abroad, helping us protect the sanctity of Jewish cemeteries worldwide.
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