Anshe Chesed and Tifereth Israel, the city's
Reform congregations, had their
cemeteries side-by-side on Willet Street on the
city's west side. Tifereth Israel was the sole owner
of Mayfield Cemetery.
On October 8, 1890 at a special meeting attended by
the members of both congregations it was voted to join their
cemeteries, forming The United Jewish Cemetery
Association, known today as United Jewish
Cemeteries. It would own and operate all the burial
grounds and also assume their mortgages.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
of July 18, 1890 told of the new cemetery and the plans
to improve it by erecting a chapel, vault and office for the sexton (caretaker), at a cost of $22,000.
Corrections to the Plain
Dealer account: it was three years (not "about a year")
between Tifereth Israel's purchase of Mayfield Cemetery
and the merging of the cemeteries of both synagogues;
Also 23 acres was the total area of the three cemeteries