Cemetery
B' nai Israel (Beni Israel) Cemetery
The Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation owns and maintains the B’nai Israel Cemetery in
Eudora, KS. LJCC members in good standing have burial rights in the Cemetery. Contact the LJCC
office (785.841.7636, LawrenceJCC@gmail.com) for information about purchasing a burial plot or to arrange a burial.
The cemetery contains graves of Jews dating back to the settlement of the Kansas Territories in
the 1850s. The cemetery is listed as “Beni Israel Cemetery” on the National Register of Historic
Places.
The Beni Israel Cemetery was founded in 1858 by territorial settlers who relocated to the area
via the German Immigrant Settlement Company of Chicago. The Cemetery represents the
social history of the Jewish-Americans who made distinctive contributions to the early
development of both Eudora and Lawrence, Kansas.
The Settlement Company had approximately 600 members who paid weekly dues to purchase
land for farms and a new town. In 1857, the Company purchased 800 acres of Shawnee Indian
land from Paschal Fish and laid out a townsite, Eudora, named after Fish’s daughter. The
Company then resold lots and acreage to its members. Of the 29 heads of families who first
arrived in Eudora, 7 were known to be Jewish.
Among the Jewish settlers, Abraham Summerfield was elected to the first Eudora City Council
and also served as its second Postmaster. Adolphus Erb and Asher Cohen also served on the
City Council and Marcus Summerfield was City Clerk. Frederick Deichmann, whose wife and
children were Jewish, also served on the City Council.
This Cemetery is the major surviving property associated with the Jewish community which
flourished in Eudora from 1857-1867 before relocating to Lawrence. Together with the
Leavenworth Jewish cemetery, these two properties are the only Jewish cemeteries established
in Kansas during the territorial period. The name “Beni Israel” is thought to have either been a
misspelling or a colloquialism of the times. The Cemetery, which is used for current burials, is
now known as B’nai Israel, although the historic section retains the “Beni Israel” designation.
Lorraine Lindenbaum z”l, former cemetery committee member, discussed the Historic
Designation saying, “It protects the property from encroachment as the surrounding land is
developed...The designation also signifies to our LJCC membership what a gem we have
locally.”
Directions to the Cemetery
From Lawrence:
· Head east on K-10 for about 10 miles; look for the big cross at the Methodist church
· Take the Church St./E. 2200 Road exit
· Turn right onto Church St./E. 2200 Road
· Take the first right onto N 1300 Rd./E. 20th St., it will curve sharply north and then turn west
· In one mile, turn right onto E 2100 Rd./Winchester Rd.
· The cemetery will be on the lft, at the NW corner of the intersection of Winchester Rd. and W. 20th St.
Pictures of B'nai Israel Cemetery
Pedestrian Entrance to Beni Israel
Hebrew Lettering on Gravestone
View of west and north fence lines where we propose perimeter trees.
Dr. David Katzman’s Cemetery Tour, 2023
Headstone of Cemetery Founder and One of First Eudora Councilmen, Asher Cohn
Looking West to adjacent fields & United Methodist Church in far view
Genizah (traditional burial of worn out Hebrew language religious texts) placed by Lawrence Jewish Congregation, Inc.
Fri, June 6 2025
10 Sivan 5785
-
Friday ,
JunJune 6 , 2025
Friday, Jun 6th 7:00p to 9:00p
Friday Night Services led by Judy Roitman & Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg with a potluck oneg to follow. Sarah Hinton of Global Midwives joins as part of our summer speaker series. -
Sunday ,
JunJune 8 , 2025Annual Meeting
Sunday, Jun 8th 10:30a to 1:00p
Doors open for the LJCC Annual Meeting at 10am! We'll enjoy mimosas, noshing, and schmoozing with the meeting beginning (virtually and in-person) at 10:30am. Please register to attend and let us know in the notes section if you will be there in person or online. -
Saturday ,
JunJune 14 , 2025
Shabbat, Jun 14th 10:30a to 1:00p
Alyssa Appelman and Barry Shalinsky lead with a kiddish lunch to follow. Please let us know in the notes section what you can bring. -
Friday ,
JunJune 20 , 2025
Friday, Jun 20th 7:00p to 9:00p
Join us for a special PRIDE services with leaders Siobhan Kirchstein and Carrie Caine with a potluck oneg to follow. Let us know in the notes section what you can bring. -
Sunday ,
JunJune 22 , 2025Summer Trivia at the LJCC with host Will Averill!
Sunday, Jun 22nd 7:00p to 9:00p
Come play trivia. Drink beer. Have fun. Support the LJCC Religious School Kids! With local legendary host Will Averill -
Friday ,
JunJune 27 , 2025
Friday, Jun 27th 5:30p to 7:00p
This month, we gather for a nosh, candlelighting, kiddish, and motzi. The Family Programming will handle the main dish, but potluck contributions are strongly encouraged. Fingers crossed for picnicking weather! -
Friday ,
JulJuly 4 , 2025
Friday, Jul 4th 7:00p to 8:00p
-
Saturday ,
JulJuly 12 , 2025
Shabbat, Jul 12th 10:30a to 1:00p
Alyssa Appelman and Barry Shalinsky lead with a kiddish lunch to follow. Please let us know in the notes section what you can bring. -
Friday ,
JulJuly 18 , 2025
Friday, Jul 18th 5:30p to 7:00p
Join us for an early family-friendly nosh and Shabbat. We'll Nosh and then Shabbat with Religious School Director Rachel Downs-Doubrava and teacher Benjamin Rosenthal leading a musical services beginning at 6:30pm. The LJCC will provide a main. Potluck contributions are encouraged. If possible, let us know in the notes section what you will bring. -
Friday ,
JulJuly 25 , 2025
Friday, Jul 25th 7:00p to 9:00p
Friday Night Services with a potluck oneg to follow. Daniel Smith of Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center joins as part of our summer speaker series.
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