Mount Zion Cemetery (Los Angeles, California)

History

The Mount Zion Cemetery (opened 1916) property was owned by The Masonic Cemetery Association. It was used by the Jewish Free Burial Society (חברת קדישא החופשית יהודית Chevra Chesid Shel Emeth) when opened. It is not clear that Chevra Chesid, the name translating Free Burial Society, was ever a charitable organization. The history of Charles Groman, at Hillside Cemetery where he is buried, states as follows: "Charles Groman (1883 – 1932) In 1929, Charles Groman joined Louis Glasband to form Glasband-Groman-Glasband, the first licensed Jewish mortuary west of Chicago. It succeeded Chevra Chesed Shel Emes, a mortuary established in 1912 by Louis Glasband, Harry Lyons and H. S. Wapner." The burial society (run by Groman and Glasband) seemed to be less a charitable organization but rather a society that offered Jewish burial services. The Masonic Cemetery Association was a for-profit corporation incorporated in 1904 managed by Masonic Lodge #42. There were many Jews of prominence in the lodge most affiliated with B'nai B'rith Temple (aka later Wilshire Blvd. Temple) including Rabbi Wolfe Edleman five time Grand Master. It would seem that the cemetery was initially used as a segregated burial ground for Jewish immigrants of Eastern European descent. Looking at the dates on the expensive headstones leads one to believe that after 1920 there were few free burials. The ongoing research by The Friends of Mount Zion Cemetery now calls into question the number of earliest burials that were charitable. The Jewish Free Burial Society, Chevra Chesid, faded away in 1929, with the partnership of Glasband-Groman-Glasband. The cemetery property's owner, today, is The Jewish Federation Council of Los Angeles as successor in interest to the Masonic Cemetery Association. The Federation pays the annual property tax and pays Home of Peace Cemetery $12k per year to maintain the property. Mount Zion was basically a vandalized mess until 2013 when a group of local citizens raised funds to secure the property and perform the most minimal of restoration to destroyed grave beds and pillows. Its affluent neighbor, Home of Peace (originally owned by B'nai B'rith), boasts expanses of trimmed grass, handsome columns and statuary. A complete history of Mount Zion can be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restoration-Mount-Zion-Cemetery-East-Los-Angeles/381194188663201

Famous Interments

Home of Peace has many famous interments, among them Louis B. Mayer, Carl Laemmle, Jack L. Warner, Harry Warner, and two of the Three Stooges. Mount Zion has: Yiddish writer Lamed Shapiro, who died forgotten, broke, alcoholic, and destitute while living in a friend's garage. Also buried at Zion are Samuel Weisberger - President Congregation Talmud Torah abt 1909 (aka after 1911 Breed Street Shul), Jacob Tanenbaum - Founder of the Talmud Torah congregation Etz Jacob. The congregation was named in his honor., Morris Soriano - Founding member of the Avat Shalom Society. Early member Congregation Avat Shalom...first Sephardic congregation in Los Angeles. Max Babin and Lena Hauph - Owners of the first Kosher restaurants in Los Angeles.

Current Condition

Mount Zion's last burial was in the 1990s possibly early 2000. Mount Zion has since been minimally restored. It is still in poor condition although in far better condition then in 2012. In 2013

The Friends of Mount Zion Cemetery performed basic restoration with monies raised primarily in the Orthodox LA Jewish community.

The complete databased burial index has for the first time been secured and sent to Mark Masek at Find-A-Grave for online publication.