Hebrew Ground at Oak Ridge Cemetery is the resting place for early Jewish settlers

“Hebrew Ground” at Oak Ridge Cemetery is the resting place of 342 early Jewish settlers to Springfield and Central Illinois. It is marked by a plaque, dedicated Sept. 17, that sits in front of the graves of Springfield’s first rabbi and his wife.

About 20 Jewish families formed what was then known as the Springfield Hebrew Congregation in 1858. They first met in family homes and later in various rented spaces around the city. Julius Hammerslough, a clothing merchant and friend of Abraham Lincoln, was the congregation’s first president, and Samuel Rosenwald, father of noted philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, was the incoming president when Hebrew Ground was purchased.

The congregation made its first cemetery purchase, part of Block 5 at Oak Ridge, in 1866 (Hebrew Ground was expanded twice more later). Springfield’s first rabbi, Rabbi Bernhard Deutsch, arrived in Springfield that same year with his wife Rebekah, daughter Paulina and son Albert after emigrating to the United States from Bohemia.

Rabbi Deutsch served the congregation until 1878. The congregation built its first temple on Fifth Street between Mason and Reynolds streets in 1876, when it also became a Reform Jewish congregation and adopted the name Temple B’rith Sholom. The temple now is at 1004 S. Fourth St.

Rebekah Deutsch died in 1878. She is buried in Hebrew Ground. Rabbi Deutsch died in 1889 in Carthage, Mo., where his son Albert lived. The rabbi’s body was returned to Springfield for interment next to his wife.

The couple’s daughter Paulina, who married Herman Redlich in 1872, died of tuberculosis in 1883; her grave also is in Hebrew Ground. Albert Deutsch is buried in Kansas City, Mo.

As part of the preparations for the dedication of Hebrew Ground, organizers made rubbings of the tombstones of the Deutsches. Due to the age of the stones, the inscription on Rabbi Deutsch’s stone is unreadable. However, the inscription for Rebekah Deutsch is legible. Translated from the Hebrew by Temple Israel’s rabbi emeritus, Rabbi Barry Marks, it says:

"Respected and dear women. Mrs. Rebekah Deutsch, Wife of the honored Rabbi Ber Deutsch Died with a good name. Erev Shabbat 17th of Second Adar 5638 May her soul be bound up in the bond of life."

Those participating in the dedication ceremony included Temple B’rith Sholom president Sam Gorden, temple cemetery chair Max Parienti and Temple B’rith Sholom’s rabbi emeritus, Rabbi Michael Datz. Also speaking were congregation members Alan Cherrick and Jamie Myers, an “old settler” descendant.

In addition to Temple B’rith Sholom, the Sangamon County Historical Society and the Oak Ridge Cemetery Foundation participated in the plaque project.

Originally published on SangamonLink.org, an online encyclopedia of the Sangamon County Historical Society.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Early Jewish settlers to Springfield are buried at Hebrew Ground