The Board of Selectmen have been requested to consider allocating on an informal basis an appropriate part of Highland Cemetery for the burial of Hebrew citizens of the town.
A group of citizens represented by Rochard Gottlieb, Otis Cooper, Dr. Louis Danovltch and Louis Orent told the Selectmen that while parts of the town cemetery have been set aside for the burial of people of other faiths, there has been no provision made* for those of the Hebrew faith.
“We feel”, said Gottlieb, “that in death we would like our people to lie beside those citizens of the town with whom we walked the streets of Norwood within our lifetimes.” He pointed out that Jewish citizens had contributed much to the town and might well be accorded the same privileges In regard to the cemetery as those given members of other faiths — and, in fact, perhaps those who professed no faith at all.
“The interfaith movement has been brought forcibly to attention everywhere, and it is establishing a better bond of understanding,” he said. “We would not request that burials in the Hebrew plot be restricted to people of the Jewish faith — we only request a portion to bury our dead in accordance with the same privileges given citizens of different religions.”
The Selectmen have taken the matter under consideration.
It has been pointed out by town officials that strictly speaking, there can be no legal segregation of cemetery lots in a town-owned cemetery, on the basis of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and other religions, but by common consent and custom there has been In effect an informal setting apart by giving people interested in buying a cemetery lot an opportunity to select that part of the cemetery where their friends of people of their faith have been Interred. This informal segregation has worked out quite satisfactorily but it should be pointed out that such a custom would not preclude anyone from buying a lot that is available anywhere in the cemetery If the purchaser should insist.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)