Spring 2020
MESSAGE FROM
Jamie Cotel and Lisa Vaeth, Co-Chairs
Dear JCANA Members,

We know that you are all dealing with our current crisis to the best of your abilities, developing new protocols, and trying to keep staff safe and healthy. Our sacred work continues, as it must, and we know communities are grateful for all you are doing. Our thoughts are with all of you during this difficult time.
 
We have a regular newsletter and important other updates for you, below, including a new forum for sharing ideas, questions, and protocols, which may be helpful to you, in particular during this time.
 
But first, we regret to inform you that the JCANA Conference, originally scheduled for June 7-10, 2020 in Cincinnati, has been postponed. We had hoped to reschedule for the fall of this year, but given the likelihood that economic disruptions, at the very least will continue for several months, we felt it best to postpone the conference this year and reschedule for spring 2021. We will confirm a new date as soon as possible.

We know how disappointing this news is for all us. We will work on providing virtual learning opportunities and will keep you posted as those plans develop. We know that you still need information and resources and a place to share best practices, and JCANA is committed to continuing to provide that for you.
 
To that end, Board member and Treasurer, Sherri Quint oversaw the redesign of the website and its JCANA Forum feature. The JCANA Forum was a response to members’ request at our last conference in Boston to have a way to communicate with JCANA members about issues, questions, best-practices, and to have a way to share documents/templates that might be useful for one another.
 
The forum is a password protected part of the site and for JCANA members only. Your posts or documents are not visible or accessible by the general public. If you wish to become a member or need to renew your membership, click here.
 
We think it looks great – THANK YOU, SHERRI! We hope you will spend some time on the site and we invite your feedback, so we can continue to improve on it in ways that serve YOU!
 
Enjoy the selection of articles we’ve curated below, and please feel free to send us interesting article you write or come across, so we can share them with all our members!
 
Stay tuned for updates, stay safe, and stay well!
 
Jamie Cotel and Lisa Vaeth
JCANA Co-Chairs
Boy Scout's Mission to Honor Jewish Veterans
Thousands of Jewish military veterans are buried in Cincinnati and they are collectively honored by three impressive memorials in Montgomery, Walnut Hills and the B’nai B’rith Judge Robert S. Kraft Veteran memorial in the Covedale cemeteries. Yet, it took the initiative of Springboro Eagle Scout candidate Ethan Zied to begin the task of placing a marker at the grave of each and every Cincinnati Jewish veteran buried in JCGC cemeteries. Thanks to Ethan, that full roll call has now begun.
New App in Israel to Locate Graves
Paying respect to loved ones who have passed is not always an easy task, especially as they don't have a real address and can't help you find your way.

Now a new app called Gravez aims to enable users to locate burial sites with detailed directions of how to get there. Click here to read the full article.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Jewish Cemeteries Management Inc. (JCMI) is a not-for-profit organization located in Toronto, Ontario and operated by a volunteer Board of Directors and a Professional Executive Administrator – all with extensive experience in the Jewish Community and particularly in the oversight of Jewish cemeteries.

JCMI was created as a not-for-profit organization to assume ownership and management of Jewish cemeteries in Ontario that are abandoned, moribund or those for whom future leadership and/or management has no one to carry on. Their goal is to ensure that all of these cemeteries are maintained in a respectful and appropriate manner according to Halacha or Jewish Laws. JCMI does not seek out cemeteries in need of assistance. Rather these cemeteries, their representatives or other vested interested parties voluntarily approach JCMI for assistance. JCMI is fully dedicated to the preservation of Jewish cemeteries.

HISTORY
~  Certain cemeteries of Bathurst Lawn Memorial Park (BLMP) became moribund due to lack of continuity and mismanagement.
~  Executives of BLMP explored options to help these organizations stay viable.
~  In 1999, JCMI was founded in order to assume management of these organizations
~  BLMP approached JCMI to manage a community section (JCMI Section # 55) to offer unaffiliated Jews access to burial lots. Proceeds from the sale of lots were used to fund major expenses in the BLMP such as a new roadway, improved parking, landscaping and a new drainage system.  

TODAY, due to increased need for this quality of service, JCMI manages twelve (12) sections of cemeteries within BLMP, Mount Sinai Memorial Park (MSMP), Roselawn Avenue Cemetery and Jones Avenue Cemetery which has expanded JCMI’s service to the Jewish Community.

The goal of JCMI is to ensure Jewish cemeteries continue to be properly maintained and in compliance with Ontario regulations. All transfers are made in consultation with the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO).

JCMI’s financial structure consists of an audited Care and Maintenance Trust Fund (C & M) as mandated by Ontario regulation and a General Operating Fund used for day to day operations. When an organization transfers ownership to JCMI, assets are required to be transferred to JCMI’s C & M Fund, which is regulated under the authority of the BAO.

For more information about Jewish Cemeteries Management Inc. (JCMI), please visit their website.
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, L'dor v'dor.

לדור ודור
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Jewish Cemetery Association of North America ~ www.jcana.org