Our Historic Cemeteries

Congregation Mikveh Israel has three historic cemeteries:

Spruce Street Cemetery on 8th and Spruce

In 1738, Nathan Levy, a merchant who established himself and his business (“Levy and Franks”) in Philadelphia , lost one of his sons. Levy appealed to William Penn’s son, Thomas Penn, Chief of the Proprietary Government of Pennsylvania to purchase a plot of land in which to bury his son. He was granted a plot of land on the north side of Walnut Street between 8th and 9th Streets. In 1740, Nathan Levy established a permanent cemetery on Spruce Street between 8th and 9th which Thomas Penn ordered to be held in trust as a burial place for Jews. The cemetery is now the oldest tangible evidence of Jewish communal life in Philadelphia.

Ministers of Mikveh Israel buried at this cemetery:

Jacob Raphael Cohen, Emanuel Nunes Carvalho, Abraham Israel Keys

Parnasim (Presidents) of Mikveh Israel buried at this cemetery:

Michael Gratz, Manuel Josephson, Benjamin Nones, Moses Nathan, Isaac Pesoa, Jacob I. Cohen, Benjamin Phillips, Hyman Marks, Zalegman Phillips, Levi Phillips, Lewis Allen.

Federal Street Cemetery on 11th and Federal

First purchase of land for the cemetery happened in 1841. The first burial took place in 1849 for a former Asst. Judge and Magistrate, Abraham Lopez of Spanish Town, Jamaica.

Mikveh Israel - Beth El Emeth Cemetery on 55th and Market

Founded in 1857 by Beth El Emeth. In 1895, ownership was transferred to Mikveh Israel, before Congregation Beth El Emeth’s dissolvement in 1897.