Mount Zion Cemetery (Los Angeles, California)

Mount Zion Cemetery
Details
Established	1916
Location	Los Angeles, California
Country	United States
Coordinates
Type	Public
Owned by	uncertain
Find a Grave	Mount Zion Cemetery

Entrance to Mount Zion Cemetery

Mount Zion Cemetery, 1030 S. Downey Road, East Los Angeles, California USA Postal Code: 90023.

History

Mount Zion was first used by the Jewish Free Burial Society (חברת קדישא החופשית יהודית Chevra Chesid Shel Emeth) in 1916, and was intended for free burials of poor Jews. The President of the burial society was Charles Groman a Mortician who was a prominent figure in the Jewish community. The burial society may have initially intended the property to be used for free burials however, looking at the dates on the expensive headstones leads one to believe that after 1920 there were few free burials. The Jewish Free Burial Society faded away, probably in 1932, with the death of Charles Groman. The property's owner was The Masonic Cemetery Association Inc. associated with Los Angeles Masonic Lodge #42. The Masonic Cemetery Association dissolved in the late 1950s to early 1960s. Its affluent neighbor, Home of Peace, boasts expanses of trimmed grass, handsome columns and statuary, but Mount Zion is almost entirely headstones, gravel, and dirt.

Famous Interments

Home of Peace has many famous interments, among them Louis B. Mayer, Carl Laemmle, Jack 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. Then at Zion is Jacob Tanenbaum namesake of Etz Jacob Congregation who founded their Talmud Torah. At least 10 war veterans from 3 wars are buried buried at Mount Zion. Yes not famous but important.

Current Condition

Home of Peace is paid to provide minimal maintenance by Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Mount Zion has been vandalized repeatedly and is in a deplorable state. Headstones are toppled. Oval photographs from the headstones, set in enamel, are strewn on the ground. Vandals probably used rocks or screwdrivers to pry them off. Often the images were used for target practice. Mount Zion's last burial was in the 1990's possibly early 2000.  In 2013 The Friends of Mount Zion Cemetery in cooperation with The Jewish Federation Council have started restoration of the cemetery. Restoration website is on Facebook "Restore Mount Zion Cemetery East LA".

Gallery

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  Grave marker of Gabriel Lehrer in Mount Zion Cemetery
• Enamel photograph of Gabriel Lehrer in Mount Zion Cemetery
  Enamel photograph of Gabriel Lehrer in Mount Zion Cemetery
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  Grave marker of Morris Lehrer in Mount Zion Cemetery
• Enamel photograph of Morris Lehrer in Mount Zion Cemetery
  Enamel photograph of Morris Lehrer in Mount Zion Cemetery
• Grave marker of Lamed Shapiro in Mount Zion Cemetery
  Grave marker of Lamed Shapiro in Mount Zion Cemetery