GREENWOOD CEMETERY: THEN AND NOW
© BHF 245.078 in the Benjamin Hirsch Family Papers collection, courtesy of the Ida Pearle and Joseph Cuba Archives for Southern Jewish Life, William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, Atlanta, Georgia
For as long as Jews have been in Atlanta, they have needed places to bury those who had passed. Given that Jews were still viewed as a separate entity, many of the large, historic cemeteries in Atlanta created distinct plots or quarters where members of the Jewish community were permitted to be buried. This was true for the historic Oakland Cemetery, where city icons such as the Rich family are buried, and it is also true for Greenwood Cemetery, where the above picture was taken. The angle of this picture looks into the Jewish section, visible behind the trees in the background, which stretches to the right for many yards. The Jewish section at Greenwood Cemetery is noticeably more crowded than its other sections, indicating a reluctance to give Jews as much space as they actually needed. Tombstones in this cemetery date back to the early 20th century, encompassing a rich history of Jewish life in Atlanta.
What is also significant in this photo is the Holocaust Memorial in the middleground of the photo. The Memorial was erected on April 25, 1965, the same year this photo was taken. This was additionally significant as it was the first time the city of Atlanta formally celebrated Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) since its creation in 1953. The drive to create such a memorial came from Eternal-Life Hemshech, a
Holocaust survivor group formed in 1964 by those in Atlanta who wanted a community to grieve with. They commissioned a memorial and Benjamin Hirsch, a survivor himself, designed what was ultimately built; a site which, according to the director of the Breman Jewish Museum in Atlanta, is the second oldest Holocaust memorial site in the United States. The memorial has six pillars, one for each million of Jews who perished in the Holocaust, as well as the entombed remains of Jews who died at the Dachau concentration camp. It is a somber memorial that creates a space for reflection, mourning, and community. While initially memorial services were only attended by survivors, over the years it grew to include families, Atlantan Jews, and non-Jews partaking in the important ritual of remembering the tragedy that occurred.
Today, the memorial still serves as the location for the annual Yom Hashoah service, and draws crowds of over 500 people. It is a symbol of Jewish strength and perseverance, and represents how the Atlanta Jewish community came together in a time of grief and need.
