Laurel Hill guests at the cemetery’s Cinema in the Cemetery movie night
PAYING IT FORWARD
Spreading Muss Magic to more families
B Laurel Hill visitors attend Market of the Macabre
Courtesy of Friends of Laurel Hill Facebook page
Goldenberg said. “From the get-go of
the creation of cemeteries, they were
money-making businesses.”
Laurel Hill is no exception. Cemetery
founder John J. Smith bought several
lots of land next to the Schuylkill and
later, in Bala Cynwyd.

“Th ey were always meant to be
beautiful, open spaces,” Goldenberg
said. “Cemeteries are the precursors
of parks. Th ere were no parks in 1836.

Th ere was no art museum in 1836.

Th ere was no public sculpture in 1836.”
Th ough Laurel Hill thrived for over a
century as a bucolic respite in the city,
it, along with other urban cemeteries,
suff ered in the 1960s and ‘70s, due to
the disinvestment from cities because
of rising economic and racial tensions.

In 1978, historian John Francis
Marion and a small cohort he assem-
bled began giving historic tours of
cemeteries, pointing out historical fi g-
ures buried at the cemetery, to generate
revenue. Th e tour group was the begin-
ning of Friends of Laurel Hill.

Th is month, Laurel Hill opened
Makom Shalom, a new section of
Laurel Hill West, which will contain
906 graves across three acres. It’s a
testament to the cemetery’s fi nancial
health, Goldenberg said. Laurel Hill
continues to off er book clubs, cemetery
tours and performances to visitors.

However, with more creative pro-
gramming, though it helps attract a
wider audience, Laurel Hill must still
honor its roots as a place of grieving,
maintaining a balance between fun
activities and respect for the dead.

Goldenberg believes that fi nding a
way to keep business alive will keep
graves maintained and welcoming
to loved ones, the cemetery’s highest
priority. “Our industry is a business.

Businesses have to generate revenue,”
Goldenberg said. “If we don’t, we’re not
able to maintain the graves of those
who are buried here, and we’re not able
to uphold the commitment that we
promised to our families.” JE
art Mellits and Barbra Berley-Mellits saw each of their
three children return from Alexander Muss High School
in Israel more mature, more secure in their Jewish
identity, more connected to Israel, and remarkably prepared
for independent college life. Now as new grandparents, they
were seeking a way to contribute to Israel education access
while building their legacy. That’s when they learned about the
benefits of a Jewish National Fund Donor Advised Fund.

“If we can help one kid who couldn’t afford to go to Muss,
then we’ve succeeded, and hopefully we’ll help many more
than that,” said Bart about why they chose to establish a Donor
Advised Fund to issue grants for High School in Israel
programs. The Mellitses explained that the vital importance of
Muss begins with building a connection to Israel for teens in
their formative years, but it extends to ensuring that the U.S.

always has a strong base of Israel advocates who have seen it
with their own eyes and understand its unique cultural and
geopolitical reality. Barbra detailed, “It was important to me
that our kids develop a connection to their heritage that is
rooted in a nuanced understanding of the situation in Israel.”
The Mellitses also value the opportunity for young people
to grow into themselves. As Bart related, “The kids are on
their own, interacting with people from all over the world, and
exploring difficult topics. They think deeply about who they
are. What this gives kids and how it prepares them for college
and for life is profound.” Barbra added “The experience helped
them develop leadership skills and empowered them to take on
responsibilities to use those skills.”
New to legacy planning, a Jewish National Fund Donor
Advised Fund presented a chance for the Mellitses to determine
and see their impact now. Barbra and Bart are excited that their
grants will contribute to life-changing experiences for Jewish
teens. Speaking about their hopes for their new grandson, Zev,
they say they simply want him to love being Jewish like they do.

Considering that his dad, Josh Mellits, is a Jewish National Fund
professional, he is sure to do so!
To learn more about the many
ways you can leave your legacy
with Jewish National Fund,
visit jnflegacy.org
or call 800-562-7526.

srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
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