The meter-high wall around the Jewish cemetery in Eindhoven may crumble, so that everyone will soon be able to see the ancient graves from the public road. A bulldozer will even help with that. The Jewish community believes it is time to become more open. “This is very special, because that community has always been very introverted. Especially after the war.”
Max Loewenstein, chairman of the Jewish Community of Brabant: “The motto has always been that we should not stand out. The wall has been there for a long time. From 1900, maybe even longer. You now see a new generation in the Jewish community that wants to be part of Eindhoven society. We also think we can help with that.”
From the Strijp-S station you look out on the cemetery on the Groenewoudseweg, but when you walk past it, you only see a high wall. The first step is to tackle that wall.
“Monumental oak trees have caused cracks. Together with the municipality of Eindhoven, we now want to extend the area where the trees are located near the cemetery. There will be a fence with vertical bars around it. Then we let the wall crumble.”
“We don’t want to disturb the peace of mind of the deceased.”
A bulldozer is going to take pieces out of the wall so you can see through and over it. “People often ask if they can visit the cemetery. We don’t have the manpower to open the cemetery to the public. This way, those people can still see the cemetery.”
Information boards about the cemetery and the burial rituals will be placed at the fence. According to Jewish custom, the graves must remain there forever. “We do not want to disturb the peace of mind of the deceased. As long as they are buried and they have a stone, they are also remembered. They continue to exist.”
“If people want to do evil, they can do it anyway.”
Volunteers come to help keep the cemetery up to date for two days every year. They also helped last Thursday and Friday. “We have a maintenance obligation. The cemetery has been there for a long time. There are graves from 1750. They need a lot of maintenance. The cemetery shows that the Jewish community has always been part of the community in Eindhoven.”
Loewenstein does not expect the new openness to attract people with bad intentions. “This cemetery is already quite easy to find. If people want to do harm, they can do it anyway.”
The Jewish community also wants to provide lessons at primary and secondary schools in Eindhoven. The children then learn about the holidays and customs within Judaism.
“The business climate is becoming more interesting for Jewish people.”
The Jewish community in high-tech Eindhoven is growing. A new generation is coming to town. “There is a lot of high tech in Israel. Many young Israelis are making the switch. Eindhoven is popular and certainly popular in Israel.”
According to Loewenstein, the Eindhoven region is so popular with these expats for a reason. “There is a good Jewish infrastructure here. You can eat kosher, there is a synagogue, there are services, the holidays are celebrated. That’s what attracts those people. This makes the business climate more interesting for Jewish people.”
