Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

Mount Nebo Cemetery
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington

T25N R42E Sec 14
Lat: 47° 39' 53"N, Lon: 117° 28' 13"W

Temple Beth Shalom, 1322 E 30th
Spokane WA 99203, 509-747-3304

Transcribed by Maggie Rail, © Jun 13, 2001, last updated Sep 19, 2009 [mrail@asisna.com]. Total records = 574.

Mount Nebo cemetery is on North Government Way, just north of and adjacent to Greenwood Memorial Park. It can be reached by going west on Fort George Wright Drive, past Spokane Community College to Government Way. Turn left or south, onto Government Way and continue for a little over a mile, it will be on your right and tricky to spot behind the trees.

This is the second Jewish cemetery in Spokane, replacing the first which was called Ahalath Israel Cemetery and owned by the Keneseth Israel congregation, dedicated in 1914. As it turned out few burials were made there and soon removed to this cemetery because of the condition of the land. It was too rocky for digging the depth needed for burials.

As I walked and read this cemetery construction was in progress for a new section which will have room for 739 new lots. The plat was signed by Mark A Silver, President and Rebecca Lee, Secretary on Jun 25, 2002.

I have transcribed from photos taken when I walked the cemetery on Jun 07, 2001. I then compared my work with the Sexton files provided me by the office of Temple Beth Shalom.

Most of the headstones were upright with the star of David, usually on the top center front. Many had Hebrew writing on them, both front and back. I found a few which were only in Hebrew, except for the name. I found the stones to be very original and quite beautiful.

I am willing to share photos. They are not always the best, since I only take them for my own use to read the stones, but most are not too bad.

Click photo to enlarge

There is a Jewish tradition of placing a pebble, rock or stone upon the grave marker each time you visit your loved one's burial place. I am told it is a way, symbolically, of showing that the family or friend has not forgotten the deceased. By doing this the deceased's memory is long lasting just as the stone is. There were many stones placed on top and around the headstones, some more than others. To the right is one example.

Memorials:

There were two memorials in this cemetery which seemed important enough to me, to be mentioned along with the burials.

Click photo to enlarge

This first memorial was in memory of Yetta Cohen who was the mother of one of the prominant members of the Jewish community, and also of the city of Spokane, Dr David Cowen. Dr Cowen is buried in this cemetery. As far as I can determine, his mother is not. One can see this memorial off to your right as you drive up the roadway into the cemetery. You may see the memorial to your right.

Click photo to enlarge

The second memorial was in memory of the Lassman family and Bialogrod family members who were related to a member of this community. Those listed on this memorial were lost in the Holocaust. I think rather than try to type them here, I will let the photograph of the memorial show them to you.

- Maggie Rail

Legend:

b. = born d. = died h/o = husb of

s/w = stone with s/by = stone by w/o = wife of

Records Index:

• Surnames A-K
• Surnames L-Z