Welcome to JCANA

The idea of a Jewish Cemetery Association of North America—conceived in June 2008 at the National Chevra Kadisha Convention in Edison, NJ—became a reality in the fall of that year when over a dozen Founding Members from the United States and Canada came together to form the Association. JCANA is now reaching out to independent Jewish cemeteries throughout North America, to join JCANA’s ranks for the identification, preservation and continuity of Jewish cemeteries.

JCANA is organized for charitable, educational and religious purposes. It is our mission to preserve and maintain Jewish cemeteries, by assembling, organizing and sharing information relative to the Jewish cemeteries of North America. JCANA is also committed to sustaining community awareness relating to end of life issues, and maintaining Jewish burial practices.

An association of North American Jewish Cemeteries is long overdue! The time has come to record our sacred burial ground locations, prevent future abandonment and serve as a clearinghouse for the perpetuity of Jewish burial practices in accordance with Jewish laws and customs. When we pay tribute to those who came before us, we dignify the meaning of our lives, too. They are a part of us; we are a part of them. And so the covenant passes from generation to generation—Dor l’dor.

Please join us today. Should you have any questions or comments, please contact any of the Founding Members listed on the JCANA Members page. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to JCANA, please click here.

B’Shalom,

The Jewish Cemetery Association of North America