Chevra Kadisha

Jewish cemeteries in the Bay Area

Ten of them, from Almaden to Colma. Where each one is, who runs it, and what a plot ran to when we last checked. If you are choosing one today, call us first — there are things about several of these that are not on any price list.

Things worth knowing before you choose

• A plot and the interment are two separate bills. The plot is the ground; the interment fee is opening and closing the grave, and it is charged on the day. Both are listed above where the cemetery publishes them.
• Check the family before you buy. Plots are very often bought in pairs or in fours a generation earlier, and forgotten. Before spending fifteen thousand dollars, ask the oldest person in the family. We have seen this more than once.
• Some sections are members-only or priced very differently for members of the congregation that owns them. It is always worth asking.
• Distance matters more than people expect. The cemetery you choose is the one you will drive to for a yahrzeit for the next forty years. Somewhere you can reach in twenty minutes is worth a great deal.
• Cost is never the reason a Jew is not properly buried. If the numbers on this page are out of reach, say so. It is handled, and it is handled privately.