Grave concerns about upkeep
"When I attended this year's Yom Hashoah service there, I saw litter everywhere, broken bottles and fallen branches … and there's a drainage issue near John Saunders' grave," Bando said.
WHILE the government-run Rookwood Cemetery has begun a major conservation project for the oldest graves in its Jewish section – with funding provided in 2012 by the former Jewish Cemetery Trust – fresh concerns have been raised about an “absolutely shocking” lack of day-to-day maintenance.
With a budget of $150,000 per year for 10 years, the Jewish Monument Project (JMP)’s scope includes identifying unmarked graves; fixing or replacing illegible inscriptions; and restoring or repairing weathered, damaged or vandalised old graves and monuments.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) cemeteries spokesperson David Knoll welcomed the project’s commencement but told The AJN after a recent inspection that “much work lies ahead”.
“We’re very pleased that, after considerable delay, this project is finally under way,” Knoll said, adding he is impressed with the qualifications of the JMP’s restoration expert.
“The most important thing is they should report back to us a couple of times per year, and we’re going to ask them to consult with the Sydney Chevra Kadisha throughout implementation.”
On daily maintenance provision, while he says the Jewish section’s newer parts are fine, Peter Bando – whose parents are buried in Rookwood – told The AJN the older areas are “run down and very poorly maintained, and it’s absolutely shocking”.
“When I attended this year’s Yom Hashoah service there, I saw litter everywhere, broken bottles and fallen branches … and there’s a drainage issue near John Saunders’ grave,” Bando said.
“It’s upsetting and not okay.”
Knoll said, “Frankly, they’ve dropped the ball badly on maintenance since 2020 [when Rookwood’s management shifted to OneCrown, and an administrator].
“The way to look after a cemetery is through management by walking around to deal with things – that is what’s needed.”
On July 1, a Crown Lands merger of Rookwood, Northern and Southern Metropolitan cemeteries – called Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP) – came into effect.
Knoll, who has scheduled a meeting with MMP CEO Ken Morrison on July 7, is hopeful the issues can be resolved and that a board and a multicultural advisory committee will be formed soon.
The AJN sought further information and comment from Rookwood’s management but did not receive a response by deadline.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust confirmed that construction will resume on its 136,000-plot, multi-faith Macarthur Memorial Cemetery, which is on target to open in February 2025.
“This is very good news, because once it opens, there should be no gap anymore in the provision of new Jewish graves in Sydney,” Knoll said.
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