Home of Peace Cemetery
The purpose of the Home of Peace Cemetery Association is to function as a
Jewish burial society for the Jewish community of Pierce County to honor our
dead in accordance with Jewish religious practices, traditions, and beliefs.
Judaism considers mitzvot performed in relationship to caring for the deceased
to be of the purest intention, since we cannot be repaid for these acts of
Yizkor. Remembering our dead by doing benevolent acts is life affirming
and restores our loved ones to us. By performing these acts in their
memory, we are connected to them, and to all those who have gone on before us.
Any person interested in furthering the purpose of the Home of Peace Cemetery is
eligible to make an application for membership.
The Jewish community in the Tacoma area began with a few families in Steilacoom
and Olympia in the 1860s. By the 1870s, several families were established in
Tacoma, which grew rapidly. The cemetery began in 1889 as the First Hebrew
Benevolent Society, and was incorporated in February of 1891. The first temple
was built in 1893. For a more detailed history of the origins of Temple Beth El,
please see the history section of this website.
 The oldest gravestone in the Home of Peace Cemetery, from 1886, was moved
from Olympia after the cemetery was formed in 1889. Many tombstones are datable
from the 19th century. Of the over 700 graves, over one-tenth were unmarked
until the congregation of Temple Beth El purchased tombstones for the unmarked
graves in 2000.
Chevra Kadisha Cemetery (also called Block 41) is a small cemetery within
Home of Peace Cemetery. It was
created July 29, 1914 by a more Orthodox portion of the
community. The land was 109x104 feet and located just southeast of the Home of Peace
Cemetery, with a 30-foot strip of land separating the two. The purchase was
"upon the conditions that the purchasers who were buying said premises
would use the same for burial purposes." There are at least 26 graves
there, including burials from 1922 until 1978. In 1979, the Home of Peace
Cemetery Association took over the assets of the Chevra Kadisha and assumed
responsibility for it.
The cemetery is located at 5421 Steilacoom Boulevard SW in Lakewood, at the corner of Lakewood Boulevard and Steilacoom Boulevard. The
cemetery association owns eight acres, but only about two acres are currently in
use. Originally,
sections were set aside for infants and single deaths, but those lines have
blurred through the years.
Inquiries regarding burials and
costs should be sent to P.O. Box 65522, University Place, WA, 98464, or you may
contact one of the following individuals:
Herman Kleiner (253) 565-3939,
barbherm@msn.com
Lenny Reisberg (253) 756-9752,
leondonna@comcast.net
Deb Freedman (253) 566-9086, debfree@juno.com
The local funeral home most frequently used by Jewish families is Gaffney,
Cassedy, Allen & Buckley King. They are located on Yakima at Tenth, Tacoma,
WA, 98405. (800) 215-2166.
Thank you to Debbie Freedman for this information.
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