BURIALS
Beit Shearim Necropolis
Beit She’arim is an ancient Jewish town famous for its vast necropolis, located south of the Sea of Galilee. Built near the ancient city, the complex of catacombs was carved into limestone and served as the main Jewish burial ground in Galilee from the 1st to the 4th centuries CE.
The city of Beit She’arim was founded in the late 1st century BCE and flourished in the 2nd century CE, when it became the seat of the Sanhedrin under Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi, the compiler of the Mishnah. After his death around 220 CE, Rabbi Judah was buried in a rock-hewn cave near the town. This made Beit She’arim a prestigious burial site for Jews from many regions, including Phoenicia, Mesopotamia, and even Yemen.
The necropolis of Beit She’arim contains more than 30 catacombs and rock-cut halls, richly decorated with intricate symbols and figures, as well as inscriptions in Hebrew, Aramaic, Palmyrene, and Greek. In 2015, the necropolis was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding monument of Jewish renewal.
The first archaeological excavations at Beit She’arim began in 1936 and continue to this day.
Practical Information
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Location: Beit She’arim National Park, Lower Galilee, Israel.
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Opening hours: Daily; until 16:00 in winter, 17:00 in summer. The park is locked at closing, so visitors must leave on time.
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Tickets: 24 NIS per person. Entry by car to the necropolis is allowed.
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Facilities: Picnic areas, a shop selling water, ice cream, and souvenirs.
Symbolism and Art
The carved symbols on sarcophagi and catacomb walls carry profound cultural and spiritual meaning. These images are true “calling cards” of the Jewish diaspora of the 3rd–4th centuries CE, reflecting faith, artistry, and belief in life after death.
One of the most frequent motifs is the menorah, the sacred seven-branched candelabrum of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, symbolizing divine light and presence. In Beit She’arim, the menorah is often depicted together with other Temple objects — the shofar (ram’s horn), lulav (palm branch), and etrog (citron) — highlighting the deep connection with Temple tradition and the festival of Sukkot.
Other carvings include columns, arches, and pediments on sarcophagi, likely symbolizing the “house of eternity” — a traditional Jewish expression for the grave.
These images were not merely decorative but served as visual prayers and messages, telling of the faith, status, and hopes of those resting in these stone tombs.
The fusion of Greco-Roman artistic influences with Jewish symbolism makes the Beit She’arim necropolis a unique monument of the Jewish diaspora in the Roman era.
The Mount of Olives Cemetery in Jerusalem
The Mount of Olives Cemetery is considered the oldest and most important Jewish cemetery in the world. Its use dates back more than 3,000 years, to the times of the First Temple period. According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will appear on the Mount of Olives, and the resurrection of the dead will begin here, making this sacred site the most desired burial place for Jews.
During the Byzantine and Crusader periods, the cemetery was partially destroyed, and access to the site was restricted. Nevertheless, Jews from around the world continued to view the Mount of Olives as a holy place. Pilgrims often brought earth from the Mount back to their home communities to use in burials, symbolizing eternal connection to Jerusalem. Despite wars and expulsions, Jewish burials on the Mount of Olives never ceased completely, making it a rare example of continuous tradition.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the cemetery grew significantly as Jews from Europe and the Middle East sought to be buried in Jerusalem. However, during the Jordanian control of East Jerusalem (1948–1967), the cemetery suffered severe desecration: gravestones were destroyed, and parts of the site were used for roads and even construction projects.
After the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel regained control of East Jerusalem, the cemetery underwent large-scale restoration. Today, it holds more than 150,000 graves and is still an active burial site.
The Mount of Olives Cemetery is the final resting place of many prominent Jewish figures, including:
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Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar (Or HaChaim) – a leading Moroccan kabbalist.
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Henrietta Szold – founder of the Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization.
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Eliezer Ben-Yehuda – the “reviver” of the Hebrew language.
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Prime Minister Menachem Begin – the only Israeli prime minister buried here, honoring his request to rest among the people of Jerusalem.
The cemetery also includes the graves of numerous rabbis, poets, scholars, and leaders who shaped Jewish culture and history.
Practical Information
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Location: Mount of Olives, East Jerusalem.
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Opening Hours: The cemetery is accessible daily during daylight hours.
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Entrance: Free of charge.
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How to Visit: Visitors can reach the cemetery by taxi, car, or public transport from the Old City of Jerusalem. Parking is available nearby.
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Tips: Wear comfortable shoes, as the cemetery is built on steep hillsides. Guided tours are recommended to fully appreciate the historical and religious significance of the site.
An interesting detail found on many Jewish cemeteries is the inscription "שַׁעַר" (Sha’ar), which translates as “gate.”This concept symbolizes the transition from one form of existence to another — from earthly life to the spiritual world.
On Jewish graves, it is traditional to leave stones, a sign that family or friends have visited the site. Recently, visitors have also begun placing crystal stones, arranging them into symbols or words as another way to express affection and remembrance.
Some cemeteries also feature large, elaborate family crypts, remarkable for their luxury and unique details. These complexes may even include air conditioning, libraries, or spaces for memorial ceremonies. Such crypts emphasize the importance of preserving memory with dignity and comfort.
Israeli cemeteries not only preserve history but also symbolize a bridge between past and future, reminding visitors of the eternal bond between generations.
Among the many symbols found on graves are those reflecting Jewish spiritual and cultural traditions. One of the most recognizable is the sign of the Kohanim — a symbol depicting blessing hands, indicating that the deceased belonged to the priestly lineage of the Kohanim. The hands are shown in a distinctive gesture with spread fingers, which many recognize from the cult TV series Star Trek. Actor Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock, drew inspiration from this Jewish blessing and introduced it into the series as a sign of peace and logic.
The blessing hands (two palms with divided fingers) symbolize the priestly blessing once given by the Kohanim to the Jewish people in the Temple. Seeing this sign on a gravestone reveals that the person buried there was from the Kohanim lineage — a highly respected status in the Jewish community.
This symbol, along with the tradition of placing stones on graves, the inscription “Sha’ar” (gate), and crystal patterns, emphasizes the connection of the living with their ancestors and the idea of transition to another existence. Israeli cemeteries are places where symbols and rituals preserve deep memory and spiritual continuity across generations.
Israel is a country with a multinational and multi-faith society, and this diversity is reflected in its cemeteries. Here you will find Jewish, Arab, and Christian burial grounds, as well as alternative sections for people of other faiths. Across the country, these places preserve the memory of individuals who lived in different cultures and eras.
In many cemeteries, gravestones often feature inscriptions in Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, and other languages. This is connected to the large number of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Such headstones help preserve cultural identity and the memory of one’s roots.
Many cemeteries also include separate sections for children’s graves. These areas are usually arranged with particular tenderness, filled with symbols that reflect the brightest aspects of those short lives — childlike purity and joy.