Judaism teaches that our cemeteries are equally as important as our synagogues. Wherever Jews have lived, across time and space, burial societies were the top priority to care for loved ones who are no longer with us.

In 1846, the first, and longest operating, Jewish Cemetery in Tennessee was quietly created when a plot of land was purchased by Joseph I. Andrews to bury his brother, Samuel E. Andrews. The Bass St. location was in operation until 1885 when there was no longer space to accommodate a growing congregation. Land was purchased on Hernando Rd, our current location, and a special section of the cemetery established in 1900 contains remains that were moved from the congregation’s burial ground on Bass Avenue (later Jefferson Avenue). This section, surrounded by a wrought-iron fence, contains the graves of many of the congregation’s earliest members, as well as numerous victims of the yellow fever epidemics that plagued Memphis during the 1870s.

The cemetery has been expanded only once, in 1991, when the congregation purchased additional land across from the existing cemetery to meet future needs. Burials in the new section began in 1994.

The Levy-Cooper Chapel was constructed on the grounds in 2006 and has held congregational services since January of 2007. It is a 150-seat Chapel that provides year-round weather protection for those attending funerals and other ceremonies on the grounds.

Location

Temple Israel Cemetery & Levy-Cooper Chapel
1708 Hernando Road, Memphis, TN 38106

Directions

Hours

Sunday to Thursday: 10:30 am – 4 pm
Friday: 10:30 AM – 2 PM
The cemetery is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays (including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Shavuot, and the first and last day of Sukkot and Passover).

Locating a plot at Temple Israel Cemetery

The Temple Cemetery Database is an ongoing project in conjunction with the University of Memphis. Students are currently working to update and map our cemetery. Due to the ongoing nature of this project, not all the information is complete.

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Cemetery Fees

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Other Cemetery needs

If you have other needs related to the cemeteries (i.e. marker damage, ordering a marker, grave condition) please contact our Cemetery Director, Russ Campbell, russc@timemphis.org or Director of Funeral Services, Jennifer Kollath, Director of Archives and Funeral Services, jenk@timemphis.org.