The Common Grave and the History of the Jewish Cemetery in Beersheba
Keywords:
Beersheba, Jewish cemetery, Common grave, World War I, Jewish presence in the NegevAbstract
The article deals with the history of the “common grave” of nine people. Most of the interred were Jewish workers and tradesmen who were conscripted into service for the Turkish army and lost their lives in a British air attack on the Beer Sheva railway station in World War I. The gravesite may be regarded as a memorial to the tragedy in which sixteen Jewish workers were killed and also as a symbol of the devotion of their families to their memory through the upkeep of the burial grounds. In a larger sense, the common grave may also be seen as a symbol of Jewish determination to maintain a presence in the Negev. The attempt to purchase the site and protect it from vandalism continued up until the War of Independence. The location of the grave and the ongoing efforts of the families and Jewish institutions on its behalf were major factors in determining the location of Beer Sheva’s Jewish cemetery after 1948.
The site is now maintained by the Beer Sheva municipality and remains a focus of pilgrimage for the offspring of the deceased.
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