Lübbecke
The Jewish Cemetery
Table of contents
Lübbecke
The Jewish Cemetery
Shalom aleichem! “Peace be with you!” In Hebrew, a cemetery is called “Bet ha-chayim” (House of Life) or “Bet olam” (Eternal House). A Jewish cemetery is designed to last for eternity and has no time limits on burial. Neither graves nor headstones may ever be removed.
We invite you to learn more about the Jewish community in Lübbecke and about Jewish burial customs!
There are still two Jewish cemeteries within the city limits of Lübbecke. The “new” cemetery was opened in 1863 with the burial of Sophie Hecht. The “old” Jewish cemetery is located in the Lübbecker Feldmark. The oldest grave inscriptions there date back to the mid-18th century. The graves are oriented so that they face east toward Jerusalem. Both cemeteries are administered by the Regional Association of Jewish Communities of Westphalia-Lippe (K.d.ö.R.) and maintained by the city of Lübbecke.
With the dissolution of the Jewish community during the Nazi era, burials no longer take place there. Men are therefore permitted to enter the cemeteries without head coverings (kippahs).
Lübbecke
The Jewish Cemetery
Lübbecke
The Jewish Cemetery
Max Lazarus, the last Jewish teacher and cantor to serve in Lübbecke, describes the new cemetery in his writings as follows:
Here you can see a 360° panorama of the surrounding area.
Route
Here you can see a reconstruction of the historic route based on records by cantor Max Lazarus (circa 1940), compared with the current state (2024).The Jewish Cemetery
Star of David at the Gate
The Star of David is the symbol of the Jewish faith. It is depicted here on the gate. Can you find it in the cemetery? Christians and Muslims also have symbols of their faiths. Do you know what they are?
The Star of David consists of two triangles inextricably intertwined. They are the symbol used by Jews to express their connection to God. Human beings received their lives from God (triangle pointing down), and human beings will return to God (triangle pointing up). The outline has six outer points and six inner corners, which together form twelve corners. These twelve corners of the star are said to represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Furthermore, the six triangles stand for the six days of creation, and the large hexagon in the center stands for the seventh day, the day of rest.
Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion in the world. Christianity and Islam later developed from Judaism. Their common forefather is Abraham. Jews pray in the synagogue, Christians in the church, and Muslims in the mosque. The symbol of Christians is the cross; that of Muslims is the crescent moon.</poi>