Animals Biting Through Caskets, Disturbing Niftarim at Tri-State Cemeteries

7
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

keverEarlier this month, a number of Chevrei Kadisha in the tri-state area met to discuss a wide-ranging problem that is of great concern. Various animals, including groundhogs, are disturbing kevorim, eating through caskets.

The animals are those capable of chewing through wood, and actually remove bones from kevorim at Yiddishe cemeteries. The problem is by no means new, though it has become an increasing problem at certain botei kevaros in New York and New Jersey which contain a large number of Jewish graves, including those of rabbonim and admorim.

A recent meeting in Boro Park brought together various Chevrah Kadishah members who continue to seek an answer to this disturbing problem. Matzav.com was told that an aggressive effort has been undertaken to find a long-term solution to the problem and ideas of how to deter the creatures from disturbing the kevorim are being considered.

{Elisha Ferber-Matzav.com Newscenter}


7 COMMENTS

  1. I wonder if lining the grave with a metal mesh net might be an acceptable solution to deter animals from disturbing the new graves.

  2. We need a spiritual solution to this problem as well as a material solution. I wonder if this is happening because of lack of achdus amongst klal yisroel. I believe Ha-shem is sending us messages, and we have to listen.

  3. what do you mean -“it has become an increasing problem at certain botei kevaros in New York and New Jersey which contain a large number of Jewish graves, including those of rabbonim and admorim.” – do you think this is less of a problem if it would only be regular people and not rabbonim? It is upsetting because Yiddeshe bodies are being disturbed regardless of who these people were while they were alive.

  4. Gorundhog burrows are often ten feet deep, and certainly their hibernation dens are far below the frost line, which, upstate, is a good three feet deep. They will dig deeper when the ground has been softened by having been dug up, such as when a grave has been dug, and the cavity left after a burial is a perfect place for a den. They are not carnivorous, they just toss out the bones along with the stones and dirt. And yes, a metal mesh will turn them away, but you have to use at least a 9-gauge expanded metal screen.

Leave a Reply to Yossi Cancel reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here