The Oldest Hebrew Cemetery in Michigan: Temple Beth, Jackson
Thousands pass by this little cemetery just off West Avenue every day... But not many have taken the time to find out any background on it.
It’s a Hebrew burial ground, officially titled Temple Beth Israel Cemetery, sitting alongside West Ave at 420 North West Avenue in Jackson.
In 1850, Detroit had Michigan’s first Jewish congregation, the Temple Beth El. Whole Jewish communities and families began moving westward into the other half of Michigan’s Mitten, ending up in various towns and cities, predominantly Ann Arbor, Jackson, and Ypsilanti.
Jacob Hirsch and Jacob Levy were the first in Jackson, getting here in 1842. Others soon followed, and the Temple Beth Israel Cemetery was about to be created. The first burial took place in 1859, that being Rosa Hirsch, wife of the above-mentioned Jacob.
The following year a deed was recorded, and in 1861 the Hebrew Association was formed in order to maintain the property.....only one acre in size.
In 1937 control of the cemetery was transferred to Temple Beth Israel, the second-oldest Reform synagogue in Michigan.
Still operating in the 2020s, it is the oldest Jewish cemetery in the state. It seems a little out of place, within surrounding neighborhoods, noisy traffic, and businesses...but it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2009 and we doubt if it will ever be moved to a more peaceful location.
If you visit, the oldest graves are in the northwest corner of the cemetery along West Avenue.
