At the northeast corner of Ferry Avenue and Mt. Ephraim Avenue in Camden sits the New Camden Cemetery ("NCC" for short).
Pictured above are several photos taken at NCC. The first photo shows how stones are traditionally placed on gravestones by visitors; in photo #2, enjoy the heartwarming poem on the back of one gravestone; photo #3 shows the oldest known gravestone in the Jewish section of the cemetery; photo #4 depicts a Jewish War Veteran's grave; and in photo #5, a group of volunteers from Adath Emanu-El pause after a Mitzvah Day cleanup project.
Here are 5 Fast Facts about the Jewish Sections of New Camden Cemetery:
1. Who Owns the Cemetery? This site is owned by the City of Camden and is the final resting place for thousands of South Jersey residents, dating back to the 1880s per dvrbs.com. The city provides upkeep for the secular section of the cemetery. The Jewish Community Foundation, Inc. provides oversight for the Jewish sections.
2. Are Jewish Burials Held at NCC? Yes. Fenced off within the larger, secular cemetery are two sections for Jewish burials:
The smaller, "old" section dates back to the 1890s while the larger, "new" section has tombstones dating to the mid-1900s. The old section and a portion of the new section were originally managed by Congregation Sons of Israel, while the new section also has plots reserved from such groups as Workmen's Circle and Progress Lodge.
On average, several Jewish burials are held at the cemetery every year. It is believed to be one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in South Jersey.
3. How Many Jewish Burials Have Been Held at NCC? To date, there have been over 1,300 burials in the Jewish sections. In recent years, the JCF has established an online burial database to help locate gravestones, with more than 90% of all Jewish burials included in the database.
4. Are Jewish War Veterans Buried at NCC? Yes, approximately 20 Jewish war veterans have been buried in the two Jewish sections, along with numerous community leaders who helped build the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey.
5. Can Groups Perform Mitzvah Projects at NCC? Indeed, the JCF has worked closely with volunteer groups such as synagogue Men's Clubs to perform some cleanup tasks in the Jewish section. Groups interested in doing Mitzvah Projects to help maintain the cemetery are welcome to contact the JCF at 856-673-2528 to learn more.
To ensure proper grounds keeping of the cemetery, the JCF accepts contributions in any amount. Thank you to all those who have donated to support these venerable grounds.
The JCF is honored and privileged to be entrusted with the oversight of the Jewish sections of the New Camden Cemetery.