The Keneseth Israel Cemetery Association is an non-profit, legal entity separate from the Temple, although it exists for the benefit of the Temple membership and the broader Jewish community. The president of the Association is automatically a voting member of the Temple's Board of Trustees. Members of the Cemetery Association's Board are: 

The Association and the physical cemetery were founded in 1928, with the purchase of just over five acres of land in what is now South Whitehall Township. Approximately one-third of that land is now developed for burials, with the remaining land available for future needs. The original booklet of Rules and Regulations says that the "Keneseth Israel Cemetery is situate [sic] on the Wennersville Pike, at Twenty-fourth Street. Slatington Trolley Cars stop at Kratzer's School House, three squares from the entrance to the Cemetery."

Although this is a Jewish cemetery, a non-Jewish spouse or family member may be buried in a family plot. Plots are available for purchase by Jews, whether or not they are Keneseth Israel members, but non-members do not gain the automatic benefit of the services of the Keneseth Israel clergy and of the Temple's facilities.

The Keneseth Israel Cemetery Association is self-supporting and operates with a volunteer board. No money from the Temple is used in the operation of the cemetery. The expenses of the cemetery are paid from the earnings of the Association's investments. Income is generated by the one-time payment for burial plots, which includes perpetual care of the grounds.

There is a significant financial advantage to Keneseth Israel members in the pricing of plots. Current pricing is:

While the "Slatington Trolley Car" can no longer get you to the cemetery, you may find a short visit by some other means is rewarding. Whether it's to pay respect to a family member or friend buried there, to become familiar with the Jewish families who represent the considerable history of our congregation and community, or to enjoy the solemnity of the environment, you are welcome to visit any day of the week during daylight hours. Click here for driving directions to the cemetery.

If you want to know more about acquiring a plot in K.I.'s cemetery, please send an e-mail message to Ken Kirshner or call Ken (get his telephone number from the Temple directory).

Cemetery Database

In the more than 80 years of the KI Cemetery’s existence and until we had the ability to build a computerized database, we haven’t had an easily searchable method for locating the exact location of the people buried in the cemetery. Click here to download the Cemetery Database as a searchable PDF file.

There are errors in this file as a result of inaccurate, incomplete or conflicting data between the inscriptions on the monuments and the burial certificates; and because of errors made by the compiler of the data. When you discover an error, it would be very useful if you would send an email to Ken Kirshner with the proper information. One area where data is scarce is Veteran status. If a family member served in the armed forces during wartime and that isn’t indicated in the database, please let us know the appropriate war. This is of particular importance, so that we may ensure that a clean US flag is placed on the grave each year prior to Memorial Day.

You might be interested in some statistics from the data. There are 2,038 individual gravesites in the half of the cemetery that has been developed. Of these, over 1,400 have been purchased and there have been about 575 burials. The earliest birth year among the people buried is 1855. There are at least 103 veterans in the cemetery: one from the Spanish American War, 14 from World War I, 64 from World War II, seven from Korea, three from Viet Nam, and others where the war isn’t known. There are a number of people who served in more than one war.