CEMETERY:
- Bushey Jewish Cemetery, Little Bushey Lane, Bushey, Herts WD23 3TP. Tel: 020 8950 7767.
This is a one of the principal cemeteries of the United Synagogue serving a wide area of Northwest London and beyond. (United Synagogue) +44 20 8950 6299. Fax: +44 20 8800 8764.
The cemetery was founded 1947 (two decades before the establishment of a Jewish community in Bushey).
Directions: M1 Junction 5, SE on A41 North Western Avenue (towards Harrow, London) right at roundabout into Hartspring Lane, left at traffic lights into Little Bushey Lane. Cemetery entrance on left. Source: "London Cemeteries" by Hugh Meller in The Jewish Year Book (1993) and personal knowledge of Derek Wenzerul.
The United Synagogue Burial Society for additional information and photos and tombstone maintenance at 020 8950 7767 and select option 2. Melvyn Hartog, Head of Burial, Tel: 020 8343 6283. [June 2011]
The United Synagogue website has a "Find a Grave" search facility (at https://www.theus.org.uk/gravesearch) that enables one to search for a grave at its cemeteries, including this one. The search result will generally include the date of burial, the position of the grave and a photograph of the gravestone, if available. Source: David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK [June 2017]
On Sunday 21st May [2017] the United Synagogue held a service to consecrate and officially open the Bushey New Cemetery. The multi-million pound development represents a milestone for the Jewish community as it is the first time in 50 years that such an occasion has taken place. ... Prior to the formal opening, the Chief Rabbi and Dayan Menachem Gelley, Rosh of the London Beth Din, walked around the new site and later buried a Torah scroll as part of the consecration....The design of the new cemetery has made use of natural features and materials, landscaping with an environmentally sensitive approach. This includes the creative use of a range of flora, fauna and water features. The modern design of the prayer halls uses ‘rammed earth’ which utilises highly compressed natural materials to form walls creating a thermally massive building which are clad with timber internally; meaning that the halls will retain heat in the cold and stay cool in the summer....The site will hold thousands of readily accessible plots. The first funeral is expected to be conducted at the site later in the year. Source: United Synagogue Website 25 May 2017 accessed by David Shulman - Webmaster JCR-UK [June 2017]
[UPDATE] New Cemetery Wins International Design Award [November 2017]