Congregation Emanu-El Cemetery
Background
Congregation Emanu-El Jewish Cemetery is the oldest non-Indigenous cemetery in continuous use in the province of British Columbia. The land was purchased from Roderick Finlayson, Chief Factor of the Hudson Bay Company in October 1859. A dedication ceremony was held in February 1860, and the first burial took place in 1861. It is also home to the Shoah/Holocaust Memorial of Victoria.
The Congregation Emanu-El Jewish Cemetery is located at 2750 Cedar Hill Road on a hilltop area in the City of Victoria, and features an eclectic mix of memorial monuments in a meadow-like setting, with dozens of Garry Oaks. The Cemetery is managed by the Cemetery Committee under the authority of the Congregation’s Board. Maintenance of the Cemetery is supported by the Jewish Cemetery Trust Fund (the Trust) established in 1948 to provide for the perpetual care of the Cemetery. The Trust is a Care Fund required by Provincial legislation for this purpose.
The Cemetery’s long history is documented on our website “Jewish Cemetery of Victoria” which also includes burial records, biographies, and many other details of those buried there.
The Cemetery is open to all Jewish people in our traditional area, and, in a newly acquired additional area of the Cemetery, to members of Congregation Emanu-El who are interfaith couples.
The Cemetery is owned by Congregation Emanu-El, which holds the licence to operate and regulate the Cemetery. For more information, contact the Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue office at 250-382-0615, or info@congregationemanuel.ca
Right of Interment (the plot) and Burial Costs
The total cost to be buried in the Congregation Emanu-EI Cemetery consists of the “Right of Interment” and the costs related to burial. The details are found in Schedule A of the Cemetery Bylaw (updated annually to reflect CPI and other cost changes). Non-members pay a surcharge to account for the administrative, management, supervision and maintenance costs related to delivering burial services to non-members.
Fees for the Right of Interment and placement of a memorial headstone include a contribution to the Trust Fund as required by provincial legislation for Care Funds, and as set out in the Cemetery Bylaws.
Services of Congregation Emanu-El’s Rabbi related to consultation, guidance, counselling, and ritual services for non-members are billed separately—they are not included in the pricing set out in bylaw Schedule A.
The cost of services provided separately by Sands Funeral Home are not included—they are billed separately. Those services are licenced and regulated by the Province and include the initial transport and custody of the deceased, kosher casket, hearse to the Cemetery, and required documentation, as well as facilities for Shomer and Taharah.
In the Event of a Death
Please contact our office at (250) 382-0615. Rabbinic services may be provided by Congregation Emanu-El’s Rabbi as above, or another rabbi as arranged for by the family. Burial should be expected within one or two days but can be delayed if family is expected from afar. The Cemetery Committee manages the process as required.
Advance Planning
The first step is to purchase a “Right of Interment” (the plot) from Congregation Emanu-EI. If desired, it is then possible to purchase in advance a “funeral contract”, which is provincially licenced and regulated, from Sands Funeral Home. The “package” price includes the following:
- Burial services provided by Congregation Emanu- EI (Cemetery administration, gravesite allocation and access, grave excavation and completion, as well as contributions to maintenance, indigent burials and bed-rock removal).
- Chevra Kadisha supplies required for the taharah, and Chevrah Kadisha member’s training and support. (Note: Chevra Kadisha services are provided by community volunteers.)
- Services provided by Sands Funeral Home are as noted above. Sands Funeral Home is located at 1803 Quadra Street, Victoria, B.C. V8T 4B8; telephone (250) 388-5155. Or visit the website for more information.
Memorial Headstones
A headstone is required as a monument to the memory of a person buried in our Jewish Cemetery. It is traditionally placed within a year of the burial. Headstones are provided by three firms in Victoria, and usually cost $600 to $2500. All headstone memorials must be comply with the Cemetery Bylaw’s Schedule D: Memorial Specifications. The Congregation Emanu- EI Rabbi acts as a consultant regarding headstone wording and proofreading. Headstones can be ordered from:
Mortimer’s Monumental Works
709 Kings Road, Victoria, B.C. (250) 383-6421
Stewart Monumental Works
1403 May Street, Victoria, B.C. (250) 384-3452 or
Meadowlark Memorials
4610 West Saanich Victoria, B.C (778) 679-9224
Zachor Remembrance Wall
As a fundraising project for the Cemetery, we are offering an opportunity to inscribe, in English and/or Hebrew, the names of loved ones who are not buried in our Cemetery. For details, and registration, see the Zachor Remembrance Wall form (fillable PDF). Short biographies of those remembered can be found on the Jewish Cemetery of Victoria website.
Visiting the Cemetery
The Cemetery is open to visitors during daylight hours. In accordance with Jewish tradition, visitors are reminded that in our cemetery, memorial flowers are not permitted nor are smoking, pets of any kind, eating food or drinking beverages. We hope your visit is peaceful and meaningful.