Joy Wilkins Baruḥ Dayan HaEmet

It is with a very heavy heart that I write to tell the community that Joy WIlkins died Monday July 29, 2019.

Most of the members of Congregation will not have known Joy, but anyone who has had a loved one buried in our cemetery or have come to visit the cemetery will have likely met Joy. She was the partner of our caretaker, Geoffrey Perkins, and like Geoff, carried a deep and abiding love for the cemetery, its history, its beauty, and the community it serves.

IOOF remembers Jewish pioneer members

On Sunday, July 28, 2019 the Victoria Chapter of the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) attended the Jewish Cemetery in a ceremony marking the bicentenary of the IOOF establishment in North America.

Invitation to a Cemetery Tour

Sunday, March 3 at 10 am, Jewish Cemetery, Cedar Hill Road near Hillside Avenue — Congregation Emanu-El invites you to attend a guided tour of our Cemetery at Cedar Hill Road led by our Cemetery Director, Dr. Rick Kool and local Jewish historian and tour guide, Amber Woods on Sunday, March 3 at 10 am.
This guided visit is in conjunction with Congregation Emanuel’s last Sunday’s Facilitated Encounter and the ongoing discussions around the possibility of providing space for the burial of congregants’ non-Jewish partners with their Jewish counterparts. It is hoped that, once having seen the area of the cemetery proposed for these burials, congregants will be better able to assess the proposition and form their opinions.

Maps of the cemetery will be provided, as will copies of Rabbi Harry’s tshuvah.

Old Cemeteries Society tours Congregation Emanu-El Cemetery

September 2, 2 pm — The Old Cemeteries Society will conduct a tour of Congregation Emanu-El cemetery on Sunday, September 2 beginning at 2 pm. This Jewish Cemetery is the oldest continuously operating cemetery in BC and has connections to many pioneers from Victoria and other places. Amber Woods, author of the OCS’s recent publication Guide to Victoria’s Jewish Cemetery, will explain the cemetery’s location and describe its people, symbolism and monuments. Meet at the main gates, Fernwood Rd. at the corner of Cedar Hill Rd. Men, please wear a hat.

Guide to Jewish Cemetery Draws a Crowd

Close to 50 people came to the official book launch for the Guide to Victoria’s Historic Jewish Cemetery written by Amber Woods and published by the Old Cemeteries Society. Rick Kool was the MC on behalf of Congregation Emanu-El and the Cemetery Committee. Short presentations were given by John Azar of the Old Cemeteries Society (OCS) and Amber Woods. Gary Cohen read a short biography as an illustration of one of the three anomalies of the Jewish Cemetery. Books were sold and signed in the social hall and a few Jewish desserts were served.

Guide to Victoria’s Historic Jewish Cemetery

On Monday, June 18, 7:30 pm you are invited to attend the launch of Guide to Victoria’s Historic Jewish Cemetery written by Amber Woods at Congregation Emanu-El, 1461 Blanshard Street. Copies of the book will be available for sale.

Interfaith burials – the Rabbi responds

Sunday February 18 2:00 pm Congregation Emanu-El — Over the past decade and more, there have been both formal and informal discussions about the possibility of creating a section of our cemetery for the burial of non-Jewish partners of members.

We had an open meeting in November when the Rabbi provided attendees with a range of rabbinic interpretations about the related issues surrounding such a change to our cemetery. Now that we have had a chance to review that material, Rabbi Harry will provide his formal rabbinic response to the the question of the creation of a section in the Emanu-El cemetery for interfaith burials in the upcoming meeting.

Dr. Richard Kool, Director, Congregation Emanu-El Cemetery