History
The Penang Jewish Cemetery, established in 1805, is believed to be the oldest single Jewish cemetery in Southeast Asia. It forms a 38,087 square foot (3,538.4 m2) cleaver shaped plot of land situated alongside Jalan Zainal Abidin - formerly Jahudi (Jewish) Road, in the heart of Georgetown.
The oldest Jewish tombstone is dated 9 July 1835 dedicated to Rachamah Levi and is believed to mark the grave of an English woman that was the benefactor who donated the land where the current cemetery stands. Most of the graves take the form of a triangular vaulted-lid casket, resembling ossuaries commonly found in the Middle East. There are approximately 107 graves located in the cemetery, with the most recent tombstone dated 2011, the grave of the last ethnic Jew on the island. It is the only cemetery established solely for the once small and thriving Jewish community in Peninsular Malaysia, although there may be a few Jewish graves in other non-Jewish cemeteries.
The graves of the Cohens are located separately from the main group of graves on the north-eastern corner of the cemetery and it includes the grave of an English Lieutenant killed during WWII. The cemetery is itself managed by a board of trustees established and registered in 1885.
The cemetery still functions today and is maintained by the Trustees with the support of private donations only. The trustees are currently restoring this historic site, to find out more, please see our blog or if you can assist, please do so here.
The oldest Jewish tombstone is dated 9 July 1835 dedicated to Rachamah Levi and is believed to mark the grave of an English woman that was the benefactor who donated the land where the current cemetery stands. Most of the graves take the form of a triangular vaulted-lid casket, resembling ossuaries commonly found in the Middle East. There are approximately 107 graves located in the cemetery, with the most recent tombstone dated 2011, the grave of the last ethnic Jew on the island. It is the only cemetery established solely for the once small and thriving Jewish community in Peninsular Malaysia, although there may be a few Jewish graves in other non-Jewish cemeteries.
The graves of the Cohens are located separately from the main group of graves on the north-eastern corner of the cemetery and it includes the grave of an English Lieutenant killed during WWII. The cemetery is itself managed by a board of trustees established and registered in 1885.
The cemetery still functions today and is maintained by the Trustees with the support of private donations only. The trustees are currently restoring this historic site, to find out more, please see our blog or if you can assist, please do so here.
